Things I have learnt.

[north-north-west]

Few things are more anti-climactic than girding your loins (and every other bodily part) for what looks to be a slow, difficult scrub bash, only to find that
a) most of the scrub has been burnt and
b) there's a taped, cairned - and occasionally cut - pad all the way down.

Also, designers of trekking poles have never walked offtrack. Put the flicklocks the other way around, please, so they don't catch on every bit of vegetation you pass.

[Warin]

Also, designers of trekking poles have never walked offtrack. Put the flicklocks the other way around, please, so they don't catch on every bit of vegetation you pass.

The lower one can be rotated to whatever you want, at least on my poles. So that should reduce the aggravation. the upper one ... do it up a bit tighter?

[rcaffin]

Or buy ones with inner expanders instead of clumsy flicklocks?

Cheers
Roger

[north-north-west]

Or buy ones with inner expanders instead of clumsy flicklocks?

I gave up on twistlocks as soon as flicklocks came out because the former were always failing. They jammed, they slipped, they came undone. Horrible. Flicklocks are far superior in my opiinion, except for the orientation issue.

Also, designers of trekking poles have never walked offtrack. Put the flicklocks the other way around, please, so they don't catch on every bit of vegetation you pass.

The lower one can be rotated to whatever you want, at least on my poles. So that should reduce the aggravation. the upper one ... do it up a bit tighter?

They're easier to adjust if they're aligned, and they're tight enough to not be pulled open, it's just the catching in the vegetation and needing to be cleaned out bit that's annoying and the point is it shouldn't be necessary because they should design and build the things so it ISN'T A *&%$#! PROBLEM!!!

[rcaffin]

I gave up on twistlocks as soon as flicklocks came out because the former were always failing. They jammed, they slipped, they came undone. Horrible.
Strange. I have several sets, none of which give any problems. (OK, review sets: I did not buy them.)

Ah, but the magic secret is that every now and then I disassemble them and clean both the bore and the rubber expander. This works wonders, and can be done in the field too.

You can usually buy replacement rubber bits too.

Cheers
Roger

[north-north-west]

OK, let me put this to you a different way: is there a reason they can't have the levers operating in the other direction? I can't think of one. Nothing. Zilch. Zero. Nada. So why are they all, always, that way around?

It's probably deliberate so the things gets snagged, sometimes open up, the lower section/s fall/s out and they have to be replaced. It's a kind of added planned obsoloescence. And that *&^%$#@! me. It would cost nothing to change that aspect of the design.

[rcaffin]

Ah well, you see, it is all a matter of economics. Remember, the bean counters always prevail over the designers.

Now what probably happened was that a novice designer in China whipped up a design, which management thought was OK, so they made the steel molds for the parts and went into production. But making molds is expensive, so to amortise the cost the company made a million parts. And then they set about selling them to the West. You might complain that the design is lousy, but when the mfr has a million in the warehouse he can undercut any one else, including someone trying to make a better design.

So - until you have used up that 1 million there won't be a V2. You will just have to keep buying and throwing away.

Cheers
Roger

[Avatar]

Maybe done that way so they won't catch on clothing and tear or continually knock the edge of your kneecap.

[north-north-west]

Maybe done that way so they won't catch on clothing and tear or continually knock the edge of your kneecap.

Nope, doesn't happen. You don't use them that close to the body. and they'd only snag if you had tassells dangling down at the right height anyway and they don't make bushwalking clothes/gear like that (yet, although the fashion designers probably will at some stage ... )

Now what probably happened was that a novice designer in China whipped up a design, which management thought was OK, so they made the steel molds for the parts and went into production. But making molds is expensive, so to amortise the cost the company made a million parts. And then they set about selling them to the West. You might complain that the design is lousy, but when the mfr has a million in the warehouse he can undercut any one else, including someone trying to make a better design.

Every version for however many years from every manufacturer, every brand, including the latest updates?
Besides, it isn't the individual parts, it's how they're put together. Just put the locking levers on the other way around, that's all I ask. Put them on so that the end of the lever is at the back of the pole when held in the usual position rather than facing forward. That''s all they'd have to do. It's a small change.

Why is everyone fighting me on this? Are you just bored?

[rcaffin]

Bored?
We have just had several weeks of 50 mm of rain every day. What do you expect?

Cheers
Roger
PS: pls allow for Caffin sense of humour.

[north-north-west]

Sorry everyone, that was a bit rude. I know you're just trying to be helpful. Probably.

I need to get out for a walk.

Bored?
We have just had several weeks of 50 mm of rain every day. What do you expect?

Still? I had hoped the worst of it would be over by now. I'm surprised the whole big island hasn't just floated away.

[Warin]

I'm surprised the whole big island hasn't just floated away.

Well NZ usually gets the rain we would have liked to have.. and they haven't floated away. I wonder if they are missing this rain fall?

Sydney to get a few more damp days coming up, my local tracks have been chopped up by mtbs.. nothing wrong with that just slows drying out. Had a few days of sun shine, got the washing done and ripped into a few weeds.
I did take the opportunity to clean some concrete on paths and drive at my place while it was wet .. a stiff broom got some of it.. but I had to use the hose to get a better job. That also proved the aldi boots are not 'water proof' at least when presser washed (and no it did not come in over the top).

[ribuck]

Every version for however many years from every manufacturer, every brand, including the latest updates?

For what it's worth, my only flick-lock pole is Tomshoo brand, and it has the end of the lever at the back as you prefer. Furthermore, it has a symmetrical grip so I can swap it between left and right hands according to whether I prefer the flick-lock to catch on my clothing or on the vegetation (not that I've ever noticed it doing either).

[north-north-west]

You don't truly appreciate how much your little fingers are involved in doing things until you break one. Can't even get the camera out of the bag easily.

[north-north-west]

Thongs and caves don't mix.

[crollsurf]

Thongs and caves don't mix.

It gets cold in those caves

[ribuck]

Thongs and caves don't mix.

Especially the American type of thong.

[Lophophaps]

Thongs and caves don't mix.

Sometimes after the thong is removed one still feels unwell. That is, the thong is gone but the malady linger on.

[Aardvark]

If you go back to when the whole trekking pole thing started. That is, the origin of them and their introduction to the outdoor walking industry as a whole.
In Australia, that was around the late nineties and close to 2000.
It is clearly obvious that they weren't intended for the off-track use.
The concept that over some distance and time and with repetitive action, they would transfer 30% of the workload to the upper body cannot really be achieved on anything other than graded tracks, roads and open relatively even ground.
It's the markets' need to sell and push the product that has more people using them and thus taking them to more varied use.
So, in effect you're currently ahead of the market and for the want of a better word 'TRENDSSETTING'.

I think the older twist design has its' flaws but no more than the more current flick lock design.

[rcaffin]

It's the markets' need to sell and push the product that has more people using them
Exactly.
And yes, they are not only useless in the bush, but an absolute hindrance.

Cheers
Roger

[north-north-west]

Thongs and caves don't mix.

It gets cold in those caves

It's more about the mud and wet, slippery rock.

... the thong is gone but the malady lingers on.

I groaned but then I laughed, so you win that one.

[ChrisJHC]

It's the markets' need to sell and push the product that has more people using them
Exactly.
And yes, they are not only useless in the bush, but an absolute hindrance.

Cheers
Roger

My poles spend most of their time collapsed and sitting in their holder on the side of my pack.

When I need them - going up steep hills and especially going down steep hills - they take a minute or so to deploy (while approaching the slope) and are invaluable to protect my tired old knees.

Also really good on muddy tracks to provide a third point of contact.

[rcaffin]

Poles are good in the snow. Slippery stuff.

PonchoTMB1.jpg (45.49 KiB) Viewed 112182 times

Cheers
Roger

[johnw]

Thongs and caves don't mix.

Touche, I hate the *#&% things for any purpose whatsoever. For open toed footwear give me a pair of lightweight sandals any day, preferably with Vibram soles.
Admittedly that variety is likely to be significantly more expensive than your best Havianas, but at least you're more likely to remain upright (and uninjured).
That said I did concede to a pair of Xero Genesis for travel purposes a few years back, closest I'll get to actual thongs. Haven't really done much with them in the way of bush/outdoor pursuits though.

[north-north-west]

Launceston hates me.
The feeling is mutual.

There is no "good" place to lose your keys, just bad places and worse places. In Tassie, one of the worst is a boulder field.
So, if anyone finds a small bunch of keys on Barrow, or South Barrow, you know who to check first ...

[L_Cham_67]

Launceston hates me.
There is no "good" place to lose your keys, just bad places and worse places. In Tassie, one of the worst is a boulder field.

My phone (with driver licence and debit card in the case) slipped out of my pocket on Mt Achilles and went into the rocks a few months ago. Spent 30 minutes panicking, and eventually found it by using the "hey google" function and listening to where the sound came from (20cm away from disappearing for good). But I did lose my hat down a crack in all the hubbub. So yes you're spot on, boulder fields are not a good place to lose items.

[eggs]

My friend had a phone extracted from his pocket on an ascent of Jukes attempting a very scrubby vertical attempt on the cliff line. Phone was airplane mode and out of range anyway. We realised a longer search was pretty futile and he had not backed up the extensive photos on it.
The one good aspect is that it was not set up as a locked device. So 18 months later his wife got a call from a young man who had also taken a poor line up, found it, repowered it and called the last number on it.
It had successfully endured west coast rain and snow and he could recover everything he thought he had lost.

[Warin]

My friend had a phone extracted from his pocket on an ascent of Jukes attempting a very scrubby vertical attempt on the cliff line.

Zippered pockets work .. but only if you do up the zippers

[Tortoise]

Zippered pockets work .. but only if you do up the zippers

And if they don't develop a hole.

[Last]

Launceston hates me.

A friend who grew up in Launceston says that the best view of Launceston is in the rearview mirror going up the outlet, though I lived there for a year and quite liked it.

If you need some spare change and an old camera card they are somewhere in the cairn on Mt Ironstone