An adjustable design with a twist lock mechanism you can set the poles at the length you want. You will want to set them to be more downhill skiing length than a normal walking pole. Set the height to just under your armpits or mid-chest. The grips and overall finish of the poles is great.

The big difference in the Bungy Pump to any other pole is the inbuilt resistance system. It’s not like the small springs found in some poles like the Leki antishock. Bungy have far greater movement and are more like a pogo stick. It is from this that the extra working and training benefits of the Bungy Pump come (and their name too).

At first I found them a little odd to use after a fixed pole, but remember these poles are meant to be used differently. There are three resistance levels to choose from: four, six and ten kilograms. The pair I tested were six kilograms.

Use on the walking pathMy first outing with the poles was along the local walking path along the water. This is a flat concrete path, quite tame compared to our normal bush tracks. Using the poles felt strange at first, but once I realised the level of energy I should be putting into them they quickly became fun and gave me a good workout. They aren’t built for a leisurely stroll along the path. They were there wanting to used as a piece of fitness equipment. This is where their strength lies. I could see myself using them as a training tool. Engaging my whole body during a training walk.

In the bushI took the poles on a walk along my local fire trail, a narrow rocky path along the sandstone platform just north of Sydney. There is no easy way to transport the poles while not using them. They can collapse a little, but by any measurement they are long, about 155 centimetre. Attaching them to my day pack wasn’t feasible.

Once I pulled them out to use on the steeper and more technical nature of the track I set them lower than I did on the path, just five

centimetre higher than my normal pole height to allow for the extra compression in the resistance system. I quickly found the same results when I really worked the poles as I did on the path, and they rewarded me with extra effort and gave a good workout. However with so much travel in the pole I found using them for stability when walking fast through rocky passes and over tricky sections a little difficult. My confidence was lower and the speed and control benefit I was used to getting from a traditional pole wasn’t there.

SummaryThe Bungy Pumps are a great fitness pole, perfect for those who want to keep fit by walking along good tracks. They’re good for training for that Kokoda walk you want to do, or the next Oxfam.

However, there are limitations when taking them on more challenging terrain. I don’t recommend them for use on a long-distance remote and rough bush track. I could see myself training for an event with them, but I don’t plan to take them on any remote or overnight walks.