Trekking poles continue to gain in popularity with women hikers as they provide numerous benefits while hiking such as reducing the stress and impact on the legs, knees, and back, provide additional power and endurance, and help with stability and balance.
With so many different trekking poles on the market today though, how are you supposed to know which trekking poles are the best for women?
To help with this question we created this helpful buyer’s guide on the Best Trekking Poles for Women that not only provides complete reviews of some of the best trekking poles for women but also has information on how to choose the best trekking poles for your specific needs.
Best Trekking Poles for Women
When compiling this list of the best trekking poles for women we used over 20 different criteria to come up with the absolute best trekking poles currently on the market today for women.
We also subdivided the best trekking poles into separate categories such as the best overall, most durable, most affordable, most shock absorption, and the lightest weight so that no matter what type of trekking poles you’re looking for you’re sure to find them quickly and easily on this best-of list.
Black Diamond Trail Pro Women’s Trekking Poles
- Weight: 17.3 Ounces (Pair)
- Packed Size: 23 Inches
- Material: Aluminum
- Grip: Foam
These women’s trekking poles by Black Diamond really have everything you could want in a high-performance four-season trekking pole, offering a ton of adjustability as well as strength.
Starting at the top of this trekking pole, the grip offers ultra-long dual-density foam grips which allow you to grip the pole with confidence even if your hands are wet with perspiration in the summer or clad in heavy gloves in the winter. Also, the foam grip extends well down the pole allowing you to grip the pole lower when going uphill.
The shaft of this trekking pole is made from strong and lightweight aluminum providing an excellent balance of strength and weight. In addition, the shaft is fully adjustable with three separate sections allowing the pole to be reduced in size from 23 inches for storage all the way to a length of 49 inches.
Another really nice feature on this Black Diamond women’s trekking pole is their unique flip-lock mechanisms which allow you to adjust the pole length quickly and easily.
These trekking poles come with standard carbide tips that can be replaced if damaged and have two options for baskets including a low profile as well as a winter basket.
One of the few negatives about this trekking pole is that they don’t come with any type of rubber tip so if you are planning on hiking or trekking on pavement or other hard surfaces you will want to purchase black diamond rubber tip covers which are sold separately.
To check the price of these high-performance trekking poles on Amazon click here.
- Weight: 16.2 Ounces (Pair)
- Packed Size: 15.7 Inches
- Material: Cabron Fiber
- Grip: Foam
If you love using trekking poles while hiking or backpacking but hate the added weight and bulk they add to your gear when not in use, these trekking poles by LEKI are a great option to consider.
Because these trekking poles are not only lightweight due to their carbon fiber construction, weighing just a little over 8 ounces per pole but they are also super compact at only 15.7 inches long when stored.
This compact length is thanks to their ingenious design that allows the pole to break apart into three separate sections.
There’s no need to worry about having to keep track of these separate pieces either as they are all tied together by a super-strong Kevlar cord that runs through the middle of the pole. Which also makes it both quick and super easy to connect the different sections of the trekking pole together.
In addition to their compact and lightweight design, these trekking poles for women by LEKI, also have many high-end features including an extended ergonomic foam handle, adjustable and padded straps, as well as quick-release locks that allow you to easily adjust the length of the trekking poles from 39 inches to 47 inches.
To check the price of these ultra-lightweight and compact trekking poles on Amazon click here.
High Stream Gear Women’s Trekking Poles
- Weight: 20 Ounces (Pair)
- Packed Size: 14.5 Inches
- Material: Aluminum
- Grip: Cork
These trekking poles by High Stream Gear are a great affordable option for beginning hikers or anyone hiking on a budget.
Just because this pair of trekking poles are the cheapest on this best-of list though, don’t think this means they’re not a quality pair of hiking poles, as they provide a ton of value and high-end features.
To begin with, these trekking poles are made with 7075 aluminum which provides a great deal of strength while still being plenty light enough.
The trekking pole shaft is also fully adjustable and can be adjusted in length from 43 inches up to 47.2 inches.
The grips on these trekking poles are also high-end and made from cork which is great for summer and warmer weather hiking as they wick away moisture. These cork grips will also mold to your hand over time giving you a personalized grip.
One drawback though of these cork grips is that they can be a little slippery when trying to grab them with thick gloves if you plan to do a lot of winter hiking.
These trekking poles also provide plenty of options for tips no matter what terrain you might be hiking on including a tungsten tip, a rubber boot, as well as two mud baskets.
To check the price of these affordable trekking poles on Amazon click here.
Black Diamond Trail Pro Women’s Shock Trekking Poles
- Weight: 16.6 Ounces (Pair)
- Packed Size: 24 Inches
- Material: Aluminum
- Grip: Foam
If using standard trekking poles in the past has irritated your wrist, shoulders, or arms then these shock absorption trekking poles by Black Diamond might just be a perfect fit for you.
These trekking poles have built-in shock absorber towards the top of the pole that lessens the impact your arms and wrists feel when the trekking pole strikes the ground.
Also, these trekking poles are made from quality aluminum providing just the right amount of strength while still being lightweight. They also have three separate sections allowing you to adjust the height of the pole from 24 inches for storage up to 49 inches in length and thanks to their unique flip-lock mechanism you can quickly and easily adjust the height.
It’s easy to tell that Black Diamond put a great deal of thought into every component of this trekking pole and the grips are no exception as they are made from dual-density foam which provides a lot of comfort while still proving excellent grip.
While limited the tips that come with these trekking poles should be everything you need to get started hiking including a carbide tip which will provide excellent traction in dirt, mud, and gravel, as well as mud basket for those wetter hikes.
If however you plan on hiking on hard surfaces such as pavement or plan to hike in the snow then you will need to purchase rubber tips or snow baskets separately as they do not come with these trekking poles.
To check the price of these shock absorption trekking poles on Amazon click here.
Hiker Hunger Carbon Fiber Trekking Pole 2.0
- Weight: 15.2 Ounces (Pair)
- Packed Size: 24 Inches
- Material: Carbon Fiber
- Grip: Cork
While these trekking poles were not made specifically for women they are a great pair of unisex trekking poles and are some of the lightest trekking poles we could find, as they only weigh 7.6 ounces per pole.
While you might not think that shaving 1 or 2 ounces from a trekking pole is that big of a deal, what you have to remember is that you will be lifting these trekking poles hundreds if not thousands of times on your hike so every ounce really does matter.
It’s not all about the weight though with these trekking poles as they have many other great features.
To begin with, these carbon fiber trekking poles are completely adjustable with quick release locks that can be adjusted down to as small as 24 inches for storage and all the way up to 54 inches tall.
In addition, the grips on these trekking poles are made from cork which helps to provide natural shock absorption as well as wick away moisture on those hot summer hikes.
It’s hard to beat the number of tips that these trekking poles come with as there is pretty much every tip that you could ever want including a tungsten carbide tip, a rubber tip, a rubber boot, a low profile basket, as well as a snow basket.
To check the price of these ultra-lightweight trekking poles on Amazon click here.
How to Choose the Best Women’s Trekking Poles
There are many important questions you should ask when choosing the best trekking poles for your needs, such as should I go with aluminum or carbon fiber poles and what type of a grip should I get foam, cork, or rubber?
To help with these questions as well as all the other questions you might have when choosing the best trekking poles, we have broken down all the different components of the trekking pole separately to help make sure you choose all the right components and end up with the perfect trekking poles for your needs.
But before we go into detail about all the different options when it comes to trekking poles we thought we would first answer a few common questions about women’s trekking poles.
What’s the Difference Between Women’s and Men’s Trekking Poles?
A common misconception is that there is very little or no difference between women’s and men’s trekking poles. There are however several key differences between women’s and men’s trekking poles.
- Grip Size – Women’s trekking poles typically have smaller and narrower grips compared to men’s trekking poles that make it easier for smaller hands to comfortably and fully grip the trekking poles.
- Height – Usually women’s trekking poles are slightly smaller in height compared to men’s trekking poles so that they have a more appropriate height range for women.
- Styling – While not critical to the function fo the trekking pole typically women’s trekking poles offer more color and design options when compared to men’s trekking poles.
Do You Need Women’s Specific Trekking Poles?
While as a woman, you can certainly use unisex or even men’s trekking poles for that matter as they will get the job done.
If you’re looking for the best experience while hiking in regards to design and comfort, you should ideally use women’s trekking poles as they were designed with women specifically in mind.
In addition, when using women’s specific trekking poles you will usually find that you are more comfortable and at ease while hiking, and as a byproduct of this, you should find that you can hike for longer without becoming fatigued or tired.
Choosing the Right Trekking Pole Grip
When it comes to trekking pole grips there are 3 main choices to choose from including foam, cork, and rubber. Each type of grip offers both advantages and disadvantages so to help you choose the right grips for your particular need we created this helpful table on the differences and best uses for each type of trekking pole grip.
| Type of Grip | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Cork | Natural wicks away moister from sweaty hands and reduces vibration felt by the hands. Also will naturally mold to your hand over time providing a customized grip. Cork grips are great for summer hiking. | Not great for winter hiking as it can be difficult to get a solid hold on the grip with heavy winter gloves. |
| Foam | Absorbs moisture from sweaty hands and provides the most comfort and padding. Great for summer hiking. | Some foam grips can have too much padding making it difficult to get a firm grip while hiking. |
| Rubber | They provide the hardest and firmest grip and are great for cold weather and winter hiking with gloves. | Most likely to cause blisters and chafing against bare hands so not an ideal choice for summer hiking. |
Picking the Best Trekking Pole Shaft
When choosing the best trekking pole shaft for your needs there are three main elements of the shaft you need to pay attention to including the type of material used in its construction, the length of the trekking pole shaft, and the features of the trekking pole.
Aluminum or Carbon Fiber
Trekking pole shafts are usually made from either aluminum or carbon fiber and both materials are great choices for the main shaft of the trekking poles which is why we included a mixture of both aluminum and carbon fiber trekking poles on this list of best trekking poles for women.
Just because they are both great choices though doesn’t mean they don’t have their differences and unique benefits.
To find out which trekking pole shaft material might be best for you, check out the below explanation of each type of material.
- Aluminum – More durable and economical compared to carbon fiber. Under high stresses, aluminum can actually bend as opposed to breaking.
- Carbon Fiber – Lighter of the two options, if you want the lightest trekking poles then carbon fiber is the way to go. However, one downside of the carbon fiber pole is that they are not as durable when compared to aluminum as they are more prone to breakage.
Length
Women’s trekking poles usually range in length from 39 inches to about 50 inches and are typically shorter when compared to men’s or unisex trekking poles to provide a better height range for women.
However, if you have never used trekking poles before these numbers can seem somewhat abstract when you’re trying to select the best trekking pole length for your particular height.
So to help with this we have provided a few suggestions on how tall the trekking pole should be based on your height.
| Height | Ideal Length of Trekking Pole |
| Under 5 ft | 39 in (110 cm) |
| 5 ft – 5 ft 6 in | 43 in (110 cm) |
| 5 ft 7 in – 5 ft 11 in | 47 in (120 cm) |
| Above 6 ft | 51 in (130 cm) |
Trekking Poles Features
The final consideration in regards to the trekking pole shaft is deciding on which features you want in your trekking pole. While you might think that all trekking poles are pretty much the same when it comes to features there is actually quite a bit of difference from one trekking pole to another.
Below are some of the more common trekking pole features and their benefits.
- Shock-Absorption – Offer internal springs or shocks inside the shaft that reduce the vibrations and impact felt by your hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders.
- Foldable – Allows the trekking pole to be folded down into several different pieces allowing the overall stored length of the trekking poles to be substantially less than trekking poles that cannot be folded down.
- Quick Release Locks – Allows for faster and easier adjustment of the pole length as opposed to the older twist style locks.
- Camera Mounts – Provides a built-in camera mount under the handle that allows you to attach a camera to the trekking pole, enabling the trekking pole to be used as a monopod.
Choosing the Best Trekking Pole Tip
Trekking pole tips can be just as diverse as the trekking pole shaft and which trekking pole tip you choose or need depends largely on where you plan to hike or backpack.
Below we have broken down the most common types of trekking pole tips as well as what terrain they are best suited for to help you choose the right trekking pole tips for your needs.
| Trekking Pole Tip | Ideal Terrain |
| Carbide Tungsten | Mud, Dirt, and Rock |
| Non-Scarring Rubber Tips | Hard Surfaces such as blacktop or concrete |
| Non-Scarring Rubber Boots | Provide extra forward momentum over flat hard surfaces |
| Low Profile Basket | Helps to prevent the pole from sinking into the mud or getting caught between two rocks. Best for wet weather and rugged terrain. |
| Snow Basket | Helps to prevent the pole from sinking too deep into the snow. Best for Snow. |