I am a relatively new hiker. I have hiked off and on over the years but never really challenged myself to conquer the mountain, so to speak, until this summer. I've seen trekking poles for years and even purchased some for my mother a few years back to help her walk with more stability.Last week, I was hiking with a friend who brought her poles. I borrowed one of them to help with climbing over rocky terrain and from then on I was sold on the benefit of using them! I came home, did some research, and decided to order the Montem Ultra Strong Trekking Poles.I have hiked twice since receiving them. The day they arrived, I headed to the state park that is 5 minutes from my home and hiked one of the trails there. It's an easy trail to walk so I wouldn't have really needed the poles but wanted to learn to use them and try them out. Then, yesterday, I went on a more challenging 7.6 mile hike in the North Cascade Mountains with my family. It was a much more challenging hike with lots of elevation gain and hiking over varied terrain. Here are my thoughts on these trekking poles:On the first hike after I received them, I was more learning how to walk with them than really using them to help to help hike over uneven or difficult ground. The hike was an easy one with a friend and she and I both tried them out. While I could have easily done the hike without poles, I noticed that they were helpful in getting up the hills and that I didn't feel quite as tired going up the hills. They felt as if they helped propel me up the hill.On the second hike, which was much more challenging, I noticed a huge difference in my ability to feel more stable when moving over the rocky parts of the trail, in walking thru the creeks we had to cross, and in feeling more secure crossing the bridges which had only one side with railings installed. Going up hills, while still not easy for someone who's not quite in shape yet, seemed more "doable" and a little less difficult because, again I felt as if the poles helped propel me up the hill a bit. My 20 year old son even used them for a while because he has a knee issue and commented they seemed to help him feel less stress on his knees.The poles themselves are very easy to work. The flip lock adjustment system is smooth and simple to use. The flip lock feels a little flimsy, which makes me wonder if they'll hold up over time, but they held the poles firmly in the adjusted position with no sliding out of the adjusted position on the poles. The grips look like cork and feel very comfortable. Regarding the noise level using them, I found them to be fairly quiet with not much vibration noise. The few times they were noisy were the times when I tripped over them or connected one of them with the toe of my hiking boots. User error, not product fault! ha ha! There is a slight vibration noise occasionally when they may connect with a rock or tree root on the trail but overall they are quiet. They are lightweight and did not feel as if they added noticeable weight to my daypack.Overall, I love them and look forward to using them as I make myself get out and do more hiking. I think they are a huge benefit for moving along the trail in a more stable and efficient way and I like the color choices they have as well. Their winning price point is a huge attraction for me as I could not have afforded more expensive poles and did not want to purchase something that was heavy, cheap, and wouldn't last. I expect the use these poles for several years to come!I love supporting start-up companies who produce true top quality products so Montem will have my business and my recommendations to friends looking for hiking gear as well.

These poles are definitely worth the price. I am a devotee of long hikes on fairly level ground in the woods, where lately it has been hard managing the usual five miles I've been walking regularly these past 18 years with all of the back issues I've got. I took a chance with these in the hopes that soon I could walk longer distances again without pain anymore and gradually get up to doing five miles again. Yesterday I walked four miles with zero back pain. I suffer from surgically induced back issues from a long ago scoliosis operation and am a 60 yrs old. And I'd assumed my much needed nature walks were now a thing of the past. These gave me back the ability not only to walk longer and farther than I'm able to do without, they also help avoid any excruciating agony when I'm finished. I've owned these four months and am happier with each use. The one issue that I've experienced is that one of the adjustable lower clips that secures the stick at the required height frequently slips, which means that I need to stop and readjust. When that does not start loosening, I feel very nicely supported. The little hills and depressions along the way that could cause fatigue and pain in my lumbar spine, knees and hips do not pose an issue anymore. If you are on the fence, and like me you suffer from spine issues, you'll likely also be pleased. I feel that now I am also walking faster and getting a more comprehensive whole body workout with the arm movements. The first time my arms were incredibly sore and I got worried that I'd never be comfortable enough using the hiking poles. But I'm not sore anymore. They are like a sort of safety net - I am not really worrying over getting stuck out there a few miles away from where I parked, and can't see myself ever taking those much loved walks without these poles again.

UPDATE:I've had these for several years now and they're still holding up. And holding me up. I use these all day, every day. Half of the faux cork has worn off, as has some of the rubber on the top.Given how long these have been in use, the physical therapist recommended that I get a backup pair. I'd love to buy another pair of these, but can't afford them. That being said, I do believe that these are worth what they currently sell for.Original Review:The physical therapist recommended these poles because I have difficulty walking. They are a huge improvement over the old wooden walking poles I was using. I love that they came in pink. They're very lightweight, but sturdy. I'm overweight, but so far, the poles seem to be bearing up. Being able to clip them together is helpful, especially when you've got to use one hand for carrying something. I don't use the wrist straps, but they seem nice; they're wider than most and are padded.The latches took a bit of getting used to; for some reason, the poles wouldn't stay locked unless I did the lower section first. I've found the "cork" grips to be too smooth, but the physical therapist put rubber bands on them, which helped. The rubber caps on the bottoms of the poles wore through in less than a month, which was disappointing, as well as a hassle.As I'm unable to hike anymore, I can't speak to their durability on trails. I do live in a rural setting, with dirt and gravel roads, and these do fine on those surfaces.I can recommend these for mobility assistance. They can be lengthened enough to help me stand upright, which is awesome! They are, IMHO, better than most crutches and canes. If you are going to use these with the rubber caps on, I suggest you order additional caps when you order these poles.

Very happy with the poles set them up to correct height and haven’t moved at all

The poles are light and strong. The grips are comfortable. I find the straps don’t stay put and am continually having to adjust them. On the first day of use the rubber end piece fell off the bottom of one pole and was lost.

Very satisfied. Construction seems sturdy. Everything just worked as it was supposed to. Looking forward to getting a lot of exercise with these poles.

Excellent