These poles are made for walkin'

Today's entry involves another MYOG (Make Your Own Gear) project. Nolan decided the two sets of trekking poles he already owned weren't quite what he was looking for, and that he would rather customize a pair. Here's the process:

1. Gather initial supplies: a pair of carbon-fiber golf clubs ($10 at a local thrift store), a butane torch, vice grips or channel-lock pliers, and a pair of gloves.

2. Use the torch (everyone needs one of these, really) to melt the glue off the heads of the clubs. After they start steaming, you can pull the heads off with the vice grips or channel-lock pliers.

3. Cut off the grips.

(The clubs Nolan bought happened to be different lengths, so at this point he cut the longer one using a hacksaw.)

4. Re-wrap the grips with tennis racket handle tape, bottom to top.

5. Seal the ends with electrical tape.

6. Assemble the necessary components to create wrist straps: webbing locks, expander plugs, washers and bolts that fit the expander plugs, grommets, and about 12" of webbing per strap. All of these are available at a hardware store for less than $5.

7. Attach the grommets to one end of the webbing using a grommet tool.

8. Feed the webbing through the lock, leaving the end with the grommet short.

9. Fit the expander plug into the end of the golf club shaft.

10. Attach the strap to the pole by feeding the bolt through the washer, then the grommet, then into the expander plug.

11. Tighten the bolt, being careful not to over-tighten. Then adjust the webbing to the desired length.

 

12. Attach pole tips ($5 for the pair from Black Diamond) using five-minute two-part epoxy.

For about $25, Nolan was able to make a pair of poles that weigh 4.9 oz. each. In comparison, the two pairs he already has are Leki Makalu Ultralights, $120 for the pair and 9 oz. each, and Leki Carbon Instructors, $150 for the pair and 7.4 oz. each.

DTPCT: 25!