BEST BUDGET TREKKING POLES
MSRP: $70
WEIGHT (PAIR): 11.2 oz.
SHAFT MATERIAL: Aluminum
GRIP MATERIAL: Foam
COLLAPSED LENGTH: 22.8 in.
PROS: Affordable, ultralight, easy to adjust, small packed size, comes with two basket sizes
CONS: Not as durable as other aluminum poles, segments have a tendency to get stuck
BOTTOM LINE: The Fizan Compact 3s cost a fraction of the price of other poles in their weight category. And amazingly, they achieve this weight with aluminum construction instead of carbon fiber. This is advantageous since aluminum is more forgiving than carbon fiber when your poles take the full force of your weight for stability or when they get caught between rocks.
These poles are practically identical to our top pick - the Gossamer Gear LT5s - when it comes to functionality, so why don’t the C3s sit at the top of our list?
To start, there aren’t catches at the tops of the pole segments, so it’s surprisingly easy to collapse the Compact 3s too much and get them stuck. On top of that, any moisture left on the poles while they’re fully collapsed can cause them to permanently become stuck closed. This was the fate of both our tester pairs of Compact 3s after about a year and a half of use, so make sure to dry them thoroughly to avoid this pitfall.
That said - as long as you’re careful to avoid that issue - the combination of price and weight on the Compact 3s truly can’t be beat. Check out our full review of the Fizan Compact 3s here.