My first set of poles were anti-shock ones from Decathlon, bought in my 20s. I had no idea what to choose so I just picked these because they felt nicer in the store. These used a telescoping system similar to your BD poles. I used them for hiking and also for nordic walking (on pavement) and especially for the latter the anti-shock feature felt quite welcome. One day I left them outside a supermarket and when I came back, they were already gone. My next poles were Leki Corklite AS. Unlike current Leki's anti-shock models, these also use a telescoping system (built into the joint between the middle and the bottom sections). I felt satisfied with their anti-shock performance, however the disadvantage was that this lower joint was twist lock, not flick lock (the upper joint on the same poles is flick lock). I must say that I much prefer flick lock. I've since given these poles to my daughter. My current poles are Leki Khumbu AS. Of the three sets of poles I've owned, these are the "hardest" (least anti-shock). The anti-shock part is just a small piece of elastomer built into the top of the tips themselves. I think there are no moving parts here, it just compresses a bit when you push on the pole. The total amount of travel is probably about 3 mm (1/8"). So it seems that Leki themselves transitioned to a more minimalist design for their anti-shock poles. More hard, less travel, simpler and lighter. I can't really imagine this failing, but one advantage of having the anti-shock feature integrated into the tips is, replacement tips are available. A 2-pack of Leki DSS Tips (that's what they are called; they are available in two sizes, 12 mm and 14 mm, make sure to confirm which size your poles require) costs 19.95 € in Leki official store, I bought a pack (to keep as spares) in another shop for 13.5 €. To compare, Leki has a non anti-shock model which is otherwise the same: Khumbu. Khumbu vs Khumbu AS: - Leki official price: 84.95 € vs 94.95 € (10 € extra ~= 12%), not insignificant, but not a deciding factor for me. - Weight: 284 g vs 277 g (2.5% extra), negligible in my opinion. Something interesting: according to a comment Leki left under their DSS Tip exchange KZread video, you can convert a Leki anti-shock pole (DSS Tip) to non anti-shock, by replacing the DSS Tip with their standard Flex Tip (8-10 € for a 2-pack). You CAN'T convert a non-AS pole to AS, though, as the pole doesn't have a special slot for the pin. So if you want to buy Leki poles, and you're curious to see if anti-shock is for you, you can buy an AS model plus a pack of Flex Tips, and try using it both ways, before you decide which way you prefer. On a hike in the Alps last year, I switched poles with my hiking buddy for a day, to try out something different. He also has Leki poles, but without anti-shock. To be honest, I felt quite fine with his poles. They felt just a bit "harsher" in use. When we switched back, I felt good to get my own poles back. They felt just that tiny bit smoother. I would say the difference is only noticeable on hard surfaces like rocks and paved roads. In the mud, soft soil, even hard-packed dirt, there's no real difference in my experience. Perhaps people with sensitive wrists/shoulders, arthritis etc, might feel otherwise. Overall, I think anti-shock is really not essential, which is why there are many more models of non AS poles than AS poles. However, if you are going to spend a lot of time walking through rocky terrain or on paved roads, it can add a bit of comfort, so I would advise to give AS poles a chance (ideally, try both kinds of poles, until you decide what works for you).

@zacmagers

2 ай бұрын

Howdy Gene! Wow that’s a lot of really good information, thanks for leaving this comment, I’m sure folks will get some good stuff in here. Thanks for checking out the vid:)

@GenePavlovsky

2 ай бұрын

@@zacmagers Hey Zac, just wanted to share my experience :) Nice video as well

Thank you for your video! This was actually helpful.

@zacmagers

2 ай бұрын

Really glad you found this useful! Thanks for checking it out :)

Millennial weak wrist and shoulders, lol. Always thorough and helpful on products the backpacking world needs to know about! Awesome job on the review....

@zacmagers

5 ай бұрын

It’s the truth! Thanks my good friend much appreciated:)