This Highly Rated Outdoor Gear From Costco Is Beloved By Seasoned Hikers

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It's one thing to take a short hike in your local park, but quite another to set out on a days-long hiking adventure or go for a trek in the mountains over uneven terrain. Whether it's a journey down California's epic Lost Coast Trail or a winter exploration of the Chickadee Ridge trail in the Sierra Nevada mountains, seasoned hikers know the value of light yet sturdy hiking poles. While that may sound like a big expense, there is a brand beloved by hikers that isn't going to break the bank. On its website, Costco sells Cascade Mountain Tech 100% Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles in a two-pack for around $80 at the time of this writing. That's not for two individual poles — it's for two sets of two. Not only that, but the set comes with four rubber tips, four boot tips, four mud/sand baskets, and four snow baskets so you can use them on any terrain and in any condition. 

These are highly rated trekking poles, with a 4.7-out-of-five-stars rating on the site and over 1,500 reviews to date. They only weigh 8 ounces each, making them easy to carry over long distances or for something like an ultramarathon, where you may only be using them part of the time. These poles go from 26 inches to 54 inches, allowing them to be shortened and carried, and they have wrist straps as well. The tips are tungsten carbide, and the cork handles are non-slip. If you're out shopping, you may also see a single pair for sale in Costco warehouses.

Cascade Mountain Tech trekking poles have a lot of fans on Costco's website, with one regular hiker calling them "very durable and light weight; easy to collapse for traveling." They also say that after cracking part of the pole, customer service provided a replacement part the next day. Another reviewer says they used them on the Pacific Crest Trail, and when a pole went into the mud, it was able to flex "about a 45 degree angle but held fast, did not crack or break a thing." 

Durability is a big selling point, with one commenter on Reddit's r/CampingGear saying that, despite having purchased two pairs, just in case, the backup pair is "still in the box after 5 years." In another post in r/CampingGear, a commenter calls them "hands down the best bang for your buck for carbon fiber poles. Nothing else comes close." A 2018 review by Trail to Peak rated a similar model at 8.7 out of 10, comparing the poles favorably to the higher-priced Black Diamond brand.

In comparison to two pairs for $80 on Costco, you can get a single pair on Amazon for around $65, though there are different color options and they come with a pole clip and carry bag. Finally, if you're considering purchasing these trekking poles for a hiking adventure that involves camping, Costco has budget-friendly essentials for that part of the trip, too.