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Top 8 Fitness Walking Poles

By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com

Updated February 28, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Fitness walking poles, nordic walking poles and exerstriding poles can be useful in two ways. First, using poles you take strain off of knees and ankles and give yourself more balance. Second, you work the upper body to burn more calories per mile, while actually feeling like you are exerting yourself less. Burn more, feel less. Using the right technique is essential, and these poles come with instructions specific to their technique for use, not necessarily interchangeable.

1. Exerstrider SE One-Piece Poles

One-piece lightweight aluminum alloy shafts dampen vibration. Patented, ergonomic "reflex" grip fits the hand. High-carbon rubber tips and tip retainer collar provide shock absorption, grip and long wear. Comes with manual and video. Designed for the exerstrider walking technique, not for the nordic walking technique.

2. FITTREK Nordic Walking Poles

FITTREK's poles come with three tips to choose from. The traction tread tip is good for most paved surfaces and hard trail. The Pro-Tip is for use on smooth sidewalks and indoors mall walking. And the tungsten tip is for use on trails. Adjustable length for different users and techniques. Positive-angle foam grip with Quick-adjust strap rather than a half-glove.

3. Leki Supreme/Prestige Fitness Walking Poles

These two-piece adjustable aluminum fitness walking poles have a trigger-release half-glove strap for ease of use. Just a click and you remove the glove from the pole, another click to reattach it. They come with both a carbide flex tip for soft trail and a rubber fitness tip for pavement. Designed for the nordic walking technique.

4. Swix CT1 Nordic Walking Poles

Fixed length nordic walking poles with the Swix Pro Fit strap. Hard metal tip and removable rubber cover for walking on asphalt or sidewalks. This is a good entry-level, lightweight and economical pole set. Lengths range from 100 cm to 140 cm in 5 cm increments. Designed for the nordic walking technique.
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5. Nordic Walker Exel

Exel Nordic Walker poles have taken Europe by storm. These lightweight carbon fiber 1-piece poles have a paw for walking on streets and sidewalks and a spiketip for trails. Ergonomic grip and strap options. Designed for the nordic walking technique.

6. VIP Very Important Ski Walking Fitness Poles

Ski Walking has a specially designed fitness walking pole using the excellent Swix glove system. These are fixed length poles of high quality, with carbide tip and removable rubber fitness tip.

7. Leki Instructor Nordic Walking Poles

Adjustable 2-section poles with aluminum/carbon construction that reduces overall weight and promotes a quicker pace for advanced fitness walkers.
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8. Gabel Stride Nordic Walking Poles

Gabel has a good range of affordable nordic walking poles, both fixed length and adjustable. You can also choose from carbon fiber or aluminum, and a variety of nordic walking grip systems.

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Walking

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