How to Choose Trekking Pole Tips and Baskets

If you already have a good pair of trekking poles, the easiest way to make them work in more places—city walks, muddy spring trails, winter hiking—is to swap the tip or basket. That’s why we offer four small accessories that cover almost every surface you’ll hike on. Below is the simple guide to what each one does and when to use it.

1. Rubber Tips

What they are: Slip-on rubber caps that go over the metal/carbine tip.

Best for:

• Pavement, boardwalks, airport/urban use
• Indoor or protected surfaces (no scratching!)
• Reducing clacking noise on hard ground

Why use them: Rubber tips add a bit of shock absorption and protect the original metal tip from wearing down on asphalt. They also make the pole feel “quieter,” which a lot of walkers like.

Good to tell customers: “If you ever walk with your poles in the city or travel with them—leave these on.”

2. Boot Tips

What they are: Rubber tips shaped like a little hiking boot—wider contact patch, angled bottom.

Best for:

• Fitness/Nordic-style walking
• Long, flat trails and park paths
• Extra grip on man-made surfaces

Why use them: Because of the angled shape, boot tips give you better push-off than round rubber tips. They’re great for walkers who actually want to drive off the pole, not just protect the floor.

Rubber tips = protection + quieter.
Boot tips = protection + propulsion.

3. Sand & Mud Baskets

What they are: Medium-size baskets that screw onto the pole above the tip.

Best for:

• Spring trails
• Sandy, soft, or freshly rained-on paths
• Places where the pole sinks deeper than you want

Why use them: Without a basket, the lower section can punch way down into soft ground and make the pole feel shorter. A sand/mud basket spreads out the contact area so the tip doesn’t disappear into the trail.

How to use: Just thread the basket on—you don’t need to remove the carbide tip. That’s important to mention in your product page so customers don’t try to pry the tip off.

4. Snow Baskets

What they are: Larger, wider baskets for winter and very soft terrain.

Best for:

• Snowshoeing
• Winter hiking
• Slushy, deep, or very soft trails

Why use them: Snow is basically a surface you can fall through. The wider basket keeps the lower pole from diving, so you don’t have to re-plant every step.

If you hike in winter, go straight to the snow basket—mud/sand size won’t be wide enough.

Let's have a summary:

• City / travel / indoors → Rubber tips
• Fitness walk / more grip → Boot tips
• Wet spring trail / beach / soft dirt → Sand & mud baskets
• Snow / slush / winter trips → Snow baskets