Buying Hiking Poles

[BCavalier]

We need to purchase some hiking poles while we are in Porto Portugal. Does anyone have any suggestions where the best place is to buy our poles?

 

[André Walker]

I don't know about the best places, but there are 2 Decathlons:

Decathlon Porto, Portugal

www.google.nl

Though there probably will be other outdoor shops as well...

 

[BCavalier]

The Decathlon Santa Catrina is close to where we will be staying. Thank you

 

[André Walker]

The Decathlon Santa Catrina is close to where we will be staying. Thank you

You're very welcome....

... and enjoy your Camino next week.

 

[André Walker]

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We need to purchase some hiking poles while we are in Porto Portugal. Does anyone have any suggestions where the best place is to buy our poles?

We bought ours in Lisbon at Decathlon on the north side of the city. Found nothing in the historical part of the city, so took a taxi to the store.

 

[t2andreo]

Decathlon offers excellent value for money. Most of the walking sticks I see discarded by pilgrims at the pilgrim office in Santiago are the least expensive €4,99 each aluminium poles sold at Decathlon. You can spend more if you wish, but these are actually quite cost-effective, especially if you do not plan to take them home.

At this price they can be a use, once, then discard item item. The Pilgrim Office recycles them. I know because this is one the many things I do while volunteering there.

The other type of hiking poles that are 'most' abandoned after a camino appear to be the tourist quality steel shaft, 'anti-shock' poles. These are heavy and noisy. I recommend avoiding any anti-shock poles.

Hope this helps.

 

[BCavalier]

Decathlon offers excellent value for money. Most of the walking sticks I see discarded by pilgrims at the pilgrim office in Santiago are the least expensive €4,99 each aluminium poles sold at Decathlon. You can spend more if you wish, but these are actually quite cost-effective, especially if you do not plan to take them home.

At this price they can be a use, once, then discard item item. The Pilgrim Office recycles them. I know because this is one the many things I do while volunteering there.

The other type of hiking poles that are 'most' abandoned after a camino appear to be the tourist quality steel shaft, 'anti-shock' poles. These are heavy and noisy. I recommend avoiding any anti-shock poles.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the advice. We will most likely end up discarding them as will not be checking our bags on the return home. It is nice to know that they can be recycled.

 

[David Tallan]

I bought mine in the Decathlon in Porto. When I was there at the beginning of last October, I got the last pair in the store and it took a while to find them, even with help from the staff. So it is good to have a backup plan. There was another store in town that sells them that could have been my backup, but they were closed on Sundays (and guess what day I arrived in Porto, planning to start walking the next morning ).

 

[Meshewszon]

I bought some anti-shock poles from Decathlon in Lisbon - aluminium and quite light. They were more than the 4.99 jobs but I suppose you get what you pay for and they work very nicely for me thankyou.
A case of YMMV
Also I dis-assemble them and put them in my bag (checked in baggage) for the flight home. I am not about to throw/waste my money away!

 

[BCavalier]

I bought some anti-shock poles from Decathlon in Lisbon - aluminium and quite light. They were more than the 4.99 jobs but I suppose you get what you pay for and they work very nicely for me thankyou.
A case of YMMV
Also I dis-assemble them and put them in my bag (checked in baggage) for the flight home. I am not about to throw/waste my money away!

I would not throw them away if they could not to be recycled. However if I end up buying something that is a bit more than 4.99 E and that I might want to keep I would most likely as you suggested check them with my pack on the way home.

 

[Rowena]

View attachment 63985

Thank you so much for posting this information. I had resigned myself to checking my poles, after a fruitless Google search for where to buy them in Porto. This is great, it really makes sense to buy them on arrival. Is the shop kind of on the way from Trinidade metro stop to the Cathedral?

 

[BCavalier]

Thank you so much for posting this information. I had resigned myself to checking my poles, after a fruitless Google search for where to buy them in Porto. This is great, it really makes sense to buy them on arrival. Is the shop kind of on the way from Trinidade metro stop to the Cathedral?

If you look at Andre Walker’s thread above you can see the Decathlon store locations in Porto

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Thank you so much for posting this information. I had resigned myself to checking my poles, after a fruitless Google search for where to buy them in Porto. This is great, it really makes sense to buy them on arrival. Is the shop kind of on the way from Trinidade metro stop to the Cathedral?

This is a Google map of two outdoor and sports shops that carry trekking poles in Porto. The Decathlon store is one of them.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[KariC]

I wouldn't begin to presume to know your need for poles, but I was concerned about that also, since I always use them for downhills in the mountains of NM. So I asked the same question three years ago, in case I found I needed them on the CP. Totally didn't. Would have been an extra expense + useless weight to carry that I never used. But that's me and my body; you may have a critical need for them even on level ground. Just don't assume that if you needed them on one of the more mountainous caminos, that you'll need them for the CP.

 

[BCavalier]

I wouldn't begin to presume to know your need for poles, but I was concerned about that also, since I always use them for downhills in the mountains of NM. So I asked the same question three years ago, in case I found I needed them on the CP. Totally didn't. Would have been an extra expense + useless weight to carry that I never used. But that's me and my body; you may have a critical need for them even on level ground. Just don't assume that if you needed them on one of the more mountainous caminos, that you'll need them for the CP.

For myself I definitely require hiking poles, I have been back country hiking for approx 30 years and understand my body and it’s limitations, especially for distance walking.

 

[KariC]

Then by all means! It's like shoes - people swear that their brand is the best, as if one thing would be the right answer for all bodies - what works best for YOU is what you should do.

 

[Bajaverde]

I don't know about the best places, but there are 2 Decathlons:

Decathlon Porto, Portugal

www.google.nl

Though there probably will be other outdoor shops as well...

Decathlon will definitely be cheaper than other outlets

 

[Bajaverde]

Decathlon will definitely be cheaper than other outlets

I use Patagonia z2 poles pull apart but remained connected in 3 pieces weigh 9 ounces small enough lengthwise to fit in 36 liter pack. I started using poles at age 63 now 73 . Saved falls many times- don’t use them for day hiking and sometimes fold and carry them on easy terrain

 

[CdnDreamer]

When you buy poles for the Portuguese camino try to get large feet for them if you are going to take the boardwalks. They keep the poles from getting stuck between the boards.

 

[Telelama]

We bought ours at The North Face store, not too far from the cathedral. No too expensive, about 25 Euros. They were very nice.

Praça Trindade 138, 4000-235 Porto, Portugal
+351 22 092 5844

 

[Loretta Jane]

Some kind organization in the interest of recycling should have a giant container for discarding poles in Santiago and deliver them to the start in SJPP or Roncesvalles or othe places and have a small charge for the service and buying used poles for cheap.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Some kind organization in the interest of recycling should have a giant container for discarding poles in Santiago and deliver them to the start in SJPP or Roncesvalles or othe places and have a small charge for the service and buying used poles for cheap.

I think there may be such a service. I thought @SYates may have information she posted on it in the past.

 

[Rowena]

Some kind organization in the interest of recycling should have a giant container for discarding poles in Santiago and deliver them to the start in SJPP or Roncesvalles or othe places and have a small charge for the service and buying used poles for cheap.

That would be a good idea. I have abandoned two sets of poles in Santiago already because I couldn’t take them home on the plane, and as they were inexpensive, not worth sending home by mail. In May it will happen again, so if anyone can tell me where to take them for recycling I will do so.
By the way The North Face in Porto no longer sells poles, but the Decathlon had plenty, for 5 Euros each (rubber tips extra).

 

[Camino Chrissy]

That would be a good idea. I have abandoned two sets of poles in Santiago already because I couldn’t take them home on the plane, and as they were inexpensive, not worth sending home by mail. In May it will happen again, so if anyone can tell me where to take them for recycling I will do so.
By the way The North Face in Porto no longer sells poles, but the Decathlon had plenty, for 5 Euros each (rubber tips extra).

I now always buy the Decathlon poles, but upgrade to the 7 Euro style.

 

[trecile]

I have abandoned two sets of poles in Santiago already because I couldn’t take them home on the plane,

For future trips, and others reading this, all of the airlines will allow you to check your poles for free at the Santiago Airport.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

All replies regarding the bringing on of hiking poles in the aircraft are subjective to our individual experiences and vary greatly. This includes what airlines we use and how much time we have allowed between landing and our next flight or train to our final destination.
I will say that folks who have the Diamond Z poles seem to have the best luck overall in getting them onboard in their backpacks.