Correct use of two walking poles is a skill that takes practise, and for kids a single will be a lot easier to handle. If your child wants to have a go with a pole on family hill walks - in our experience they usually do - then it's quite likely they'll be wielding a borrowed adult model. It's not the end of the world, but a full-sized pole will extend longer than they really need, and its handle may be oversized for smaller hands; and do you really want the youngsters clattering around with your expensive ultralight set? Having one of their own would clearly be better, and this robust mini pole from Trekmates - sold as a single - is a suitably affordable option that represents amazing value for money. Nothing fancy; but then fancy is the opposite of its job. It's gone down really well with our junior tester Edith (11).

Weight and robustness

At 219g, the Walker Lock Junior doesn't seem particularly light for a small pole, but neither would we call it heavy, and Edith has been happy with the weight. Its 6061 aircraft grade aluminium shaft seems very durable, and so too - as yet - do the plastic components. Build quality lacks a bit of finesse, with visible moulding lines on the handle for instance, but everything feels robust. This pole should easily take the sort of abuse that a child might subject it to, and given the low price we're really quite impressed with that.

Size

Though telescopic poles are never the most compact, its collapsed length of 50cm is short enough not to be in the way when strapped to a children's pack. The effective size range of 50-97cm (Trekmates say 1m) will suit young kids up to around 12-13, after which they're going to need to graduate to something bigger.

I like how the smaller handle fits my hand, but I wish the pole extended longer because I'll probably grow out of it in a year or two. The colour is pretty cool.

In use

A three-section telescopic model with easy-to-use lever lock adjustment, it's about as simple as poles get. I'd just ensure the nipper has it set at roughly the right length (elbow bent at a right angle) and leave them to it.

Nothing fancy but more than adequate, the moulded handle is sized for a smaller hand, and made from soft-feel plastic and rubber for comfort. While easy to adjust, the buckle on the wrist strap seems to be placed exactly where the most pressure will fall on the hand/wrist. Conventional pole ergonomics are poor (the only exception I've ever seen being Pacerpoles), and I am firmly of the opinion that wrist straps are worse than useless, so I've not encouraged Edith to use it and would take it off if she asked.

The steel tip is as lethally eye-impaling as any adult pole, and I would be inclined to make them retain the rubber ferrule for safety. There's a tiny mud basket, but if you're regularly dragging the kids through proper bogs where a wider basket might be wanted then you should probably examine your family walk decision making.

Summary

Simple to use and solidly made, the Walker Lock Junior is an ideal first pole for younger walkers, with a size range that will suit small kids but not most teens. It's nothing fancy, and no lightweight, but these are probably points in its favour for this user group. And the price of £12 per pole is exceptionally good value.