Aluminium, fibreglass or carbon: which material should you choose for your Nordic walking sticks?
The composition of your pole shaft directly affects its weight, vibration dampening and propulsion efficiency. This is often the criterion that makes the price of a pair of sticks vary from simple to fourfold — and that makes all the difference out on the trail.
Aluminium: affordable but not recommended
Aluminium poles are the cheapest on the market. While they are robust when it comes to impacts, they have a major drawback for Nordic walking: they transmit every vibration straight to your wrist, elbow and shoulder with each plant. With frequent practice, this inevitably leads to tendinitis and joint pain. For this reason, almost all certified instructors advise against aluminium for any regular Nordic walking.
Fibreglass: good shock absorption, but a compromise
Fibreglass naturally absorbs part of the vibration at impact, offering better joint protection than aluminium. However, a pole made from pure fibreglass is noticeably heavier and much less dynamic: part of your push-off energy is absorbed by the material instead of being returned forwards. It is fine as an entry-level option, but not a performance material.
Carbon: the benchmark material
Carbon is the performance material of choice for Nordic walking poles. Its properties are unmatched: ultra-light and very rigid, it transfers all your push-off energy into the ground instead of wasting it. During one hour of Nordic walking, you plant each pole around 3,000 times: every gram saved on the shaft and every extra percentage of energy return is something your arms and shoulders will feel.
100% carbon: premium performance that makes sense
Full carbon poles represent the state of the art in Nordic walking technology. Their extremely low weight reduces fatigue on long outings, their maximum stiffness ensures total energy transfer at each push, and the absence of secondary materials or extra joints provides consistent mechanical behaviour along the entire shaft. This is exactly the construction used for MØNARC® poles.
| Material | Vibration | Weight | Energy return | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | High | Heavy | Low | ❌ Best avoided |
| Fibreglass | Low | Medium | Medium | ⚠️ Entry-level |
| Carbon 50–70% | Low | Light | Good | ✅ Solid choice |
| 100% carbon | Minimal | Ultra‑light | Maximum | ⭐ MØNARC® benchmark |
Why MØNARC® chose 100% carbon
MØNARC® poles are made from premium T700 carbon in a 100% carbon construction for a simple reason: it is the only material that does not compromise between low weight and high stiffness. Combined with MØNARC®’s exclusive arc geometry, the pure carbon shaft amplifies propulsion sensations while reducing strain on wrists and elbows — two critical points for regular Nordic walkers.
Key takeaway: Aluminium should be ruled out as soon as you move into regular practice. Fibreglass is an acceptable entry-level compromise. Carbon is the benchmark material — and 100% carbon, as used in MØNARC® poles, is its most advanced expression.