The Ambleside C66 is the first pair of Robens trekking poles that I’ve had the opportunity to test, and I admit that I was pleasantly surprised both by the build quality, and the lightness of these poles. At first glance, they look pretty basic, but on picking them up it was quickly apparent that they are much lighter than they look. They are a telescopic design, in three sections, secured by flick lock levers. Despite being made of plastic, the levers are chunky enough to be sturdy, and easy to use with gloves. The flick locks are tightened with a little bolt on the side, which makes them easy to adjust in the field if they start to slip.
Lucy Wallace’s verdict
For smaller lighter users, the Ambleside C66 poles are a nice walking pole, offering the weight saving of carbon, in a decent quality package, and an accessible mid-range price.- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Long length when collapsed
- Carbon fibre not as strong as aluminium
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £103.99/pair Weight: 215g each Materials: carbon fibre, EVA foam grip, tungsten tip Features: extended grip, flick lock adjusters, trekking baskets, rubber pavement tips, storage bag. Size: 62-135cm Men’s version: Unisex URL: https://www.robens.de/ |
The extended grip on the Ambleside C66 means that the pole can easily be used on a variety of gradients without adjusting the length. The main part has an ergonomic shape for the hand, the lower section just has bands of raised foam to improve grip, again, a good feature if wearing gloves. The webbing strap can be adjusted for length.
They are long even when fully collapsed, to 62cm, so won’t fit easily in a rucksack.
These poles extend to 135cm, and it’s at this full extension that I start to worry about durability. This is one of the drawbacks of carbon fibre poles. Because this telescopic design comes in three sections rather than the four sections you get with folding poles, it just doesn’t feel as strong when set to the maximum length.
Nevertheless, for smaller lighter users, the Ambleside C66 poles are a nice walking pole, offering the weight saving of carbon, in a decent quality package, and an accessible mid-range price.
