So I got a new Ridgerunner to try again and have been looking at what current options there are to lighten the package if I wind up using it for long trail hiking.
The current spreader bars that ship with the RR are a 3-piece pole for the head and 2-piece pole for the foot. The foot poles are a smaller diameter and therefore nest inside the head poles making essentially 3 poles for packing. Mine weigh in at 12.7 oz.
The default lightweight option seems to be the carbon fiber poles by Ruta Locura, so I ordered a set of those as well. He offers either the same setup as the Warbonnet set (5 poles which nest together) or a slight lighter, and longer, 4-pole set that I believe would still nest one foot pole. Essentially, you would still be down to 3 poles to pack, they would just be longer than the 5 pole set. I got the 5-pole set and mine weigh 6.4 oz. A nice savings of 6.3 oz.
I was also curious about using trekking poles as spreader bars. So in my Google-fu I found the best solution would be trekking poles that had a removable handle cap designed to be used as a camera mount. Leki used to have a version like that and Mountainsmith has an aluminum option. But then I found Cascade Mountain Tech has a new set of Carbon Monopod poles available! I have been using their trekking poles for years now in various iterations (aluminum, carbon fiber, 3k carbon fiber) and have been very pleased, so I ordered a set of the Monopods to give them a try.
Well..... I haven't had them out in the field yet, but I think they are near perfect! I had already installed a set of Fugal Bridge Buttons and honestly, those and the CMT poles seem like a system custom made for the Ridgerunner.
A set of the Monopods weigh 17.6 oz. (With mud baskets) which is 1.5 oz heavier than my 3k Carbon poles. (I'll make a couple mods to lighten them some) The Monopods fully stowed are 28.5" which is the exact size needed for the foot pole. Extend the other to the 130mm mark and it is the same size as the stock head pole.
I weigh 185 and there was no sign of slipping, in my initial test anyway. I'm taking it out this weekend and will report back.
So many options now.... Bring no spreader bars and use the trekking poles, bring only the CF foot pole and still have one trekking pole for porch mode/ tarp spreader pole, or bring both CF poles and have both trekking poles available.
Also...CMT has a 20% sale going for labor day. Code LBDAY21! Bad part is the discount makes the order less than the $60 free shipping threshold.
Nope...not affiliated with CMT or Nick Fugal....just found a system that appears to work great and thought I'd share.
Now...I hope I like the Ridgerunner
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