Hiking Sticks

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/trekking-poles-in-carryon

Hiking Poles do need to be checked.

Perhaps buy a less expensive pair after arriving in Italy but prior to arrival at Cinque Terre?

I googled "outdoor store near cinque terre Italy" and a few were listed, including this one:
https://www.cinqueterretrekking.com/
Perhaps they even rent poles. I rented poles in Alaska last year.

I wouldn't be surprised if some hotels in the area have loaners. Doesn't hurt to ask.

I stopped in the Manarola shop of Cinque Terre Trekking on our trip in October 2021. I asked, and they did not rent trekking poles - only sold them. There were a few different models of poles, and were all so expensive that I didn’t get a pair for the 2 days we hiked in the area.

I’ve got several pairs at home, and use them in the Colorado mountains, but as already discussed above, couldn’t pack them in my carry-on suitcase for the trip to Italy.

Consider: You can find a cheap "mailing tube" or other long, roughly cylindrical container (or you could simply make your own out of cardboard folded into a rough tube shape, and some tape). Heck, just find a really big thick plastic bag, wrap with lots of tape. Put your poles in there and check it. Save the container for the return flight if it's convenient, if not just do the same (find or improvise a container for the return trip a day or two before your flight home).

Cheap (potentially free if you can scrounge the materials), pretty simple, problem solved. Much cheaper than buying or renting poles over there.

Thanks for the responses this far. I checked with the suggested trekking place and they don’t have rentals. I’m traveling to more than one country in concerned about checked baggage getting through.

I don’t have good balance - any insights on how rugged the trails are?

I think you are going to have to decide which is more valuable to you. Hiking at Cinque Terre or buying (and perhaps leaving behind) hiking poles. I found the trail that I started on had so many stairs and the "safety wall" seemed a bit low, that I turned back after about 15 minutes.

I still enjoyed the Cinque Terre. I walked through the villages, rode the boat from village to village, and also took the train. I know the hikes are lovely and I've seen great pictures. I also discovered that the hikes just weren't going to be for me at that time.

From the little bit of time I spent on the trail, I would think balance issues could be a serious concern. One other alternative is to use one hiking pole to assist you with your balance as you transit the airports. When it is being used as an assistive device, you are typically allowed to bring it on board with you.

The other alternative is to use a cane.

OP, we flew five different flight segments to, from, and in Europe a couple of months ago and had no problems with our checked bags. I wanted hiking poles for only one of our stops and found a rental place in the small town we were staying in. The daily rental fee was worth it for me. I saw several people in different airports try to take poles on with their carry-on and were denied.

I like the suggestion that someone made about taking a cane if you don't want to check your bags. Would be a lot easier to get through security.

Or you can pick up a stick in the forest. There will be plenty on the paths, and they are free.

You asked about how rough the trails are, kmesserli31 . The main trails, connecting the 5 towns in a row, seem to be the easiest, but are certainly not a smooth path. In October 2021, recent rains had closed all but the one that runs between Vernazza and Corniglia, due to rockslide danger. It had several places that required climbing up or down over a boulder. Other places had some loose pebbles, or uneven surface. I had my husband to help stabilize me in a very few spots, though, since I didn’t have proper trekking poles. By the way, a pair of proper poles helps me with balance and propulsion (double knee replacement 10 years ago), but a stick or some fabricated tube or other device would be pointless if I had one.

If the primary paths between the other villages were open, maybe they’d be easier - maybe- but I still imagine that, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being a stroll on the paved path in a city park, and 10 being Mt. Everest, they’re at least a 3 or 4. But then, lots of people do it, and that was part of the problem. Lots of other hikers, and some not sharing the trail very nicely - pushing past, especially on narrow or technically tricky places where I needed to find a foothold. Other places, they couldn’t wait 30 seconds for the trail to widen up, or for people to get to the top or bottom of some steps, before charging by, bumping into me and others as if we were just a branch that was in their way. And some of those trail bullies had hiking poles, many not.

There are other trails in the Cinque Terre that climb higher than the main trails, including one described in Rick Steves’ guidebook, starting in Manarola and up to another town. It was much, much steeper, rockier, and exposed - I’d give it a “6,” although it wasn’t quite like rock climbing.

If you’re up for hiking and want to rent, rather than buy poles in Italy, can you find a rental outside of the Cinque Terre, then return the poles there, when you’re done with the Cinque Terre?

Search for YouTube videos of your desired trails, you will find many

If you do not have good balance, start working out now. If you cannot get up from the floor unaided, get to work on core exercises. Buy a pair of hiking boots with good tread. Europe has lots of stairs that are well worn and uneven. Watch videos on Cinque Terra to see what you’re up against. I have concerns myself and am using the stairs at work to help get me prepared. I’m thinking of shipping a cheaper pole to the hotel. I also noticed that several drug stores in US sell folding canes which is an option that I believe can be brought onto the plane. Check first.

Edit: do not try to use hiking poles as an assist as a way to get them on the airplane as mentioned in an above post. Hiking pokes have a covered spike that airlines view as a potential weapon.

To David. Genius idea! I’m going to look into just checking my poles. This would solve so much. I’m sure I can find a small tube with a strap. As long as the airline doesn’t lose it!

@kathryn
Many hiking and walking poles do not have metal tips, rubber only. It would depend on the style.

There's no 100% guarantee of anything in life. While it's true that airlines do lose some checked items, the odds are your homespun hiking pole container will appear on the baggage carousel in your arrival airport as hoped. Entrusting it to the airline for a few hours represents a very small risk, with completely manageable consequences if it does indeed get lost (maybe you buy poles there and spend some money you would rather not, or maybe you just find a stick and make do, or otherwise improvise). Completely survivable.

Honestly, all you really need is a big, thick plastic bag and some tape (it won't be pretty, but it'll get the job done). I've seen some very odd-looking, irregular items wrapped in duct tape and plastic going round on the luggage carousel. This is not rocket science. No need to overthink it or obsess over fears of lost luggage. Keep it simple, move on to other worries.