walking sticks

You might check out some prior posts on the topic, there are many asking a similar question and plenty of suggestions in the responses. I searched for "hiking poles carry on" but you could try different searches to narrow it down: https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=hiking+poles+carry+on

Unfortunately you may need smaller walking sticks. It is my understanding that walking sticks must be checked. Not allow as carry-on.

If you are asking about getting hiking poles on an airplane then you need to check TSA rules.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/hiking-poles

Suggestions? Buy ones that fit in your checked baggage, buy a cheap pair when you get there and donate when you come home or buy a pair there which will fit in your checked luggage coming home (which is what I did in Switzerland). Just trying to wing it thru security, as some will suggest, is another option but be prepared, if the tsa agent isn’t in a good mood that day, to lose your poles.

And just to add, if you have connecting flights in Europe, most European airlines do not allow hiking poles in carryons either.

As far as fitting in a carry-on sized suitcase, there are now folding poles that flip into a shorter length when compacted than telescoping poles. Both my husband and I have a pair, and they work well for hiking, but allow us to pack them in our small, lighter carry-on bags, which our telescoping poles don’t. However, on trips where we’ve brought our poles with us, we’ve checked the bags, so that we wouldn’t risk having them confiscated at airport security.

We have brought telescoping poles with us on other trips, but for a bag long enough to accommodate them, we needed to pack them in a soft-sided duffel, which was too long to carry on, and had to be checked.

In Cork, Ireland three years ago, I bought a pair of poles from Outdoor Adventure Store for less than €40, the store brand, and surprisingly good. I’ve looked in other outfitter stores around Europe, and quality poles are about three times that price, so buying poles in Europe will usually be a sizable investment. Those worked well for hiking in Ireland, but I couldn’t bring them home in my suitcase, and didn’t want to check anything on the way home anyway, so I donated them to a Goodwill-type place, and was told they would definitely go to a disadvantaged person.

I have a pair of hiking poles I bought off Amazon. The brand is Bisinna. The only issue I would have (and you may have read about it in a previous post) they are not intuitive in regards to extending them for use. You'd want to make sure you know how to use them before they are needed. They are inexpensive. I have a nice pair that I use when I don't have a small suitcase to contend with.

BTW, Currently, TSA allows blunt tipped hiking/walking sticks. I've bought at least 3 sets of hiking poles and all came with blunt covers that fit over the sharper tips. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/walking-sticks

One thing to keep in mind, just because the U.S. allows hiking poles in carry on bags does not mean other countries do. I ran into this when we traveled to Australia. They don't allow hiking poles in carry ons.

My hiking sticks fold down into three parts so the collapsed length is 34 cm (13.4 inches). Black diamond is the brand and I got them at REI. I've used them on 4 international trips where we hiked on rough terrain. I haven't tried carrying these on after someone I met 5 years ago said that she had hers confiscated by TSA. The rules are always changing though and it seems this is a grey area.

Slightly off topic: These hiking sticks have soft rubber tips which fit over the ends and that I purchased separately. Some country's National Parks don't allow sharp points on hiking poles because they damage the trails. Samaria Gorge in Greece is one. I always check the websites of the National Parks to find out their rules.