An illuminated walking assistance apparatus. The illuminated walking assistance apparatus is made in the form of a staff having a light pipe in the lower portion thereof which provides diffused illumination in the immediate vicinity of the apparatus and at the same time, a bright light visible for a substantial distance to alert or signal others. A walking aid that may include an elongated support shaft to be used as a walking support. The length of the support shaft may extend between an upper end and a lower end. At the upper end of the elongated support shaft, the walking aid support may include a handle assembly that includes a hand grip. The walking aid may include a light source having a user interface that may be designed to selectably emit light outward from the elongated support shaft.

A pole grip for walking sticks, trekking poles, alpine ski, cross-country ski, or Nordic walking poles, and an associated hand-retaining device, or a set of said elements. The pole grip has a grip body and a hook-like device for fastening the hand-retaining device. Movable or rotatable locking elements are arranged in the area of the hook-like device in such a way that a loop-shaped device provided on the hand-retaining device and inserted into the hook-like device substantially from above is fastened in the hook-like device in a self-locking manner. The design is characterized in that elements that prevent rotation of a loop-shaped device fastened to the hook-like device about the longitudinal axis of the hook-like device by elements of form closure are provided on the hook-like device, and that corresponding complementary elements are provided on the hand-retaining device.

The invention relates to a folding pole (1), normally comprising four pipe sections (7-9), wherein the pipe sections (7-9) are connected to each other by means of plug-in connections while aligned along the pole axis (32) in the assembled state of the folding pole (1), and normally only three pipe sections (8, 8, 9) are still connected to each other by means of a movable connecting element (16) in the folded state, and wherein a pole handle (2) is arranged on a top pipe section (7) and a pole tip (23) is arranged on a bottom pipe section (9). According to the invention, at least one of the plug-in connections is realized by means of an external clamping mechanism (10), wherein the clamping mechanism (10) is fastened to a first pipe section (7), and wherein a second pipe section (8), which has an outside diameter smaller than or nearly equal to the inside diameter of the first pipe section (7), and which is supported in the first pipe section (7) so as to be movable itself, can be fastened in the relative axial position by the external clamping mechanism (10). The further plug-in connections are designed as pure plug-in connections, wherein pipe sections (8, 8, 9) are fastened only an axial direction in the connected state. The pipe sections (7-9) are connected to each other by means of at least one tension cable (16), which is fastened to the bottom pipe section (9) and to the top pipe section (7) and which is arranged so as to pass through the interior (31) of the at least two middle pipe sections (8, 8). The folding pole (1) is designed in such a way that the folding pole can be transferred from the folded state to the assembled state by connecting the further plug-in connections, and then, with the external clamping mechanism (10) released, pulling the second pipe section (8) out of the first pipe section (7) until the tension cable (16) is under tension, and fastening the external clamping mechanism (10).

The invention relates to a folding pole (1), normally comprising four pipe sections (7-9), wherein the pipe sections (7-9) are connected to each other by means of plug-in connections while aligned along the pole axis (32) in the assembled state of the folding pole (1), and normally only three pipe sections (8, 8, 9) are still connected to each other by means of a movable connecting element (16) in the folded state, and wherein a pole handle (2) is arranged on a top pipe section (7) and a pole tip (23) is arranged on a bottom pipe section (9). According to the invention, at least one of the plug-in connections is realized by means of an external clamping mechanism (10), wherein the clamping mechanism (10) is fastened to a first pipe section (7), and wherein a second pipe section (8), which has an outside diameter smaller than or nearly equal to the inside diameter of the first pipe section (7), and which is supported in the first pipe section (7) so as to be movable itself, can be fastened in the relative axial position by the external clamping mechanism (10). The further plug-in connections are designed as pure plug-in connections, wherein pipe sections (8, 8, 9) are fastened only in an axial direction in the connected state. The pipe sections (7-9) are connected to each other by means of at least one tension cable (16), which is fastened to the bottom pipe section (9) and to the top pipe section (7) and which is arranged so as to pass through the interior (31) of the at least two middle pipe sections (8, 8). The folding pole (1) is designed in such a way that the folding pole can be transferred from the folded state to the assembled state by connecting the further plug-in connections, and then, with the external clamping mechanism (10) released, pulling the second pipe section (8) out of the first pipe section (7) until the tension cable (16) is under tension, and fastening the external clamping mechanism (10).

A variety of ski and hiking poles are described. In one aspect, magnets are provided on the pole handles and baskets to facilitate magnetic coupling a pair of poles together in a state suitable for carrying. In some embodiments, a pair of magnets are provided on each side of the handle. In some embodiments, a basket alignment piece is attached to the pole shaft. The alignment piece helps facilitate attachment of the basket to the pole shaft in an orientation that aligns the basket magnets relative to the handle magnets. In another aspect novel wrist straps are described.

A pole handle having a central receiving area that receives a loop fastening element with a hand loop, which is secured to the loop fastening element and has an adjustable size. The loop fastening element and the hand loop is secured to the loop fastening element to form a modular unit which is formed separately from a core of the pole handle and which is secured to the core of the pole handle in a reversibly tiltable manner about a rotational axis in the pole handle. The loop fastening element can be tilted from a rest position, in which the loop fastening element is integrated into the surface contour of the handle head and in which the size of the hand loop cannot be adjusted, upwards about the rotational axis into an adjustment position, in which the size of the hand loop can be adjusted.

A variety of ski and hiking poles are described. In one aspect, magnets are provided on the pole handles and baskets to facilitate magnetic coupling a pair of poles together in a state suitable for carrying. In some embodiments, a pair of magnets are provided on each side of the handle. In some embodiments, a basket alignment piece is attached to the pole shaft. The alignment piece helps facilitate attachment of the basket to the pole shaft in an orientation that aligns the basket magnets relative to the handle magnets. In another aspect novel wrist straps are described.