OH NO!!! I just walked thousands of miles and my trekking pole tips are completely busted! Well good news, folks. There's an easy fix!

I don't know if the image above is clear enough for you to see, but my Leki trekking pole tips lost 1.5 inches from hiking the PCT. I knew that Leki sold replacements, so I didn't worry too much on the trail and figured I would fix them before my next big hike.

The tips are designed to slide off with a wrench when they become too warn down to function. Unfortunately, my tips got so much use that they seemed impossible to remove. I even took them to my local REI store and the backpacking expert regretfully told me that I would have to buy new poles.

I went home and found a hiking forum that suggested soaking the poles in hot water to allow the plastic to expand. Cha-ching! I boiled a pot of water, turned off the stove and soaked them for 15 minutes. They slid right off, no wrench needed. This little trick saved me a few hundred dollars and made me feel resourceful and cool. I hope it might help you, too.