Hi

I live in an area that is largely unpaved, so I am forced to walk on a gravel surface most of the time. I had found that it is very difficult for the poles to get a proper grip on this type of surface so I experimented. What I have found is that when I reverse the rubber tip so that the back end hits the surface first, I get a decent grip and also the benefit of the springy nature of the rubber. And I can walk without the loud rattle and rasp of the carbide tips making contact with the loose gravel. The only downside is that the tips are extra springy and tend to flex more than normal and this might mean that I will have to get another set of rubber tips fairly soon.