Olight Glow Walk F3 T2 Review: Lighted Trekking Poles That Earn Their Keep After Dark

Introduction

Lighted trekking poles are still a niche idea, but Olight keeps refining it. The Glow Walk F3 T2 is the next step up from the company’s earlier lighted poles, and the headline changes are easy to sum up: it is significantly lighter, packs down shorter, and keeps the core appeal intact. That core appeal is a built-in light in the handle, which turns a standard pair of poles into a hands-free lighting setup for early starts, late descents, and anyone who wants to be seen on the trail.

At a sale price of $87.99, it sits close to what you would pay for a quality pair of regular trekking poles, which makes the built-in light an interesting bonus rather than a costly add-on.

Design and Build

The F3 T2 uses aluminum shafts and folds into three segments using a Z-pole-style arrangement reminiscent of the design Black Diamond popularizes. Where some carbon Z-poles lock you into a single fixed length, this one has an adjustable length once the three segments are snapped together, which makes a real difference across terrain and between users.

The handle is the other standout. It is a beefy double-thick grip that feels substantial in hand, and it houses the battery pack for the light up at the top. Charging is handled through USB-C, which is always welcome on gear that lives in a pack. Tipping the poles, you get options: a rubber cap or a carbide tip, plus a couple of basket options for snow or soft sand if you want them.

Lighting Performance and Battery Life

The light offers four modes: a high setting at 120 lumens, a low setting at 30 lumens, a steady red at 10 lumens, and a flashing red also at 10 lumens. That gives you two distinct use cases. The white light covers navigation when you are the one who needs to see the trail, while the red modes cover awareness, making you visible to others around camp, on shared trails, or along roads.

Battery life is reasonable for the output. Expect about 3 hours on the full 120-lumen high setting and around 13 hours on the 30-lumen low setting, with the red modes sitting in between depending on use.

Using the Poles on the Trail

Setup is straightforward: pull the top to snap the three segments together, then adjust the length to fit. In actual use, they work as a fine pair of trekking poles first and a lighting tool second, which is the right order of priorities. The light itself is easy to use for navigation, and switching between white, steady red, and flashing red modes is quick enough to do mid-stride.

The adjustability deserves a second mention here. Fixed-length folding poles can be excellent, but being able to dial in the length for a steep climb or a long descent is genuinely useful for a lot of hikers.

Buying Advice

Right now the Glow Walk F3 T2 is on sale for $87.99, climbing back over $100 when the sale ends. If the built-in light is not essential for you, the earlier original Glow Walk is on sale for around $64. If you already own quality poles and only want light output for an event, there are lighter ultralight options in the $180 range for poles alone, but those are a different category entirely.

For most hikers who want one tool that covers both support and after-dark visibility, the F3 T2 is the more versatile pick of the two.

Conclusion

The Olight Glow Walk F3 T2 is a sensible evolution of the lighted trekking pole concept: lighter, shorter when packed, adjustable in length, and equipped with a practical four-mode light and USB-C charging. It is a fine trekking pole on its own, and with the light included at a sale price comparable to quality standard poles, it is easy to recommend to hikers who regularly find themselves moving in low light.