What are rubber tips for? Rubber tips serve many purposes, among them are : 1. They help get an extra grip especially when on flat or rocky surfaces - this is crucial so you can avoid slipping and gives the user added stability. Bare metal tips tend to slide along the surface. 2. Rubber tips protect the metal tips so you donincht have to wear your carbide tips prematurely, plus they also absorb some of the shock that goes onto your poles. 3. Bare metal tips can leave marks, holes, and scars on the terrain and can even cause injury to living things. Rubber tips help minimize environmental damage. 4. Bare metal tips can be quite noisy when used on rocky or paved surfaces. Rubber tips are more quiet on the rocks and help silence the clacking of the poles .