The Benefits of Trekking Poles
by Bill Ames

INTRODUCTION

I first saw a man using trekking poles on The Discovery Channel while he was walking across Australia. I thought at the time that it looked like a good idea, but it seemed kind of silly. Nevertheless, the concept intrigued me.

After taking a hike up a steep canyon wall covered with slick loam and pine needles, I soon learned the benefits of having an extra set of feet, and I've been using them ever since..

STARTING CHEAP

You don't need to buy a $200 set of titanium poles to get most of the benefit--an ordinary set of ski poles will do the trick. As you progress, you might find that the baskets are a little too big, or that the impact is taking a toll, and then you might want to start looking around, but I recommend starting cheap and going from there. A good set of trekking poles will cost you over $100, while you can get a used set of ski poles for next to nothing.

BENEFITS

Trekking poles offer a variety of benefits, some obvious and some not.

The first thing you'll notice is that your arms get involved with climbing. When you're backpacking, there's a lot of weight being lifted entirely by your legs. Trekking poles let your arms and back get to work instead of simply adding to the dead weight you're carrying.

You'd be amazed how much faster you can climb uphill with a little help from your arms--and you'll love the new muscles you develop! Trekking poles help to build the triceps, deltoids, lats and a host of other helper muscles.

Your knees take a pounding when you hike, and if you are hiking a rocky trail, like just about anything in Pennsylvania, then you can really pound your knees and ankles into mush. Trekking poles help to lift thousands of pounds of pressure from those sensitive joint over the course of a day.

In addition to the normal pressure caused by hiking, nearly everybody at some point will twist an ankle or dislocate a knee on the trail. Having two more feet add an incredible amount of stability, letting you hop from rock to rock instead of risking injury or walking along at a snail's pace. Trekking poles also let you add several feet to your reach when climbing down large rocks or gong down steep inclines. They give you something to land on other than your hands, often preventing a fall, and in winter, they dig into ice and snow like claws.

TECHNIQUE

The technique for using trekking poles while walking is simple--strap them on and do what comes naturally. You'll notice the benefits immediately, and you'll find your pace soon enough. To get the right height, adjust the poles so that your elbow makes a right angle with your hands on the grips. The straps should be tight enough to 'strap in' when you want extra support, but they should also be loose enough to dangle when you need your hands for other things.

If you're the kind of hiker who doesn't like to stop very often, then you might avoid using poles because it's just another thing to take on and off when you stop. Fortunately, you don't need to remove the poles altogether when you need your hands--just let them dangle from your wrists. This even works when scrambling on all fours. If the poles hit the ground, it's no big deal--the baskets will keep them from getting too banged up.

If you're a photographer, you can use your poles as an ad hoc 'tripod'. Either set the camera atop one pole, or cross the poles for more stability, placing your hands on either side to keep them snug against the camera. Some enthusiasts even attach a mounting screw where the wrist straps attach, making a true monopod.

Going downhill, you may find it easier to put your weight entirely on the straps, and going uphill you may find that gripping the handles strongly is best. Some folks will recommend that you stop to adjust the height of your poles depending on weather you are going up (shorter) or down (longer), but I find that simply changing my hand position is more than enough to compensate for the angle.

When walking, I tend to use one stick at a time, slightly off-sync with my pace. While climbing, I tend to push off with both poles like a cross country skier. When going down steep hills, I keep the poles in front of me with my weight mostly on the straps or even on top of the grips.

UPGRADING

If you do a lot of hiking, you might find ski poles a bit annoying, and that's why some companies make trekking poles--they're specialized for the activity. On ski poles, you might find that the baskets are too big, the tips aren't flexible, and they may not collapse. They might weigh too much, and in extreme cases, you might find that your wrists or elbows are going numb from the jarring shock of too many rocks.

Not to worry . . . many manufacturers have corrected all of these situations.

True trekking poles will have interchangeable baskets, with the normal size being quite a bit smaller than those for skiing.

The tips of most poles are flexible, so that getting stuck in a rock won't break the tips off.

The very tip of the poles is made of rubber or a tungsten carbide material that grips into sandstone or granite with ease. If you're a die-hard leave-no-trace hiker, the rubber tips do a nice job, but for others, the reassurance or a little 'digging in' is more their style.

All good trekking poles are light weight, being made out of aircraft aluminum or other alloys, but for the ultimate in light weight, titanium poles are available for a price.

If you find that your wrists, arms or elbows are suffering from too much shock, several manufacturers have anti-shock models that will do the trick quite nicely. I've tried a few and they all work well, allowing me to hike for mile after mile on even the rockiest of trails.

Some people adore their walking sticks, carved by hand and carrying a history, but remember that wood is not only heavy, it can break just when you need it the most, and none of the above-named benefits of trekking poles apply. Keep the walking stick for your nature hikes and take your Leki Cor Tecs with you on the real hikes.

CONCLUSIONS

All in all, if you're serious about hiking, getting a good set of trekking poles can make a real difference in your enjoyment of the sport. If they prevent a serious injury, they could even save you from a survival situation . . . there's nothing worse than being along on a cold and lonely mountain, waiting for help.

When looking for poles, keep these things in mind:

• If you ski, ask if the baskets interchangeable
• Find out if replacement parts are in stock or can be ordered - tips wear out, baskets break, anti-shock materials fail
• How heavy are they?
• Is the grip comfortable or angled ergonomically?
• If you're allergic to ballistic nylon (that stuff that most straps are made from these days) see if the straps can be replaced with leather
• Test the ease of adjusting the length

Brands that won't rip you off, and how to ask for them without sounding like a tenderfoot:

• Leki Trekking Poles(say 'leckie' rhymes with Trekkie)
  - the biggest name in trekking poles. People look at you funny if you have anything else!
• Gabel (say 'gabble', or gobble with an 'a')
  - lesser known, but excellent bang for the buck. My Quota 8800i's have never let me down, although service parts are hard to find. Try MSR who used to distribute them.
• Komperdell Trekking Poles
  - get good reviews but look cheesy, in my opinion. I've not tried them out, since nobody will give them to me for free :-)
• Black Diamond
  - an old name in skiing