View Full Version : Trekking pole technique
I've never hiked with poles before but on the trail Monday I found two good sized sticks and gave it a try. I was amazed at how much it helped. I was just at Campmor and bought a pair of poles. I figure there isn't really a wrong or right way to use poles but I want to get the most out of them. What are some techniques you guys use? I tried doing both the 'both out front and walk through' and the 'one out then other out when the first one is back' methods. Also is it shorter poles on the uphill or the downhill. I know, I probably sound stupid but I need help. Thanks.
stoikurt
11-29-2006, 11:46
Some say to adjust the poles when going up or down hill. I like to adjust them so my forearms are parallel to flat ground or maybe with my hand just a little higher that parallel. You'll learn your techniques that work best for you. When I'm on fairly level ground and can stretch out I don't rely on the poles much and just swing them forward about every other step. As the grade increases I'll start sticking the poles with every step to help pull you up the hill. On down hills I use them mainly to keep from overstepping and to take a lot of strain off my knees by putting more wait on the poles. I hope this helps, but mainly, get out and use them and you'll find out what's comfortable for you.
Footslogger
11-29-2006, 11:57
I've never hiked with poles before but on the trail Monday I found two good sized sticks and gave it a try. I was amazed at how much it helped. I was just at Campmor and bought a pair of poles. I figure there isn't really a wrong or right way to use poles but I want to get the most out of them. What are some techniques you guys use? I tried doing both the 'both out front and walk through' and the 'one out then other out when the first one is back' methods. Also is it shorter poles on the uphill or the downhill. I know, I probably sound stupid but I need help. Thanks.
================================
After a while most people don't make many adjustments to trekking poles. They find a height that works and start walking. That said ...there are times when lengthening your poles can be of help on downhills. You can angle the poles away from your feet and use them as props to control your downward step. On uphills most of your polling is pretty close to your feet so a more normal length (eg such that arms are bent approx 90 degrees at the elbow) works fine.
'Slogger
littlelaurel59
11-29-2006, 12:10
Poles are extremely helpful with stream crossings. They provide a better sense of balance in moving water, and allow you to probe for depth before taking that next step. They are great for old knees going downhill (literally and figuratively).
Old Grouse
11-29-2006, 12:18
This site has quite a bit of info. http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/poles5.htm
I like to keep my poles a little long, because I mainly use them on downhills, where the extra reach helps a lot.
Alligator
11-29-2006, 12:28
I've seen it suggested that one's hands should grab through the loop from the bottom, then grab the handle with the loop straps in the palm.
Explained differently. Hold the strap loop parallel to the ground. Insert your hand through the bottom of the loop. Now grab the handle and the strap loops at the same time. The strap will be around the back of your wrist. Look at the picture closely in the above link, the woman is doing it.
I never hold them this way BTW, but I think it is supposed to work your arms into the process better.
I rarely change the length anymore. I will give big pushes with the poles on flats, but generally "walk" the poles along.
stoikurt
11-29-2006, 12:39
I've seen it suggested that one's hands should grab through the loop from the bottom, then grab the handle with the loop straps in the palm.
Explained differently. Hold the strap loop parallel to the ground. Insert your hand through the bottom of the loop. Now grab the handle and the strap loops at the same time. The strap will be around the back of your wrist. Look at the picture closely in the above link, the woman is doing it.
I never hold them this way BTW, but I think it is supposed to work your arms into the process better.
I rarely change the length anymore. I will give big pushes with the poles on flats, but generally "walk" the poles along.
By holding them that way you do not have to grip the handle as tightly so there is less fatique to the hands. You will transfer the weight through your wrists to the straps to the pole.
Kerosene
11-29-2006, 12:44
Be careful not to "overgrip" the handles all day long to avoid blistering or chafing your palms. On level trail I barely hold the poles and let them help me keep a pace. On solid rock I typically avoid planting poles or hold them in one hand, using them only when I need more stability.
Poles are also useful in keeping you on the split log bog bridges, but be careful not to plant them in bog water of unknown depth! I almost lost a pole (I had just crossed some boulders and hadn't re-inserted my hands in the loops) when I tried to keep my balance on a bridge and the pole got stuck in deep muck (it did keep me from falling in though).
On steep uphills you can grip the poles below the handle to help you up. On steep downhills I usually rely on the poles to give me more stability.
I've found that I'm more comfortable with my hands slightly below parallel with my elbows as it seems to put less strain on my elbows.
Poles are extremely helpful with stream crossings. They provide a better sense of balance in moving water, and allow you to probe for depth before taking that next step. They are great for old knees going downhill (literally and figuratively).
Don't forget to unbuckle your hip belt and sternum strap when crossing a stream. It makes an escape after a fall much easier.
hopefulhiker
11-29-2006, 12:48
I used the "blind man" walking technique with the poles. Swing the pole out first, then place the opposite foot out. I really did use my poles a bunch in '05
LostInSpace
11-29-2006, 13:41
I've seen it suggested that one's hands should grab through the loop from the bottom, then grab the handle with the loop straps in the palm.
Explained differently. Hold the strap loop parallel to the ground. Insert your hand through the bottom of the loop. Now grab the handle and the strap loops at the same time. The strap will be around the back of your wrist. Look at the picture closely in the above link, the woman is doing it.
I never hold them this way BTW, but I think it is supposed to work your arms into the process better.
I rarely change the length anymore. I will give big pushes with the poles on flats, but generally "walk" the poles along.
By holding them that way you do not have to grip the handle as tightly so there is less fatique to the hands. You will transfer the weight through your wrists to the straps to the pole.
Stoikurt, I agree. I use my poles when skiing the same way. Once I got used to this technique, I found it to be very comfortable.
When crossing streams, I always take my hands out of the loops. If I were to fall in the water, I do not want to have the pole straps wrapped around my wrists. Also, a pole can jam in the rocks and cause me to lose my balance if I cannot let go of it immediately.
Alligator
11-29-2006, 14:37
Stoikurt, I agree. I use my poles when skiing the same way. Once I got used to this technique, I found it to be very comfortable.
When crossing streams, I always take my hands out of the loops. If I were to fall in the water, I do not want to have the pole straps wrapped around my wrists. Also, a pole can jam in the rocks and cause me to lose my balance if I cannot let go of it immediately.I've tried it the way I described, but didn't find it helpful. YMMV. I don't get fatigued using mine. I could see it being more helpful in skiing, and it may help hikers too, just not me. Certainly try it.
rswanson
11-29-2006, 19:22
On downhill sections I find myself wishing that my pole grips were almost perpendicular to the pole shaft. I often grasp the handle between my thumb and forefinger at the base of the grip, where it flares out to run flush against the bottom of your hand, with my other fingers wrapping around the pole under the grip. I angle my wrist so that my knuckles are angled towards the ground. This helps me absorb more of the impact on my wrists via the straps. Maybe I should be using pacer poles.
As for pole legth adjustment, its not as easy to do on the AT as some other places I've hiked. There's just too much uphill/downhill over short stretches, so I usually just adjust to a normal length and go. Now in the Grand Canyon, it was easier to make use of this technique as I pretty much hiked all downhill or uphill, all day. Some poles have foam grips that extend down the pole shaft, the idea being that you can lengthen the poles and use the extra length of the grips on uphill sections without needing to readjust. My current poles are like this but I'm not so sure of the usefulness of this feature as you have to pull your hands out of the straps to use the poles this way and that's kind of a nuisance.
One observation I've made of hikers just starting to use poles is that they don't really use them at all. They just sort of carry them and don't really employ them as they are meant. Don't be afraid to put a good amount of weight on them on downhills or really dig in and push off with them on uphills. The idea behind trekking poles is to use your upper body to spupplement what your lower body is doing. If you're triceps and forearms are a bit sore after after first hiking with poles then you're starting to get the idea.
But on level ground a pair of them would seem to me to be superfluous. We certainly dont use them much walking around our neighborhoods.
I admit to using a single staff, the bottom covered with a rubber pad..a la 'Tracks', that does not punch those detested little holes into the ground. But I carry it horizontally in one hand on level ground.
Rain Man
11-29-2006, 21:02
From the horse's mouth (so to speak)--
http://www.leki.com/images/downloads/Trail_Series_Wrapper.pdf
But on level ground a pair of them would seem to me to be superfluous. Not at all. Using them like cross country ski poles (keeping them diagonally to the rear, planting the pole even with the opposite foot) you get quite a rhythm going with two poles on the flat. You walk faster with less effort.
Appalachian Tater
11-29-2006, 22:07
I do "both out front and walk through" sometimes, especially when not going fast, or when the terrain is difficult, especially uphill. You may find that people wil offer to teach you the "right way" to use your poles if you use them that way. I also stopped using my straps figuring that if I fell, I was going to break my wrist. You can move your hands up and down instead of changing the length unless you have a long consistent stretch.
Start out using them the "official" way and then do whatever feels right for you.
I
I also stopped using my straps figuring that if I fell, I was going to break my wrist. I caught one of my poles is a bunch of rocks once when I fell. Aluminum pole bent. I have graphite ones now so they would break. I think in most cases aluminum would bend or carbon fiber break long before you wrist is in danger.
Still, not wanting to break my poles, I generally take my wrists out of the loops in terrain likely to catch the poles.
Other than that, I find using the loops too advantageous to just give up on them. So much easier to push off on the loops rather than on the grip.
On very steep downhills, I "de-loop" because I tend to support myself with the palm of my hand on the top of the grip.
If it wasn't for hiking poles, I would have had to stop hiking about ten years ago due to knee pain. I'd climb a mountain, then pop a half dozen ibuprofen before starting down, and still need more sometimes.
LostInSpace
11-29-2006, 23:58
On very steep downhills, I "de-loop" because I tend to support myself with the palm of my hand on the top of the grip.
Going downhill, I also support myself with the palm of my hand on top of the grip. However, by using the technique that Alligator described (although he doesn't use), I find it is not necessary to "de-loop" as you say. The loop is already under your palm, so it is easy just to slide your hands to the top of the grip.
I've used my poles completely collasped while climbing steeply in NH, which also helped holding both with one hand (switching) when it was hand over hand. it worked great.
Apparently on Lekis there's a right and left hand grip, black and white dots on top, but I keep forgetting which is which.
Not at all. Using them like cross country ski poles (keeping them diagonally to the rear, planting the pole even with the opposite foot) you get quite a rhythm going with two poles on the flat. You walk faster with less effort.
"You walk faster with less effort"
An interesting concept, to be sure. But I still remain unconvinced its an entirely accurate one. But, so long as you are convinced of it...
"You walk faster with less effort"
An interesting concept, to be sure. But I still remain unconvinced its an entirely accurate one. A subjective analysis on my part, as I never measured speed, but walking with more efficiency or less efficiency isn't just a "concept."
If you are unconvinced that some ways of walking are more energy efficient that others, try this: Walk two miles with your hands firmly at your sides, not swinging them. Then walk two miles while dragging you feet every step, never letting them leave the ground. And now walk two miles walking more or less normally. See how long it takes you to do each, and how tired you are after each. I think you will find that one of the ways will let you walk faster with less effort :D
The only question really is whether "normal" walking is the most efficient method possible. From my experience, it can be improved on with two poles.
Again, think of it like cross contry skiing. You push with your feet and with the poles. If you didn't use poles, it would be more tiring, just as it would if you only propelled yourself with poles. The combination of the two lets you go faster and with less effort than either method individually.
Anyway, that's my experience.
But, so long as you are convinced of it...Works for me. YMMV.
Apparently on Lekis there's a right and left hand grip, black and white dots on top, but I keep forgetting which is which.Back when I cross-country skiied, the webs on my left and right poles were different, to accomodate the strap going around the thumb and wrist the same way on opposite hands. I've seen several brands of hiking poles, and all of them have identically laid out straps for both left and right hands.
I have different widths of duct tape on my L and R poles and can tell them apart easily. I find that with dirt, sweat, and stretching, the straps take the form of each hand and fit more comfortably, but then I am a retired engineer and you can see from my previous post that I have not left science and mathematical models behind when I left the job, and admittedly I sometimes take the scientific principle to anal-retentive extremes. But then, for an engineer, "anal-retentive" is a compliment.
Poles definitely help me walk faster/efficently ~ particularly going uphill. Think about it...you're using 4 propellers. Do you think a bear runs faster on two legs than four?
Footslogger
11-30-2006, 09:58
When I hike my mind often drifts to another zipcode. When that happens I sometimes become pretty clumsy. I am subject to being tripped by those nasty roots that leap up off the ground directly in my path. With trekking poles I am generally able to recover without a full faceplant.
I admit that there are times the poles become more of a liability than an asset but at that point I always have the option of strapping them to my pack. After all ...we have to use those ice axe loops for something !!
'Slogger
I did not intend the observation to be disparaging, just that I am not convinced it was accurate. For all I know it could be so, but I have a hunch its not, notwithstanding so many of those who do use the pair of poles for assisted walking.
It(they) is(are) certainlyuseful navigating across deep, slippery, rocky streams, moving fields of talus rock, fending off rabid dogs, hungry bears, swatting mosquitoes or whatever... None can argue that. Does a pair of them really make them go faster?
But I thought about it once, gave it a shot and finally decided that, other than giving me a slightly better upper body workout carrying two of the darned pesky things, they were mostly in the way on level/inclined trails and i was always wondering how to stow the two of them away when i needed to do things requiring the use of my hands. It made me wonder if just perhaps a little too much intrusive Leki, et al, advertising hype just may have swayed quite a few over to a different (and more expensive) approach. Besides, since we swung down from the trees some 3-4M years ago I have not seen any evidence of a preponderance use of two poles. But we have used just one-the single staff- quite often. One would suppose that at least some in antiquity would have attempted the use two. Perhaps they did and decided to abandon one. Anyway, I can conjure up mental pictures of Biblical characters wandering across the wilderness assisted by a single staff. But I just cannot see them flitting across the desert with a pair of lekis:D
I decided the single staff for my purposes met the best of both worlds instead. But thats my opinion;)
Poles definitely help me walk faster/efficently ~ particularly going uphill. Think about it...you're using 4 propellers. Do you think a bear runs faster on two legs than four?
If 4 were more effective for us then natural selection would have evolved them for us. Quite the contrary-it evolved that use of two away from us. But not so for the bear. We can walk/run upright-it cannot. It must run on four! It can beat us in a sprint on four; we beat it in distance on two:D
Thanks everyone for the input, it was very helpful!
If 4 were more effective for us then natural selection would have evolved them for us. Quite the contrary-it evolved that use of two away from us. But not so for the bear. We can walk/run upright-it cannot. It must run on four! It can beat us in a sprint on four; we beat it in distance on two:D
Maybe the bear analogy wasn't the best ~ fair enough. But Man has indeed created accessories for increased effciency; i.e. cars, planes, trekking poles, etc. Maybe in the next billion years evolution will see to it that everyone will be born with a pair of wings, wheels, and a set of Leki's:D
Kerosene
11-30-2006, 10:55
With trekking poles I am generally able to recover without a full faceplant.I was heading down the Osgood Ridge Trail from Mt. Madison in the Whites a few months ago towards the end of a lovely day. Despite stopping for a few bowls of soup at the Madison Springs Hut, I was feeling pretty wiped out and spent a lot of energy ascending and descending the rocks of Mt. Madison. When the trail finally reached treeline, the lichen-covered rocks turned to a combination of slippery rocks and roots embedded in damp, steep earth/mud. I must have slipped a dozen times in a mile, but I never quite fell on my tush or head as my poles saved me many times. (I still don't know how someone can do this section in high winds, fog and rain, let alone icy conditions.)
Boat Drinks
12-06-2006, 17:44
From the horse's mouth (so to speak)--
http://www.leki.com/images/downloads/Trail_Series_Wrapper.pdf
:confused: Where did this show us how to walk with poles?:confused:
I think it's supposed to be right foot out & left pole out then left foot out & right pole out. As if you had 4 legs.
If poles truly made you go faster wouldn't runners use poles???
terrapin_too
12-14-2006, 21:57
If poles truly made you go faster wouldn't runners use poles???
Completely different situation. Runners aren't carrying extra weight on their backs. They're moving over smooth, level ground. Their strides are very consistent, and they can count on a considerable (and constant) forward momentum.
Hikers are moving over uneven ground, with obstacles everywhere, and often at a serious incline or decline. In the worst case (not at all uncommon) every step requires a conscious effort. The effort may be as much cerebral as physical, but there can be a huge cost if it's not done right.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
12-14-2006, 22:00
I think it's supposed to be right foot out & left pole out then left foot out & right pole out. As if you had 4 legs.This is likely correct. I walk with a cane and hike with two canes. Left foot / cane in right hand then right foot and cane in left hand is how the PT's taught me to use them.
Lengthening the canes on steep downhill sections is extremely helpful to me.
Completely different situation. Runners aren't carrying extra weight on their backs. They're moving over smooth, level ground. Their strides are very consistent, and they can count on a considerable (and constant) forward momentum.
Hikers are moving over uneven ground, with obstacles everywhere, and often at a serious incline or decline. In the worst case (not at all uncommon) every step requires a conscious effort. The effort may be as much cerebral as physical, but there can be a huge cost if it's not done right.
OK how about trail runners?
terrapin_too
12-14-2006, 22:15
OK how about trail runners?
Still a bit different. They've got little or no load on their backs. They've got forward momentum. And they're almost always young and they're among the fittest individuals on the planet.
Personally, I find that poles have a limited operating range. For me, they're not very useful on flat level ground, and they're completely useless on extreme descents and ascents (eg. Lehigh Gap, South Kinsman, etc.)
I'd never claim that poles are necessary for hiking. I've done most of my hiking, over the years, without them. But given a choice, these days, I'll still use them more often than not.
If poles truly made you go faster wouldn't runners use poles???
I find that the poles help me go downhill and uphill with less effort, not necessarily faster. but often faster due to less fatigue.
I also find that I hike faster on level ground without poles.
Speed isn't the goal for me, ease of hiking is.