Trek Poles vs The old Hiking Stick

[KMaha]

Does anyone still use an old stick to hike or do I need to dump $60 on the trek poles to keep up?
I imagine it depends a lot on the distance you hike and the weight you carry. I have a stick I wrapped and likee it well enough but I haven't been on the trail in quite awhile.
Opinions?

[JimSproul]

I understand the question. I was a "one stick man" for a long time and just did not get these trekking poles.

Then I cut the baskets off a couple of old cross-country ski poles and tried them on a hike. There has been no looking back. I have saved my knees and my butt plenty of times using two poles. Once you have made that decision can light weight poles be far behind?

Borrow a pair and try them on a hill or creek crossing. Hard to beat!

[Vi+]

A hiking stick helps me avoid damage if I trip and/or fall. I noticed, however, I trip more frequently using a hiking stick, and using a stick distracts me from what I went hiking to see.

I compromise, trying to make the best of both situations.

I don’t use a stick routinely. When I come to a place where one would be handy, I pick one up. I use the stick and then return it to “storage” when it’s no longer needed.

Hiking sticks are free and stored all about you, when you hike in the woods.

[terrapin_too]

Does anyone still use an old stick to hike or do I need to dump $60 on the trek poles to keep up?


Keep up? That's not how I'd think of it. Beg, steal, or borrow a pair of trekking poles. Take a hike with them. See how it feels. Some folks say they're a fad. Some folks say they're not needed. I say, try them and decide for yourself.

[Lone Wolf]

Does anyone still use an old stick to hike or do I need to dump $60 on the trek poles to keep up?
I imagine it depends a lot on the distance you hike and the weight you carry. I have a stick I wrapped and likee it well enough but I haven't been on the trail in quite awhile.
Opinions?

no need to spend money on "trekking pole". nature provides free sticks.

[Spock]

A single pole is very useful from Hannover north to K for river crossing and descending slick rock with 4-foot stepoffs. I like to carry one through there - usually a wooden one. Most trekking poles are too short to be useful on those long step-offs. I like 5 1/2 feet. Otherwise, I feel more secure most of the time without a pole.

[Skidsteer]

Does anyone still use an old stick to hike or do I need to dump $60 on the trek poles to keep up?
I imagine it depends a lot on the distance you hike and the weight you carry. I have a stick I wrapped and likee it well enough but I haven't been on the trail in quite awhile.
Opinions?

I use a hiking stick.

I'm an old school hiker and I find it convenient to have one hand free in case of emergency.

Like if my cell phone rings or something.

[KMaha]

I use a hiking stick.

I'm an old school hiker and I find it convenient to have one hand free in case of emergency.

Like if my cell phone rings or something.

I like that. Seems to be pretty split on this. I figured I was stuck in the past.

[terrapin_too]

I like that. Seems to be pretty split on this. I figured I was stuck in the past.


KMaha, if you've been on the trail, observing thru-hikers, what do you observe? Particularly if you see them late in the season, in the Whites and in Maine? :-?

[Lone Wolf]

I like that. Seems to be pretty split on this. I figured I was stuck in the past.

I have never used any type of sticks/poles but if i did it would be a big ol' wood stick like minnesotasmith walked with this year.

[Lone Wolf]

if you've been on the trail, observing thru-hikers, what do you observe? Particularly if you see them late in the season, in the Whites and in Maine? :-?

malnourished mofos

[KMaha]

KMaha, if you've been on the trail, observing thru-hikers, what do you observe? Particularly if you see them late in the season, in the Whites and in Maine? :-?

I never made it to the AT. That will be new for me. I have been away from hiking for awhile. When I was last out there trek poles were kinda new. They seem very popular now.
Just wanted to know what people thought. I am suprised to see so many already stating they don't always use them.
I always used a stick for some parts of trails and nothing for others. Depended on the trail and whether I was climbing or crossing anything.
I just saw that poles are kinda pricey. Wanted to know what folks thought.

[Lone Wolf]

I never made it to the AT. That will be new for me. I have been away from hiking for awhile. When I was last out there trek poles were kinda new. They seem very popular now.
Just wanted to know what people thought. I am suprised to see so many already stating they don't always use them.
I always used a stick for some parts of trails and nothing for others. Depended on the trail and whether I was climbing or crossing anything.
I just saw that poles are kinda pricey. Wanted to know what folks thought.

hikers are sheeple by nature. they buy what marketers throw at them and what they see others using. trekking poles extremely overpriced. stick with sticks.:)

[Skidsteer]

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[terrapin_too]

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[terrapin_too]

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[Skidsteer]

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[Lone Wolf]

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[terrapin_too]

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[Skidsteer]

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[Lone Wolf]

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[Blade]

Does anyone still use an old stick to hike or do I need to dump $60 on the trek poles to keep up?
I imagine it depends a lot on the distance you hike and the weight you carry. I have a stick I wrapped and likee it well enough but I haven't been on the trail in quite awhile.
Opinions?

I used the three-footed approach for a long time, then decided to try four-feet to see what all the fuss is about. Can't see dropping big $$$ for sticks, so I bought the Swiss Gear (AKA wally-world) sticks for < $20 a pair.

For me, they work well. I make better speed (when I want) and have better balance (when needed). I personally don't like the sound metal tips make, so I use the rubber tips.

HYOH

[icemanat95]

I've gone back to the stick. There's an aesthetic to it that an aluminum pole will never have, and the stick can serve as a solid defensive tool in a pinch, something a pole just doesn't manage.

I make my own, but to get the best of both worlds, I take the carbide tips out of old hiking poles and epoxy bed them into the tip of my sticks. I have rubber caps that I drill through so that only the tip of the carbide is exposed for routine use and take the rubber cap off when on slick rock. Works like a charm and minimizes erosion of soils.

The only downside to the stick is that it is hard to stow it for scrambles. I'm going to start putting on lash loops using paracord wrapped and epoxied to the staff for a lower lash point and another at the handle end. Got some experimenting to do there.

[weary]

Does anyone still use an old stick to hike or do I need to dump $60 on the trek poles to keep up?
I imagine it depends a lot on the distance you hike and the weight you carry. I have a stick I wrapped and likee it well enough but I haven't been on the trail in quite awhile.
Opinions?
I was beginning to think no one would ever ask. I have experimented with trek poles and have decided a simple wooden hiking staff does everything I need in that line.

Trek poles became the fad they have become largely because most commercial wooden hiking sticks were built to impress tourists. They were too heavy and cumbersome to actually use on a trail.

I began with an old bamboo ski pole. When that broke one day I gave up sticks for awhile. Then I spied a tiny alder sapling left by a trail crew at the bottom of a waterfall in Maine. It worked fine for one traverse of Maine 15 years ago. I liked it so much that once I got home I augmented it with a rubber crutch tip and a carved handle, total weight 9.5 ounces.

I still have that stick. But I've made several since, some with a professional grip, strap and built in compass, and imbedded bolt to make it double as a camera monopod. Costs ranged from 66 cents for a crutch tip to $12 for a Komperbell grip.

My sticks work better on rocks than the sharp-pointed trekking poles and are good enough for muddy, wet conditions.

The key is to keep them light and flexible. Of the saplings near my house, I prefer alder and red maple. Oak is too heavy. But I don't pretend to have tried all the available woods.

My current favorite has been used for five years to knock off dead branches of pine trees, while laying out new trails. A useage that would destroy most trekking poles in an hour.

When not trail building, my sticks help me up and down hills and keep rather ancient knees functioning.

Weary

[Lone Wolf]

The only time I use a stick is when fording the Kennebec. I highly reccomend it.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

The male dino still uses a hiking stick - won't use anything else. I would still be using mine if ortho problems hadn't forced me to go to two offset canes.

[Footslogger]

[quote=Skidsteer;300270]I'm an old school hiker and I find it convenient to have one hand free in case of emergency.

================================

If you use the straps correctly it is quite easy to let go of one or both treckking poles in case of emergency ...and the good thing is that the pole stays with you.

I am a long time convert to trekking poles. Have lost count of the number of times they saved me from a fall and helped me brace on a steep downhill.

There have been times when poles weren't necessary and they are easy to collapse and attach to my pack.

'Slogger

[weary]

[quote=Skidsteer;300270]....I am a long time convert to trekking poles. Have lost count of the number of times they saved me from a fall and helped me brace on a steep downhill.
.....'Slogger
I keep hearing this comment, but remain puzzled about the volume of falls and near falls. I walk in the woods and hills around 1,500 miles a year. It's been years since I've fallen. Occasionally, I use my stick to catch my balance. My near falls are so few that I've never bothered to count, but I doubt if they exceed a half dozen saves a year.

BElieve me, I have never had a particularly good sense of balance, which is why I'm a snowshoer, not a skier. And I'm now taking medicine that makes my balance even worse. But I have managed mostly to remain upright, ever since I learned to walk those many decades ago.

[Skidsteer]

I'm not even a short-time convert to trekking poles. :D

Borked quote above. No biggie but I carry a Cherry staff cut from my land in GA.

[KMaha]

For such a seemingly boring question there are some great responses in here. Some of them are truly intriguing.
What does that say about people who can talk so long about sticks? Anyway, thank you for the input. I really like some of the ideas about the custom sticks. All good stuff.
Happy trails to you all.

[bigcranky]

I used a bamboo staff for a long time. Still have it in the garage, somewhat the worse for wear. On a hike a few years ago I borrowed my wife's trekking poles and became an instant convert. While I still have a couple of months until my 45th birthday, my knees are at least 80, 85 -- maybe older. For me, no poles = no hiking. I don't care at all for marketing hype, arguments about sheeple, or all the other distracting garbage, I just want to hike. So I carry the poles.

[Tumblerisk]

With my knees and balance dificulties, I have to rely on two trekking poles. Depending on the amount of hiking you're planning on you might want to head to Walmart. They sell aluminum treking poles for $10 a piece, so you're not losing much if you hate them. I can certify that they're good for at least 75 miles.

[terrapin_too]

BElieve me, I have never had a particularly good sense of balance, which is why I'm a snowshoer, not a skier. And I'm now taking medicine that makes my balance even worse. But I have managed mostly to remain upright, ever since I learned to walk those many decades ago.


Weary, poles aren't used necessarily to overcome weakness or deficiency. I have solid knees, powerful legs, exceptional balance. I'm no jock, but I ski moguls and have a few mid-level belts in martial arts. I'd still rather hike with poles than without. I did this weekend's hike (MA mid-state trail) without poles because I'd forgotten them in the car. I kinda missed 'em.

[LIhikers]

Until recently I've been using the one stick method. You can get a nice straight, strong, light weight, wood stick, that's ment to be a broom handle replacement, from your local hardware store (if Home Depot hasn't put them out of business) for about $5. Drill a hole in the upper end and add a piece of rope to make a loop type strap.

Not long ago I bought a pair of cheap hiking poles to see what all the fuss is about. I can see certain advantages to having them but the jury is still out on weather I'll continue to use them or not.

[weary]

Until recently I've been using the one stick method. You can get a nice straight, strong, light weight, wood stick, that's ment to be a broom handle replacement, from your local hardware store (if Home Depot hasn't put them out of business) for about $5. Drill a hole in the upper end and add a piece of rope to make a loop type strap.

Not long ago I bought a pair of cheap hiking poles to see what all the fuss is about. I can see certain advantages to having them but the jury is still out on weather I'll continue to use them or not.
This is a good option. I would also add a crutch tip to the bottom.

The advantages of a natural wood sapling, rather than the hardware store version, is that a natural stick has a bit more flexibility, tends to be a bit stronger per ounce of weight (the milling process cuts across the wood grain) and most important, the natural contours of a natural stick produces multiple gripping points, increasing the efficiency of the stick when shifting from level areas to steep hills.

Also, I think, a natural sapling walking stick fits more harmoniously into the natural trail environment than a milled broom handle or metal trekking pole.

A green sapling dries in a week or two in a warm house, especially after the bark is taken off with a sharp knife, an easy process requiring but five minutes or so.

Finally, a natural sapling pole gives one an excuse to stay in a shelter during brief storms. Just whip out a sharp jack knife and use the time to carve custom hand grips, AT symbols, or whatever strikes your fancy. When used on a walk of more than a few hours, my walking sticks never return home in exactly the same shape as when I left home.

Weary

[Furlough]

I have always used a hiking stick, keeping the same one as long as it remains serviceable. My current one is a Hickory stick with a rubber crutch bottom attached.

But, shortly before I deployed to Iraq my Dad gave me a set of Lekis for my birthday. I have not yet had the opportunity to try them out but do intend to do so after I get home, and after I get re-acquainted with my family - hopefully sometime in the summer of 07.