Do trekking poles really make that much difference?

[jmrandall85]

Im about to start sectioning the AT, so im Getting the last little odds and ends together. Just wondering if anyone has any input on trekking poles before i drop that coin.....they seem kind of silly to me, but what do I know. Thanks folks.

[Creek Dancer]

Depends. I carry them because they double as my tent supports. (I use a Lightheart Solo.) I like them for steep downs and ups. I find that I can actually hike faster without them, however. I wouldn't buy any until you are sure you like using them. Some people don't. Maybe you could borrow some and give them a try on a day hike.

[rafe]

For me, yes. In typical AT conditions.

On flat, smooth ground, not so much. On super-steep terrain (where hands are needed) not so much.

[illabelle]

It's all in who you ask. Some hikers think they're a waste of money.

My hips, knees, ankles, feet, and toes are grateful to transfer some of the weight and wear to my arms. My whole body is grateful for the assistance with balance on rocks, roots, stream crossings, etc. The poles are invaluable for finding solid ground in big mudholes. Some people use shelters that utilize poles for support.

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/expert-advice/ten-reasons-for-trekking-poles

[Puddlefish]

I'm not sure I'd have liked them all that much when I was young and had perfect balance. Now, they help a great deal. Keep my hands from going numb. Help with balance over uneven terrain. Seems to help my knees when going downhill, and keeps me from over-striding downhill. Most of the time I barely put any pressure on them, just kind of use them to mark my pace. I made it 550 miles before my first fall on the AT, that's got to count for something.

Can only suggest you try a pair for a few hours and see how you like them.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Another member posted the following several years back. I wish I remembered who it was so I could give them credit:

You will definitely make it without them, particularly at your age. They do however offer several advantages including taking stress off your knees (even at your age, but you probably won't notice it as much as us old farts), can be an aid to rhythm, aid to balance, eases leg fatigue and foot pounding on down-hills, nice to lean on when taking a breather, good to flick small branches off the trail so you or those following don't get a foot tangled, great for testing out potential mud holes, great for clearing spider webs from the trail if you are the first one out in the AM, allows you to shake wet branches before you pass under and they dump their water/snow down your neck, use as a V-plow to push tall wet grass aside as you pass (same with briers and poison ivy), scare snakes from the trail in front of you, tent support, good for pushing your food bag up high enough when bear bagging, makes you appear bigger when you scare a bear off, good protection from aggressive dogs, stick your camera on the end to extend your reach for self-portraits, good monopod to steady the camera, and finally - if you do start to loose your balance, can save you from a fall.


Other than that they are pretty useless.

[MuddyWaters]

Sometimes yes
Sometimes no

Vast majority.of thru hikers use them today, at least at times

They stabilize you over uneven surfaces, letting you go faster generally without falling.

On flat ground...unneeded. maybe hindrance

Uphill...sometimes helps to have upper body help. Debateable.

Downhill...invaluable to many to slow descent and lessen impact on knees and lower legs.

Deep swift water....necessary

Snow .....necessary often

Holding up tarp.......necessary for some


As post above alludes to, parting wet grass, pushing plants away that may harbor ticks, defense against snakes or dogs, knock down early morning spider webs, noisemaker to avoid surprising bears in low visibility thickets, all are uses too.

[HooKooDooKu]

Another member posted the following several years back. I wish I remembered who it was so I could give them credit:
According to the White Blaze Archive (https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-87174.html) it was Lyle

[rafe]

Snow .....necessary often

Up here in the frigid north, winter peakbaggers have been using poles since... forever.

They're a great help in keeping your upper body stable on uneven terrain.

[peakbagger]

My standard observation is when I see thruhikers up in the whites and at Baxter many still have poles. Odds are if they didnt think they were worth carrying they wouldnt be after 3/4s of the trail. I did find down south on the long ridges that I would end up carrying the poles in one hand until there was significant slope. In PA, NJ and NY in the rocky section they were very important as the rocks like to move when you step on them. Dogs definitely give a lot more respect to hiker with poles. I have has several incidences that I believe I avoided a nip because I had my poles.

As noted above if its potentially icy or with snow cover they also are very important. I bushwhack on occasion and dont always carry my poles as they can get in the way. I find its overall a lot more of a workout without poles as I am forced to use my legs versus spreading the load.

[gwschenk]

They are handy when going cross country on steep scree slopes. Other than that they're just useless weight.

[RollTide]

Just completed the AT two days ago. Kept injuring my knees at the beginning because of the reliance on trekking poles. Once I grew balls and ordered the ZPacks Carbon Fiber tent poles to set up my tent instead, all of my problems vanished, and I never fell again the rest of my journey. My base weight was <8lbs....so if you can get that light, you can 100% do it

[Ashepabst]

Kept injuring my knees at the beginning because of the reliance on trekking poles.

would you elaborate? I'm curious.

[Hikingjim]

Most people find them silly until they use them properly for awhile. Then they usually don't go back
I certainly don't NEED them, but I find they help me to hike longer, reduce stress on the knees, and overall I just enjoy poking the ground with them at times.

I use them on fairly easy sections sometimes as well. Basically cross country ski style it through a boring section at 4+ mph, keeping balance and momentum

[Leo L.]

Regarding dog defence, we had just the contrary:
My wife got bitten by a dog who first appered to be friendly (as long as he didn't see her having the poles in the other hand), but hunted for her knee and seriousely bit as soon as he saw her poles.
Turned out that this dog once received quite a beating from a hiker using his poles.

[Leo L.]

Wanted to add, that I tried poles for my desert hikes in order to have some kind of "life insurance", to (maybe) be able to hobble out to civilisation if I sprained an ankle or such.
Turned out that I didn't like the extra weight and the everyday handling of them, and skipped using them.
Just recently I kind of overdid some hiking and developed some knee troubles.
So now I'm using them on all my hikes and apprecciate the support they give, especially downhill.

[Hikingjim]

Just completed the AT two days ago. Kept injuring my knees at the beginning because of the reliance on trekking poles. Once I grew balls and ordered the ZPacks Carbon Fiber tent poles to set up my tent instead, all of my problems vanished, and I never fell again the rest of my journey. My base weight was <8lbs....so if you can get that light, you can 100% do it

haha, your poles must have put your mindset into invincible beast mode where you could trek forward at 4 mph through all obstacles and mud!

[RollTide]

would you elaborate? I'm curious.

Having to juggle four objects touching the ground is tougher than two. For example, say you are in the process of rolling your left ankle... Obviously, you would not want to push off on that ankle at that moment because then you would completely sprain it. However, if while you are rolling that ankle, and your left trekking pole is stuck on a root or snagged somehow, your brain will delay the reaction to your ankle by microseconds because you are already thinking about where to place the left and right poles. That initial delay causes you to push off on that ankle inadvertently. Instead of devoting all your concentration on your footwork, you are only devoting half.

Using only your legs is difficult at first, but it will pay dividends down the road. I slipped on a rock between Bob People's place and Hampton, and I lost my balance because my poles weren't set properly because I had just taken a photo. I was injured for a month, and it would of never happened if I wasn't distracted by the poles. By removing the poles you take the training wheels off, and I did the Whites and everything from Damascus on up without them, and whoever said that poles make you faster is blowing smoke, because everyone with poles was checking my tail lights.

[KDogg]

Used them every step of my thru hike. Learned to use them later in life and wish I had used them when I was younger. Take so much stress off my knees. I would have fallen at least twice as much without them. Key is to learn to use them "correctly". I've seen lots of folks using them wrong and then lecture me on how they hate them.

[CalebJ]

I've tried them several times. Used them on a week of the BMT a few years back, then promptly set them aside and haven't looked back. Some people swear by them, but I've never found them helpful enough to fool with.

[jmrandall85]

That's outstanding haha

[jmrandall85]

A wealth of valuable input! Thanks for your time guys. I think what ill do is get some, and give them a shot. If I dont like them ill stow them and get rid of them on the trail or when i exit. Just need to find instruction on the "CORRECT" way to use. I Hiked/rucked to nauseam in the military without them, so im sure there will be a bit of a learning curve.

[JPritch]

Yes. It's like using a handrail going up and down stairs. I call it the "turbo button". They were invaluable to be on the numerous river crossings on the JMT for balance. And they double as tent supports. AND, you can get a sub 1 pound set of carbon fiber poles off Amazon for $50-$60. As someone who hiked years without them, poles have become a permanent part of my gear.

[Just Bill]

Im about to start sectioning the AT, so im Getting the last little odds and ends together. Just wondering if anyone has any input on trekking poles before i drop that coin.....they seem kind of silly to me, but what do I know. Thanks folks.

You're 32.
it's a short stretch and you live in FL (where you probably wouldn't have any use for them)
Go hike without them and spend your money on hiking... see how it goes.

Worst case you choose to try them later. You can always cut a broom handle, whittle a few, or buy a cheapie set first.

I'm a firm believer in learning to hike without them first. If you find you could use them, get them. If you're out for long periods and/or live in an area with that type of terrain then I agree more with the body preservation arguements. But for flat landers not a big deal.

Really outside LD hikers/backpackers most folks seem to have them because somebody said they should have them... not because they needed or really wanted them.

10-15 years ago hardly anybody had them.

[Alligator]

Poles work for some people and not for others.
Having to juggle four objects touching the ground is tougher than two. For example, say you are in the process of rolling your left ankle... Obviously, you would not want to push off on that ankle at that moment because then you would completely sprain it. However, if while you are rolling that ankle, and your left trekking pole is stuck on a root or snagged somehow, your brain will delay the reaction to your ankle by microseconds because you are already thinking about where to place the left and right poles. That initial delay causes you to push off on that ankle inadvertently. Instead of devoting all your concentration on your footwork, you are only devoting half.

Using only your legs is difficult at first, but it will pay dividends down the road. I slipped on a rock between Bob People's place and Hampton, and I lost my balance because my poles weren't set properly because I had just taken a photo. I was injured for a month, and it would of never happened if I wasn't distracted by the poles. By removing the poles you take the training wheels off, and I did the Whites and everything from Damascus on up without them, and whoever said that poles make you faster is blowing smoke, because everyone with poles was checking my tail lights.Not everyone has the mental capacity to operate poles that's true. I find them to be about as natural as one of my legs and when I am really moving over terrain it's just a natural flow. It becomes part of being in my hiker zone.

I have a tendency to roll my ankle more frequently then I like. It may just be the natural angle of my foot or a slight weakness in a tendon. When my ankle starts to roll, there is an immediate sensation of stretching and or pain. My response to that is to get off that foot. I immediately plant the pole on the opposite side and my other leg hops forward to brace and I shift my weight off the rolling ankle. I do have really quick reflexes though.

In your example, you are setting up a rare situation with another rare situation. Sure poles get stuck now and then but if you can't learn to reduce that possibility, you'll break them soon enough anyway. Keep them away from roots, cracks, holes etc. I generally keep them within the treadway.

In the photo example it doesn't really make sense to blame the poles. It's just operator error. You didn't integrate them properly into walking. The poles didn't bend, break, or slip. There is a learning curve to getting used to them.

[Scars]

Of course it is personal preference but I am new to trekking poles and found they improve my speed and endurance by helping build a hiking rhythm and distributing the weight on ascent and descent. They did put me in the ER, however, so I suggest you practice with them before getting out on trail. Not to promote my YT channel, but if you go that route you might want to watch Episode 3 of Thru-hiking with Scars, as it gives a rundown of how my improper use of poles took me out.

[MuddyWaters]

and whoever said that poles make you faster is blowing smoke, because everyone with poles was checking my tail lights.

Sorry action jackson, I dont think there is a recent record holder on AT or PCT or JMT that hasnt used poles for at least part of their hikes. Including Anish, Jurek, Meltzer, JPD, Josh Garrett, etc.

And heres the bean...

I suspect they know something you dont. Even ultra runners....use poles when it makes sense. I crewed for a pair of world class runners on an fkt a few yrs back....they had poles....


40407

And zahorian on CT even

40408

[GoLight]

Sorry action jackson, I dont think there is a recent record holder on AT or PCT or JMT that hasnt used poles for at least part of their hikes. Including Anish, Jurek, Meltzer, JPD, Josh Garrett, etc.

And heres the bean...

I suspect they know something you dont. Even ultra runners....use poles when it makes sense. I crewed for a pair of world class runners on an fkt a few yrs back....they had poles....


40407

And zahorian on CT even

40408

Good enough for me......I got my first pair of Leki back in 2006. After 5,000 plus miles I'm still using poles, even on that trip where I hiked an abandoned railroad bed for days and days. I admit though, other than for the few reasons listed in previous posts, they are pretty useless :)

[saltysack]

4 points of contact is always more stable than 2.....simple....they've saved my arse many a time! On flat ground I could see not wanting them...


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[cmoulder]

I'm a huge advocate, but I also don't use them on the flats, and I don't use straps.

I also strongly prefer very light poles such as GG LightTreks, although in order to fully appreciate them you almost have to use heavy poles first for a few hundred miles. :sun

[PacDaddy]

I would not hike without them

[Lone Wolf]

Im about to start sectioning the AT, so im Getting the last little odds and ends together. Just wondering if anyone has any input on trekking poles before i drop that coin.....they seem kind of silly to me, but what do I know. Thanks folks.

i've never used them. 16,000 AT miles. useless gear to me

[MuddyWaters]

4 points of contact is always more stable than 2.....simple....they've saved my arse many a time! On flat ground I could see not wanting them...


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I would say my face would probably scare a few more babies if I didnt use them. On flats, usually just carry in hand because most flats arent that long to warrant stop and stow in pack. Even a mile or two isnt that long.

At high altitudes they also can keep hands from swelling for some people.

[rafe]

10-15 years ago hardly anybody had them.

We don't use Whisperlite stoves or leather boots all that much any more either. Hiking has evolved...

I got my first pair of Lekis in 2002, based on having observed plenty of serious hikers using them. I saw almost none in use up until 1990, so I'm guessing it was mid or late 1990s when they first started showing up on the AT in large numbers.

A point not really made yet in this discussion: At least from my own POV -- the older you are, the more helpful you're likely to find them. I was fifty when I started using them for (non-winter) hiking. After a mile or two with the Lekis, I kinda kicked myself for having waited so long.

Seriously, Bill, a broom handle isn't a worthy substitute. And the idea that we pole users just mindless sheeple... is just plain condescending.

Where are poles not useful? When they're in the way. Eg. sometimes in dense overgrowth. Or on ladders and stiles. Or when the terrain is so steep that you really ought to be using one or both hands to guide and steady yourself. Or hitching, on roadwalks or generally, in "civilization." On certain miles on those high southern balds where the path is free of obstructions and overgrowth, with a wide view outward.

Where are they most useful? Typical AT roots, rocks, ruts, mud, stream crossings, moderate grades either up or down. Especially in foul weather or poor visibility. Ie. 90 percent of the time, on the AT.

[GoLight]

I use the straps too. My first pair of Lekis had cork grips without finger indentations. Comfortable but sweaty hands tend to migrate downward without finger indentations so i would catch myself gripping harder than I really needed to keep my sweaty palms in position. With my new poles that have finger indentations this is not a problem.
Nor is it a problem when I wear the straps. In fact when properly adjusted most of the weight of my hand is on the strap, all my finger do is grip just tight enough to hold on and not drop the pole. This is great for my arthritic finger joints, they don't seize up as bad as before.
With the straps if I want to snap a photo or swat a wasp or wipe my brow or climb a boulder just let go of the grip and let the pole dangle by the strap. Many times I've let go of both poles to hoist myself up, just let them dangle and when ready just swing them back in position and keep going.
I know lots of hikers say you'll break your wrist with the straps, or get tangled and fall off a cliff. I was curious about that so I did a serious google search and really couldn't find any real stories that would back up that belief system.
To get more uses out of my poles I installed little stainless steel screw eyes in the top of the grip so I can plant the tip of the pole in the ground and run my guy lines through the screw eyes to porch my tarp, or for tarp tenting. Before I did like everyone else and put my grip on the ground and the tip pointing up into the eyelets on the tarp and I never felt right about that upside down looking mess.
Especially after getting pine sap and mud on my grips and straps and the mice chewing the grips and straps. Now its all upright and I have a more firm anchor with the pole tip stuck in the ground the way it was intended.

[moldy]

My opinion is that they provide a false sense of security. The vast majority on the trail like this sense of security. About 4 million years ago our ancient ancestors evolved from a 4 legged critter into a biped. They traded stability for speed on the ground and the ability to do long distance hiking. With poles we add 2 lbs to our load. They won't let you go faster or climb better. You are no safer from falls than others without poles. Some people with bad knees claim that with poles they take some of the stress from the knees by distributing the weight to 4 limbs. I don't know if it's true. Embrace your humanity, free your hands. 2 high priced poles are however, the only way your photo will make the cover of Backpacker Mag.

[cmoulder]

With poles we add 2 lbs to our load.

lol, what poles weigh 2 lbs?

The heaviest ones out there are the alloy pacerpoles (http://pacerpole.com/product/3-section-alloy-pacerpole) and they weigh 650g (1.4lb) per pair. (Maybe there are some cheapos somewhere that weigh more?)

My myog carbon fiber poles weigh 8.6 oz for the pair.

[SawnieRobertson]

They come in handy when you have developed need of a cane or any such support.

[rafe]

My opinion is that they provide a false sense of security. The vast majority on the trail like this sense of security. About 4 million years ago our ancient ancestors evolved from a 4 legged critter into a biped. They traded stability for speed on the ground and the ability to do long distance hiking. With poles we add 2 lbs to our load. They won't let you go faster or climb better. You are no safer from falls than others without poles. Some people with bad knees claim that with poles they take some of the stress from the knees by distributing the weight to 4 limbs. I don't know if it's true. Embrace your humanity, free your hands. 2 high priced poles are however, the only way your photo will make the cover of Backpacker Mag.

Nonsense. There are plenty of four-legged creatures that are a whole lot faster than the fastest humans. The evolutionary step from four legs to two was a success in that it freed up our hands -- first, to swing from tree branches, and much later, to create and use tools. It had nothing to do with speed or fitness for movement over land.

Again with the notion that poles are just slick marketing, or expensive. Compared to what we typically spend on a tent, pack or sleeping bag, the cost barely registers. I'm currently using a $30 pair from Costco.

[Uncle Joe]

Get on your bathroom scale. Put a broom in your hand, upside down. Hold it like a trekking pole and rest it on the ground. You don't have to push, just rest it. Now look at the scale. You'll see a few pounds come off that scale. That's a pretty good indication of how they help. Not to mention added stability.

[jjozgrunt]

I started using them after a double hip replacement. 35 years of bushwalking and 20 years in the infantry took its toll. It was probably for stability at first, but after learning to use them properly I wished I had started a long time ago. This year when I started the AT there were a noticeable number of people without them, mainly younger walkers. By Hot Springs I didn't notice too many people without them. There's lots of reasons for using them and not too many for not. I get a lot of people trying them in my walking club, who say they don't like them, but change their mind after they have been shown and learnt to use them properly. Try them, get someone to show you how to use them and make a decision. I also use mine for my duplex tent, flicking aussie snakes and spiders out of the way, and all the other reasons mentioned here. The bathroom scale test is a good way to check out if they are working, try it with poles and actually press down on one, the result is quite amazing.

On the down side they are probably what ended my walk at Sams Gap. Wet track, downhill, poles hanging down from my straps while I was trying to logon to Guthooks app and walk at the same time. Result a serious fall and a dislocated hip. Although a day hiker did say he would have given me an 8.8 for the forward tumbles and twists in the pike position. But I didn't bend my Helinox (aussie brand) poles, they are seriously strong.

[MtDoraDave]

I first started using them because after my first couple of shakedown hikes here in flat Florida, my hands would swell after a mile or two of hiking. Also the spiderwebs. Finding a stick (sturdy enough to do the job) that weighs less than even the heaviest trekking pole ... well, it didn't happen for me.
With some serious reservations about irritation or aggravation to my recurring rotator cuff issue, I bought a pair of cheapo walmart poles. To my surprise they did NOT bother my shoulders. They DID however, do all the positive things already listed. For me, they also sped me up on flat land, too, like they do for cross country skiers, I imagine.
Perhaps I have faster than average reflexes - because, like Alligator said, I've been able to "plant" a pole when an ankle starts to roll or if I slip or trip on a root or rock. I've also been able to reverse the direction of my arm to free a "stuck" pole without having to break stride.

Since I'm carrying poles already, I bought a tent that utilizes the trekking poles as it's support. It saves weight.

Some have been injured by the wrist straps and go without them. Some go into the straps from the top, some go in from the bottom. There will always be some argument as to which is best or "correct"... but I started using them by going in from the top, then was shown the other method and found it much more practical.

So, yeah... try a cheap pair for a bit and see if you like them; if you find them helpful.

[GoLight]

Get on your bathroom scale. Put a broom in your hand, upside down. Hold it like a trekking pole and rest it on the ground. You don't have to push, just rest it. Now look at the scale. You'll see a few pounds come off that scale. That's a pretty good indication of how they help. Not to mention added stability.

Wow, freaking awesome. Thanks for posting this. I did scales with one pole resting and knocked off 3 pounds, with two poles resting knocked off 8 pounds and with normal pressure on two poles like I use when hiking I knocked off 13 pounds. Wow. Pretty darn impressive. My set of poles weighs 16.2 ounces so I'm getting almost a 1300% return on investment.

[Venchka]

Let us know when you're weightless and achieve liftoff. [emoji41][emoji1][emoji106]
Wayne


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[TexasBob]

.....Key is to learn to use them "correctly". I've seen lots of folks using them wrong and then lecture me on how they hate them.


Most people find them silly until they use them properly for awhile. Then they usually don't go back.............

You guys nailed it.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Poles work for some people and not for others. Not everyone has the mental capacity to operate poles that's true.

I think this is one of my favorite comments ever. :banana


I spent years avoiding poles because frankly I think they look stupid. Then after some knee injuries I decided to buy them and keep an open mind. It took a few weekend trips to fully get used to them but now they're second nature to me.

I do have a couple friends who don't think poles work well, but common factor with them is that they all decided ahead of trying them that they weren't necessary and tried them largely to prove to their own egos that they didn't need poles...

[rafe]

Elf gets to the heart of it: ego. My late father in law, no hiker, lived to a ripe old age but was very frail in his final years. I urged him on several occasions to use a cane or a trekking pole or two, but his pride kept him from even considering it. Suffice to say, it cost him.

[coach lou]

When I was in my 20s & 30s I thought I don't need those stinkin' poles, since 50 I have them, I walk twice as far with more ease as back when I didn't. Plus they help hold the Hooch up!

[Traveler]

FWIW, I don't hike without poles these days for a lot of reasons stated in this thread from balance to lowering impact of steep ground. My hands don't swell as they do without them and they are nice to have as a minor defense from dogs and other nuisances on the trail. In my 20s I doubt I would have gotten them were they around, in my 60s I find them to be very beneficial and likely adding years to the trail.

[rafe]

I spent years avoiding poles because frankly I think they look stupid.

That's never stopped me from doing anything, ever. ;)

[Tipi Walter]

Another member posted the following several years back. I wish I remembered who it was so I could give them credit:

You will definitely make it without them, particularly at your age. They do however offer several advantages including taking stress off your knees (even at your age, but you probably won't notice it as much as us old farts), can be an aid to rhythm, aid to balance, eases leg fatigue and foot pounding on down-hills, nice to lean on when taking a breather, good to flick small branches off the trail so you or those following don't get a foot tangled, great for testing out potential mud holes, great for clearing spider webs from the trail if you are the first one out in the AM, allows you to shake wet branches before you pass under and they dump their water/snow down your neck, use as a V-plow to push tall wet grass aside as you pass (same with briers and poison ivy), scare snakes from the trail in front of you, tent support, good for pushing your food bag up high enough when bear bagging, makes you appear bigger when you scare a bear off, good protection from aggressive dogs, stick your camera on the end to extend your reach for self-portraits, good monopod to steady the camera, and finally - if you do start to loose your balance, can save you from a fall.


Other than that they are pretty useless.

Do poles make a difference?
** Lean on for a breather, as above.
** Flicking branches off the trail---something I do constantly.
** Clearing spider webs, yes.
** Shake wet brush or dislodge snow.
** Raising food bag, yes.
** Intermittent fall protector.

** Useful to dig catholes for Turtlehead birthing and deposit. Use pole also to punch hole deep in the ground and cram toilet paper deep into the ground . . . with the pole tip.
** Lean pack against pole Colin Fletcher style.
** Shortened and packed for hitchhiking.
** Picking up questionable trash around campsites to deposit in firepit.
** Whacking and breaking briars.
** Balance when postholing in deep snow.
** Pick up copperheads to move off the trail---did this on my last trip.

I saved the best for last---CREEK CROSSINGS.

40434
Patman and Susan crossing North Fork Creek---notice the poles?

40440
Kenny and Nicole on Slickrock Creek. Poles used.

40436
Amy Willow crossing Upper Bald River.

40437
Chantelle on the BMT. Check out her poles.

40438
Little Mitten pulling a winter crossing. Notice the snow.

40439
Uncle Fungus crossing South Fork Creek---notice an impromptu second hiking pole found in the woods, to augment regular single hiking pole.

[btidey]

I used trekking poles from Georgia to somewhere in Connecticut. I was honestly carrying them more than using them towards the end. In Connecticut I slipped and snapped a pole. Split my shin open and decided to stop using them. I wound up just buying tent poles to use with my tent from Connecticut to Maine. I did miss using them for clearing spider webs, creek crossings, and air drumming on particularly boring sections of trail.

[jjozgrunt]

One thing I teach to new walkers is if there is a chance you will fall, that's a serious chance, such as on steep wet slopes, gravelly downhills, creek crossings etc, take your hands out of the straps. If you're going down release them. Wish I'd taken my own advice.

[foodbag]

They're huge knee-savers on the steep downhills.

[jmrandall85]

Don't know how many of you are still following this thread, but i just completed a 70mi section of the AT with some trekking poles. And i have to say, they were one of the most important things i had. I dont know how far I would have gotten without them....excellent piece if gear. Thank you for the advice.

[Crossup]

I bought mine only because of recommendations here.
Testing them at home they were awkward and un-natural. I hit the trail with my 40+lb pack on typical southern PA AT rocky trail and within minute my arms were swinging them in coordination with my steps. In an almost detached sense I "watched" my whole gait/tecnique change to really using the poles for each step.
I was putting a lot of weight on them AND pushing my self forward. I really think with my excessive pack weight my first day would have been my last had I not had my poles.

Over the course of a week on the trail I probably saved my self from a fall, rolled ankle, stumble or other drama a hundred times and in between turned many foot placements that unaided would have required a lot of strength to stay balanced into low effort ones.

End result, a week on the trail with zero actual drama, no slips, falls or strain despite carrying up to 50lbs(only for a day). Not a bad introduction to LD hiking and very unexpected given my prior experience day hiking the AT with NO pack.

If you think about it, trying to balance your body from the ankles up is really a piss poor way, in a mechanical sense, to deal with the weight and inertia of your entire mass, the bulk of which is high up. Poles allow you to exert force to preserve balance from a far more efficient place.

[Crossup]

I should add, in addition to my last statement, adding a back pack just makes the whole balance thing consume a lot more energy especially if you're carrying serious weight vs body weight. Carrying 25% in my case made the backpacks influence not only very noticable but reason for caution, the poles negated that for me

[PGH1NC]

I agree with everything Crossup said. At age 75 (I know, you're young) I possibly saved many stumbles or trips in a SNP section hike this past summer. Saved knees going down hill which is about half the time and provided "4-limb drive" (two legs and two arms) going uphill which is the other half of the time. They also gave me something to lean against for my 15 second breaks on the up-hills which is the third half of the time.

[TwoSpirits]

...They also gave me something to lean against for my 15 second breaks on the up-hills which is the third half of the time.

I love this.

[gwschenk]

Kind of funny that the only people I've ever seen fall into a creek during a stream crossing were using poles. How's that?

[jefals]

Kind of funny that the only people I've ever seen fall into a creek during a stream crossing were using poles. How's that?
Your observation isn't representative. In other words, somebody, sometime, somewhere, without poles, has fallen into a stream. So your observation that 100% of the people that fall into streams have poles, can't really represent the population at large. Still - let's say that mostly it's people with poles that fall. Why? If that's true, the explanation could be that the pole carrying people might tend to be us older folks, without the ability to balance as good as we used to.
If you saw that Redford/Nolte movie about them hiking the AT, there was the scene where 2 young guys ran past them thru a stream, while Redford and Nolte were gingerly trying to make their way across, but wound up falling. The 2 young guys running thru the stream? That would have been Redford and Nolte 30 years earlier. Redford and Nolte walking slowly and deliberately? That'll be the 2 young guys 30 years from now!

[Which Way]

excellent point!

[cmoulder]

Kind of funny that the only people I've ever seen fall into a creek during a stream crossing were using poles. How's that?

Sample of ONE — very scientific! :D

[PGH1NC]

I agree with Jefals. On our SNP thru I was able to keep up with my younger (48-ish) companions on flats and most grades. On the climbs weaker legs and less max heart rate (look at the charts on various aerobic equipment) I would fall behind a bit. Going down rocky grades I was careful to place my footsteps on fairly certain places, not wishing to fall and limp off the trail or hit my head or whatever. Lifting myself down form rock to rock takes strength that older hikers might have less of. The poles helped; no falls, ankle twists, knee problems or anything like that.

In SNP young parents with babies on their shoulders were bounding up the rocky trails. Looked a bit dangerous to me, but they had the ability to do so I guess.

It would be interesting to get a perspective on senior hikers from Graybeard.

[theinfamousj]

I fell into a creek while using poles. I was using poles because my balance was already poor without them. The fact that I only fell into ONE creek was a testimony to the utility of poles. Without them, I would have fallen into EVERY creek. And there were many.

Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[gwschenk]

Sample of ONE — very scientific! :D

You could not be anymore wrong. It's quite a substantial sample. People using poles are generally completely out of balance crossing logs or wading. Instead of keeping their nose over their toes they are splayed out all over the place.

[Crossup]

For me (so far) getting old has not meant I can't run/jump/climb etc like I used to. The real change is knowing I don't bounce(hitting the ground) like I used to when I was young. Years of racing motocross proved smacking into the ground only hurt (when using proper gear), at 50 I broke my first bone and the only real downside to that was doctors refusal to plate it so it would heal properly aligned. Fast forward 10 years and a mountain bike crash broke a rib and collapsed a lung...I have no doubt at even 50 I would have only been sore. So the lesson there is old bones break easier- for a couple reasons. That in turn means to me one can still do anything you want as long as you either accept you're going to break bones or go about things differently.

So thats where hiking poles really help, they go a long way to minimizing the number of falls and I have to believe in most cases should make the difference between an ugly hard fall and one where you gather a few bruises etc.

And that leads to MY definition of being old: having the wisdom to gracefully accept one now has to make a compromise or two so you can continue to do young person activities. I still believe whole heartedly in use it or loose it, the difference with being old is I apply a bit more caution when I use it :D

[cmoulder]

You could not be anymore wrong. It's quite a substantial sample. People using poles are generally completely out of balance crossing logs or wading. Instead of keeping their nose over their toes they are splayed out all over the place.And you base this on.....?

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[colorado_rob]

And you base this on.....?

Sent from my VS995 using TapatalkNonsense, that's what that claim is based on. Utter nonsense. Made up. Fake news.

Except: I do notice that my hiking balance has degraded ever so slightly since I started (by necessity) using hiking poles. They are slightly addicting, meaning once you do start using them, it's tough to stop!

[gwschenk]

And you base this on.....?



Observation.

[TexasBob]

I fell into a creek while using poles. I was using poles because my balance was already poor without them. The fact that I only fell into ONE creek was a testimony to the utility of poles. Without them, I would have fallen into EVERY creek. And there were many. .......

Best post yet.

[cmoulder]

Observation.


lol

40826

[Sarcasm the elf]

lol

40826

But didn't you know that the plural of a"anecdote" is "evidence?" :rolleyes:

[cmoulder]

But didn't you know that the plural of a"anecdote" is "evidence?" :rolleyes:

Well I sincerely hope a certain someone looks up those words on Wiki. ;)

[jgil]

i bought poles but haven't tried them out yet. my reasoning is i hope they will allow me to go faster by taking pressure off my legs. i saw that Joe McConaughy used them and he broke the record so they must be helpful. other than that i don't need help to balance at all, so hopefully they don't get annoying.

[Alligator]

Gwschenk does have a point.

[Alligator]

Couldn't resist that sorry.

[JJ505]

I just ordered a pair of inexpensive ones off Amazon. I have been using a hiking pole, but wanted to try them. I use a hiking pole because my balance has never been that good, and this saves my skin. I have read how to use the poles, and apply to the stick. The strap is kind of thin though. So if I crossed streams I might be off balance too. Better for those of us who aren't the most athletic to get out there and enjoy hiking than sit on the couch all the time. Just my 2¢.

[Alligator]

Ok, he does have a point. This is from my point of view. New users of poles or even long-time users have a propensity to keep their poles connected to a surface when crossing streams or logs. As opposed to the mileage they get while walking on trail with poles, stream crossings are a small percentage of total pole use, logs even less. I find it is not always helpful to plant my poles on shallow stream crossings, slippery logs, bog bridges, and mossy bridges. I just rock hop streams using my feet or balance on logs or bridges with my trekking poles elevated. Leaning on the poles which are placed on slick wood surfaces can result in the poles sliding off. Speeding through a shallow stream crossing on top of rocks can be made more treacherous by planting a pole onto an unstable rock, into a hole in the stream you can't see right, or onto a mossy rock as well. If I start to go down, I'll plant or briefly make contact to regain my balance. When crossing deeper streams, I will go slow, plant the poles in secure locations, and make my way across. In that situation, I make sure that the pole is not caught between rocks where I can't see it and that it is a steady plant.

Here's more stats to think about though. If I sat at a stream crossing and watched a hundred hikers go by, and three hikers using poles slip in the stream vs one without poles who slips in the stream, who's falling more often?

Depends. If 50 of the hikers were using poles and the other 50 were not, well the hikers with poles would be faring worse. If 80 of the hikers were using poles and 20 weren't, well then the hikers without poles were faring worse. 1 out of 20 is 5% but 3 out of 80 is <5%.

[El JP]

As someone who has never used poles but have seen them in action a lot i figure a better approach to a water crossing would be to pull them up, tuck down some to lower the center of gravity, and make your way across carefully positioning the feet and shifting the torso until it's safe.

[cmoulder]

Ok, he does have a point. This is from my point of view. New users of poles or even long-time users have a propensity to keep their poles connected to a surface when crossing streams or logs. As opposed to the mileage they get while walking on trail with poles, stream crossings are a small percentage of total pole use, logs even less. I find it is not always helpful to plant my poles on shallow stream crossings, slippery logs, bog bridges, and mossy bridges. I just rock hop streams using my feet or balance on logs or bridges with my trekking poles elevated. Leaning on the poles which are placed on slick wood surfaces can result in the poles sliding off. Speeding through a shallow stream crossing on top of rocks can be made more treacherous by planting a pole onto an unstable rock, into a hole in the stream you can't see right, or onto a mossy rock as well. If I start to go down, I'll plant or briefly make contact to regain my balance. When crossing deeper streams, I will go slow, plant the poles in secure locations, and make my way across. In that situation, I make sure that the pole is not caught between rocks where I can't see it and that it is a steady plant.

Here's more stats to think about though. If I sat at a stream crossing and watched a hundred hikers go by, and three hikers using poles slip in the stream vs one without poles who slips in the stream, who's falling more often?

Depends. If 50 of the hikers were using poles and the other 50 were not, well the hikers with poles would be faring worse. If 80 of the hikers were using poles and 20 weren't, well then the hikers without poles were faring worse. 1 out of 20 is 5% but 3 out of 80 is <5%.

Of course there are the Three Kinds of Lies (http://www.twainquotes.com/Statistics.html): Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics :)

Changing just 2 basic parameters, if the study were to be conducted at a stream crossing in Georgia in April you'd probably get far different results than you would at a stream crossing in Vermont five months later.