SavageLlama
07-12-2004, 09:33
Trekking poles go high-tech on the trail
By TIM BLANGGER
The (Allentown) Morning Call
July 11, 2004
Associated Press Newswires (javascript:NewWindow( 'FIISrcDetails','?from=article&ids=aprs');void(0);)
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Not so long ago, trekking poles -- high-tech hiking sticks with ergonomic grips and spring-loaded suspensions -- were used only by the most serious professional wilderness guides in the United States.
While European hikers of all types and levels of commitment have long used the poles, most folks in the North American hiking community ignored them, with many deciding that thanks, but no thanks, they did not really need what the poles had to offer.
But, in the past few years, trekking poles have undergone a stunning transformation, shape-shifting from an ever-so-geeky equipment choice to an outright necessity. Now both day hikers and long-distance trekkers are using them, noting a number of benefits.
Use of the poles among hikers walking the length of the Appalachian Trail has increased to the point where "you seldom see the wooden hiking sticks anymore, except maybe among Boy Scouts," said Brian King, a spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Council, which oversees maintenance of the 2,160-mile, Maine-to-Georgia trail. The trail passes just to the north of the Lehigh Valley.
The poles' light weight and ability to collapse so they can be easily stored on or inside backpacks are factors behind their success, said King. "They are just very popular right now."
Trekking poles look very much like cross-country or Nordic ski poles, even down to the small shields near the staff's tip. The shields serve a similar function on the Nordic ski poles -- to ensure the poles don't sink too deeply into the mud (or snow). Most trekking poles can be adjusted to specific lengths and cost between $30 and $150.
Most but not all the poles are spring-loaded. A hiker presses down on the pole when it is planted. A small spring engages, absorbing some of the shock involved with the repetitive walking motion. The spring lessens the secondary damage hiking can have on wrists and elbows, giving the poles an advantage over wooden sticks.
Still, the poles' primary purpose is to help a hiker maintain balance, especially over rough terrain or on those tricky stream crossings, which can be especially difficult.
Most backpackers remove their boots and shoes and wade across slippery rocks with 40-pound backpacks still strapped to their backs.
"Before I started using the poles, I was the entertainment for the Adirondack Mountain Club whenever we crossed a stream," said Lindy Spiezer, U.S. marketing manager for Leki, (pronounced Lake-e) a trekking-pole manufacturer. "Without the poles for balance, I was always taking a swim on the stream crossings."
The poles also help a hiker keep an upright posture. By the end of a long hike, most backpackers walk in a slightly forward-leaning, bent position, which seems very comfortable. But this position makes it harder for the lungs to gather oxygen and strains other muscles in the body, said Speizer.
Speizer said sales of the poles have been growing steadily. "We try to do what we can with marketing materials and educating sales people, but hikers who let others use their poles are really driving sales.
"Not too long ago, it was considered wimpy to use the poles on the trail. Now, they're almost standard equipment, like a hydration pack or good boots," she said.
An in-line skate injury to his knee persuaded hiker Hal Wright, a Bucks County resident and high school physics teacher, to use poles.
The poles "take a lot of pressure off the knee in standard hiking situations," said Wright, who is hiking the Appalachian Trail in sections. So far, he has covered about 800 miles of the trail.
"When you do long-distance hiking, like I do, there is some stuff you bring along just for the feel-good factor. But, mostly, you bring what you bring for purely practical reasons," he said. "Some hikers improvise, and just pick up sticks along the trail. There is a culture in the hiking community that hikers should improvise and use what nature gives them. This way, you're not feeding money into the corporations. It's a statement of value for some hikers to use just a wooden walking stick. But I feel it is such an important piece of equipment. I really view them as essential."
Poles are sold in pairs, and most hikers use two, but Bill Geiger, an avid hiker who lives in Allentown, uses only one.
"I'm not the most agile person," said Geiger. "I have a tendency to twist my ankle or fall down, especially in rough terrain. But I only use one, not two. Mine has a metal tip and is spring loaded, just like the pairs. And, when I'm walking on flat terrain, I usually put it away. I don't like the idea of always having something in my hands."
While the poles make hiking easier and allow hikers to cover longer distances, there is a downside. Some hikers say the poles may speed trail erosion by adding wear and tear to a trail. Over time, their use can widen a trail, which also can contribute to erosion. Hikers who use poles clearly leave small but distinctive marks on the trail in addition to footprints.
Appalachian Trail Council's King said the council doesn't have a position on the poles and he hasn't heard many complaints about them, even as they have become more common on the Appalachian Trail.
"We still get many, many more complaints about hikers using cell phones on the trail," said King. "Hikers feel the cell phones are much more of an intrusion."
One thing trekking pole users sometimes do is to remove their the small shields near the tips of the poles, which can cause more trail damage, King said.
Janet Golub, president of the Allentown Hiking Club, considers herself a trekking-pole holdout.
"I prefer the wooden sticks I find along the trail," said Golub. "It saves resources," and, as a way of recycling, Golub leaves the sticks on the trail when her hike is done, so other hikers can use them.
But even Golub appreciates the capabilities of the sticks. "Once I was on a hike in the mountains of western Maine and a woman fell," she said. "I lent her one of my sticks and I know she felt more stable, having that third leg."
By TIM BLANGGER
The (Allentown) Morning Call
July 11, 2004
Associated Press Newswires (javascript:NewWindow( 'FIISrcDetails','?from=article&ids=aprs');void(0);)
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Not so long ago, trekking poles -- high-tech hiking sticks with ergonomic grips and spring-loaded suspensions -- were used only by the most serious professional wilderness guides in the United States.
While European hikers of all types and levels of commitment have long used the poles, most folks in the North American hiking community ignored them, with many deciding that thanks, but no thanks, they did not really need what the poles had to offer.
But, in the past few years, trekking poles have undergone a stunning transformation, shape-shifting from an ever-so-geeky equipment choice to an outright necessity. Now both day hikers and long-distance trekkers are using them, noting a number of benefits.
Use of the poles among hikers walking the length of the Appalachian Trail has increased to the point where "you seldom see the wooden hiking sticks anymore, except maybe among Boy Scouts," said Brian King, a spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Council, which oversees maintenance of the 2,160-mile, Maine-to-Georgia trail. The trail passes just to the north of the Lehigh Valley.
The poles' light weight and ability to collapse so they can be easily stored on or inside backpacks are factors behind their success, said King. "They are just very popular right now."
Trekking poles look very much like cross-country or Nordic ski poles, even down to the small shields near the staff's tip. The shields serve a similar function on the Nordic ski poles -- to ensure the poles don't sink too deeply into the mud (or snow). Most trekking poles can be adjusted to specific lengths and cost between $30 and $150.
Most but not all the poles are spring-loaded. A hiker presses down on the pole when it is planted. A small spring engages, absorbing some of the shock involved with the repetitive walking motion. The spring lessens the secondary damage hiking can have on wrists and elbows, giving the poles an advantage over wooden sticks.
Still, the poles' primary purpose is to help a hiker maintain balance, especially over rough terrain or on those tricky stream crossings, which can be especially difficult.
Most backpackers remove their boots and shoes and wade across slippery rocks with 40-pound backpacks still strapped to their backs.
"Before I started using the poles, I was the entertainment for the Adirondack Mountain Club whenever we crossed a stream," said Lindy Spiezer, U.S. marketing manager for Leki, (pronounced Lake-e) a trekking-pole manufacturer. "Without the poles for balance, I was always taking a swim on the stream crossings."
The poles also help a hiker keep an upright posture. By the end of a long hike, most backpackers walk in a slightly forward-leaning, bent position, which seems very comfortable. But this position makes it harder for the lungs to gather oxygen and strains other muscles in the body, said Speizer.
Speizer said sales of the poles have been growing steadily. "We try to do what we can with marketing materials and educating sales people, but hikers who let others use their poles are really driving sales.
"Not too long ago, it was considered wimpy to use the poles on the trail. Now, they're almost standard equipment, like a hydration pack or good boots," she said.
An in-line skate injury to his knee persuaded hiker Hal Wright, a Bucks County resident and high school physics teacher, to use poles.
The poles "take a lot of pressure off the knee in standard hiking situations," said Wright, who is hiking the Appalachian Trail in sections. So far, he has covered about 800 miles of the trail.
"When you do long-distance hiking, like I do, there is some stuff you bring along just for the feel-good factor. But, mostly, you bring what you bring for purely practical reasons," he said. "Some hikers improvise, and just pick up sticks along the trail. There is a culture in the hiking community that hikers should improvise and use what nature gives them. This way, you're not feeding money into the corporations. It's a statement of value for some hikers to use just a wooden walking stick. But I feel it is such an important piece of equipment. I really view them as essential."
Poles are sold in pairs, and most hikers use two, but Bill Geiger, an avid hiker who lives in Allentown, uses only one.
"I'm not the most agile person," said Geiger. "I have a tendency to twist my ankle or fall down, especially in rough terrain. But I only use one, not two. Mine has a metal tip and is spring loaded, just like the pairs. And, when I'm walking on flat terrain, I usually put it away. I don't like the idea of always having something in my hands."
While the poles make hiking easier and allow hikers to cover longer distances, there is a downside. Some hikers say the poles may speed trail erosion by adding wear and tear to a trail. Over time, their use can widen a trail, which also can contribute to erosion. Hikers who use poles clearly leave small but distinctive marks on the trail in addition to footprints.
Appalachian Trail Council's King said the council doesn't have a position on the poles and he hasn't heard many complaints about them, even as they have become more common on the Appalachian Trail.
"We still get many, many more complaints about hikers using cell phones on the trail," said King. "Hikers feel the cell phones are much more of an intrusion."
One thing trekking pole users sometimes do is to remove their the small shields near the tips of the poles, which can cause more trail damage, King said.
Janet Golub, president of the Allentown Hiking Club, considers herself a trekking-pole holdout.
"I prefer the wooden sticks I find along the trail," said Golub. "It saves resources," and, as a way of recycling, Golub leaves the sticks on the trail when her hike is done, so other hikers can use them.
But even Golub appreciates the capabilities of the sticks. "Once I was on a hike in the mountains of western Maine and a woman fell," she said. "I lent her one of my sticks and I know she felt more stable, having that third leg."