View Full Version : Trekking Poles
catingeorgia
12-20-2010, 21:21
I see a lot of people using trekking poles and i was wondering what advantage they have when hiking with them. i have hiked with a walking stick, but prefer to hike without one. Is it different hiking with two trekking poles than a walking stick? Is it worth the extra gear to have them or are they more of a burden than a luxury?
thanks
Mr Boston
12-20-2010, 21:25
Trekking poles take a lot of the stress off of your knees and shares it with your upper body.
wrongway_08
12-20-2010, 21:38
1- Takes the stress off knees
2- Catch rattle snakes with them - see photo :)
3- Check water depth
4- Check the bottom of streams for firmness
5- Can use them for tent poles(Tarp tent) and others like it - no need to carry extra poles.
6- Check mud puddles
7- poke dogs that might come after you.
8- stability over rocks.
9- help to leap over wide sections of rock
10- cut down thorns or tall grass that has overtaken path
11- clear away spider webs in the early morn.
12- clear away dog doo off the trail.
13- use them to locate flooded bog bridges up north.
14- knocking rain/snow off overhead branches
- Takes the stress off knees
- Catch rattle snakes with them - see photo :)
- Check water depth
- Check the bottom of streams for firmness
- Can use them for tent poles(Tarp tent) and others like it - no need to carry extra poles.
- Check mud puddles
- poke dogs that might come after you.
- stability over rocks.
- help to leap over wide sections of rock
- cut down thorns or tall grass that has overtaken path
Don't forget knocking rain off overhanging leaves and bushes as you walk up to them :)
wrongway_08
12-20-2010, 21:45
Oh yea, forgot that!
Also - great for knocking snow off branches AFTER you pass under them to dump the snow on fellow hikers!! :)
Hikerhead
12-20-2010, 21:45
- Takes the stress off knees
- Catch rattle snakes with them - see photo :)
- Check water depth
- Check the bottom of streams for firmness
- Can use them for tent poles(Tarp tent) and others like it - no need to carry extra poles.
- Check mud puddles
- poke dogs that might come after you.
- stability over rocks.
- help to leap over wide sections of rock
- cut down thorns or tall grass that has overtaken path
and....
- clear away spider webs in the early morn.
- clear away dog doo off the trail.
- use them to locate flooded bog bridges up north.
wrongway_08
12-20-2010, 21:50
Hope you all don't mind, I just added to the list. See how many we can get.
Hikerhead
12-20-2010, 22:10
Makes a great weed whacker for cutting back briers and Mayapples and whatever. Mine are almost paintless now from doing this.
Hikerhead
12-20-2010, 22:12
Makes a great weed whacker for cutting back briers and Mayapples and whatever. Mine are almost paintless now from doing this.
More usefull on lesser used trails like the BMT and Standing Stone Trail/MST just for example.
Rocket Jones
12-20-2010, 22:35
In an emergency, you can use one as a splint.
Hikerhead
12-20-2010, 22:46
Usefull to push that food bag up another foot or so or to pull it down.
Useful to remove black snakes climbing up the side of a shelter. Plus you can wave them over your head to make yourself look bigger when you surprise a bear on the trail.
Useful for celebrating. Whenever I start off the day or get to a trail junction, landmark etc. I click/bang my sticks together in celebration.
catingeorgia
12-21-2010, 07:11
this sounds great! a lot of ways that trekking poles would be sufficiently useful. i guess all that is left are the downsides...what are they?
this sounds great! a lot of ways that trekking poles would be sufficiently useful. i guess all that is left are the downsides...what are they?
In certain sections, like in a lot of the Whites and some of Maine, they just get in the way.
I remember wishing I had left mine at the ranger station when I was going up Katahdin.
peakbagger
12-21-2010, 09:13
My obervations of thru hikers near the end of the trail up in Maine and NH are that more of them are carrying treking poles than not and by that point they have pared down to gear to what they consider are essential. The down side to any pole is that it gets in the way of climbing up and down steep sections (which ME and northern NH has plenty) where you need to use your hands. I like a 3 piece collapsible pole that I can strap to the pack in that it doesnt stick up higher than a pack when I dont need it.
There are also times when the poles are not needed and actually slow you down. Generally its long ridge walks with a smooth surface. I carry my poles, but if the profile looks flat I will stow them.
catingeorgia
12-21-2010, 14:15
My obervations of thru hikers near the end of the trail up in Maine and NH are that more of them are carrying treking poles than not and by that point they have pared down to gear to what they consider are essential. The down side to any pole is that it gets in the way of climbing up and down steep sections (which ME and northern NH has plenty) where you need to use your hands. I like a 3 piece collapsible pole that I can strap to the pack in that it doesnt stick up higher than a pack when I dont need it.
There are also times when the poles are not needed and actually slow you down. Generally its long ridge walks with a smooth surface. I carry my poles, but if the profile looks flat I will stow them.
that was another concern of mine...using them when they're useful and then having to put them away when there not. i was wondering how often i would have to pull my pack off just to stow the poles(pain in the neck) that was the issue for me using a walking stick is i would get burn out on carrying it sometimes. it seemed like i wouldn't get more than a few miles and it would start getting in the way so i would have to pull off my pack just to strap on the stick. so i guess all that is left to do is purchase a pair. does anyone have a suggestion on a good pair at a reasonable price?
If you're under 6' tall these would be great: http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/trekking-poles/contour-elliptic-shock-compact
They collapse down to around 2 feet - perfect size for pack-strapping at least as far as trekking poles go.
Rain Man
12-21-2010, 14:57
Useful to remove black snakes climbing up the side of a shelter.
No good idea why anyone would want to do that. You prefer rodents to harmless, non-venomous snakes???
Rain:sunMan
.
I love reading these threads. We are doing our first section hike in May of 2011, and I just got our poles in for Xmas. I guess I will have to find out for myself as well. After reading the potential benefits, I was sold. My wife and I will be giving them a shot.
Rocketman
12-23-2010, 11:14
this sounds great! a lot of ways that trekking poles would be sufficiently useful. i guess all that is left are the downsides...what are they?
They cost money.
They can make noise, little clickey sounds.
On a nice level smooth stretch, you might just wish to carry them or have an easy way of sticking them on your pack.
Sometimes other hikers want to tell you the reasons THEY think hiking poles are dumb (but you can always hit them with one or both poles.)
They poke holes in the ground and thus you don't "leave no trace" while using them.
The cheap ones often don't hold their length settings just when you need them.
You might have to actually take care of them a little.
Joshuatree
12-23-2010, 13:07
I think that trekking poles were one of the most usefully tools I picked up for hiking they are a real knee saver on downhill sections, they help keep me dryer on river crossings or crossing narrow log bridges over ravines, as an extestion to keep your water purifier out of the river silt or to reach water thats out of reach in dryer regions. I also string some paracord between them with a couple of extra stakes to make a clothes line or a wind screen if its windy or blowing snow during the early spring or late fall hikes
I use one as a wading staff when I'm flyfishing and to help walk when I'm out icefishing and with the carbite tips they work as safety spikes if I take a dunking