I like Black diamond adjustables with the flick lock. I've had them for 3 years and have not failed me
From my recent experience, I do not think it is physically possible for a typical person to hike the AT without poles, and certainly not anyone over 40. In the three weeks I just spent on the GA-to-Smokies section, I saw exactly three people attempt to hike without poles. Everyone else thought they looked like dorks -- especially after they tried to make their own from sticks in order to relieve the pain of trying to hike the AT without proper hiking gear.
i've only done 5 thru-hikes without polesOriginally Posted by Harrison Bergeron
When was the last time someone described you as "typical?"
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
If you don't want to have push-back, then get the poles without the shock absorbers.
"To make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." - T.S. Eliot
Man up son! Someone says something,stick up the middle finger,say something rather nasty about his/her mother and dare them to come do something about it...Well thats how I would handle it.
Haaaaaaaa......my thoughts exactly!
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Only Chuck Norris should hike without trekking poles...
Seriously, I am not sure why anyone would not use a tool that helps so much. It's kind of like hiking in Chuck Taylor's when you can wear Salewa trail runners. Sure, you can do it, but it's not as easy.
Lone Wolf is excepted from this comment!
We would hike well together me thinksHaaaaaaaa......my thoughts exactly!
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Yes and Ray Jardine was the first to free-climb El Capitan. Then he went on to hike the triple crown and did the CDT with less than 12 pounds on his back -- and then got rich advising lesser mortals to do likewise, thereby probably proving the mortality of many of the lesser men who followed his advice.
Lone Wolf, you and Ray are legends, not a "typical persons". We lesser mortals require trekking poles (not to mention shelter, clothing, water, and food) when hiking long distances in the mountains.
Those that are "pushing back" I would bet have little experience hiking long distance. Would I bring them doing a day hike with only lunch on my back to the pond and back; no. I just did my first 25+ day: would I do that without them; No.
Who gives a damn if they're dorky. I thought they were for old women and tourists at first until I saw someone I respected used it them and tried them. They're not for me and don't fit my style but I certainly see they're advantages and could see my self using the. In the future depending on the terrain.
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bullcrap. he's just a man like me that do our own thing. we ain't sheeple.i started walkin' the AT before books, movies, internet and Iphones. it's just walkin'
You started walking the AT before books and movies???? How old are you????????????????????????????????????
He left out dirt. Guess he didn't want to brag.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Sticks are free, good poles are worth the money & weight. Sticks don't make good tent poles or collapsed very well. Haters are gonna hate, and dorks will look like dorks.
Well until this moment, I didn't know you had Black Diamonds, Offshore was right, I was teasing. Now that I know you bought BD... well, you shoulda bought Lekis!
Seriously, I find poles helpful on steep descents, but a hindrance the rest of the time. I often hike without, with just one, or a cane.
At first, I used them because my husband said it would help me. I never knew just how much they helped me until I accidently left them somewhere on the trail! That sucked! Then, I had another set have one brake on me. One did not cut it!
However, I realize everyone is different!
At first, I didn't use poles because I thought they were dorky. Then I blew out my knee on my first AT section hike. Now I use them every time, and have not blown out any more knees since.
Aside from the benefits of using trekking poles when hiking, particularly on down hills and stream crossings, I use them as support poles for my tent. In 2012, I hiked with a friend who started out without trekking poles. He eventually picked up a couple of wood poles as he was having an issue with his hands swelling.
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