Trekking Poles

[Dirtyoldman]

You might also consider getting some inexpensive ski poles to start. They are like 15 bucks and do the same job. To size them the pole should hold your arm at a right angle to your body on a level floor.

[Peaks]

Well, no one wants to carry more weight than necessary. So, if the majority of thru hikers, including the younger ones, carry treking poles, there must be a good reason.

Jardine and others may be out of date or out of touch. If you don't believe this, make your own survey on the trail.

[DebW]

One of the reasons I use poles is to avoid swelling of the hands while I hike. When I use poles, my arms and hands get enough exercise to keep the blood moving and avoid swelling. Otherwise I have to loosen my watchband 3 times in the first 2 hours. Then I have to try and hike with my hands elevated. It's a good thing I don't wear rings. Of course, reduced stress on the knees is the other big reason to use poles.

[gravityman]

Ray didn't invent Friends. He just got the patent and all the money. He stole the idea. At least that's the rumor out there. There were other people using very similar self-made equipement from which he got the idea...

As for hiking poles, he totally missed the mark. The important thing about stress is PSI. That's pounds per square inch. If you just have two feet, all of your pounds are distributed over the smallest area between your feet and your center of gravity. That would be your knees (the weight bearing part is the socket in the miniscus, maybe 2 inches in diameter, if that. Now add in the poles. The weight (or force) is now spread out between your knees and you wrists. You can probably take about 30 lbs on your two poles (15 each). That is equivilant to reducing the stress on your knees by 30 lbs off your back. Heck, that's about twice his backpack weight.

So there you have it. To reduce the amount of stress on your legs, get poles first, THEN cut backpack weight. The poles will make a bigger difference.

Gravity Man

PS I was going somewhere math fancy with the PSI, but I just don't have the time to work it out

[SkyKing]

Ahhh..come on G man....wanted to see some of that fancy "math stuff"!
I agree with the use of poles. I mean..us old folk....and man in general....have been using STICKS forever....and they weigh a heck of a lot more than modern Treking Poles!!

[stranger]

Rumors may be rumors

[peter2003]

Tranisition periods:

Generally when it is rearly cold or the temp is in the 30's or low 40's and it is raining (typical hyperthermia weather) you much keep the trunk warm and keep moving. Once you stop for more than 5-10 minutes you will bet cold.

I think the difficult periods of cold weather camping are the tranisition perios, ie geting out of the bag in the morning and starting out, and seting up camp and geting into your bag when you stop hikking.

Also probable the most important factor is judgment; when to stop before you get into trouble and get hpperthermia. When you stop hikking get into your bag within 5-10 minutes and you will be ok. Also judgment is the first thing to go when you start geting hyperthermic.