Just remember the AT consists of roughly 5 MILLION steps, meaning you'll be lifting that heavy stick 2.5 MILLION times, vs a really lightweight trekking pole (NOT a ski pole). I met a really nice young guy on the trail last year. He went by "walking stick" because he had a really nice looking but ridiculously heavy walking stick. Evan though he was young and otherwise strong, at the end of the day for the ~8-10 days I was around him, he was absolutely wiped out. Not sure how far he made it as the rest of the group eventually had to leave him behind, he was just too slow lugging that heavy stick.