So What’s the Deal With Trekking Poles? Facing My First Challenge: Elevation
I’ve been hiking in flat environments for most of my life. To find elevation while hiking in Florida, you have to head to man made structures, like the hill at Celery Fields, in Sarasota. Even then, you’re looking at less than 100 feet in elevation changes. I did nearly ten times that during my first hike in Arkansas.
It’s no surprise that elevation is my biggest challenge here in the Central United States. There are actual hills, and even some mountains, to make my way up! I’m learning to cope with it one hike at a time, but sometimes it gets the best of me.
I’d heard about trekking poles, and I’d seen them used by hikers on the trail, but I didn’t know anything about them. I was somewhat confident that they’d be able to help me with my elevation problem, so I dug a little deeper. Here’s what I learned about trekking poles, and my impression after my first hike using them.
Why Use Trekking Poles?
For the most part, the largest benefit to using trekking poles is reducing the stress your lower body endures while hiking. When you use trekking poles, you put some of your weight on them when they’re planted. This spreads the load your body carries while walking more evenly across it. The heavier your pack, the more of a difference you’ll see when hiking with trekking poles.
They also provide a load of other benefits. They can be used to improve balance, increase hiking speed, and reduce overall fatigue. The more you use them, the more efficient you’ll become, which can change the way that you hike permanently.
Trekking Pole Basics
Trekking poles come in sets of two, or individually. When you’ve got a single trekking pole, it’s sometimes referred to as a hiking staff. I thought that was kind of cool, and it reminded me of Gandalf. He was known for his long journeys, so I suppose that makes sense.
When you use a trekking pole, the optimal length of said pole can be found by observing your body mechanics. When the pole tips are touching the ground, your elbow should be at a 90-degree bend. So far, so good. All of this seems pretty easy.
Then you come to the more technical side of trekking poles. I hadn’t realized just how complex these walking aids could be. You have to choose what material you want your poles to be made from and what features you’d like. This seems relatively straightforward, but there’s a lot to ingest.
Material Matters
For the most part, trekking poles are made from either aluminum or composite materials. Traditional hiking staffs may be carved from wood, too. Because I decided to opt for a pair of trekking poles, I looked into both aluminum and composite options.
From what I gathered, aluminum is heavier, and it’s the cheaper of the two options. Composite poles are made from layups of aluminum and carbon fiber, or just carbon fiber. They’re lighter on the trail, but heavier on your wallet, often by a significant amount. When you shave weight, you normally add dollars, as far as hiking goes.
In addition to the shaft materials, you have to think about grip materials, as well. Grips can be made from cork, foam, or rubber, and each has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Cork is the natural option, and can be the most comfortable. It conforms to the shape of your hand over time. Foam is soft, but it will absorb the moisture from your hands and the environment. Rubber is great for cold weather and vibration (think rocky ground), but it isn’t soft. It’ll blister your hands if you’re not careful.
So Many Features to Choose From
Trekking poles have a ton of different options to choose from, ranging from the way in which they collapse to the range of lengths they adjust to. When you’re looking for poles like I was, this can be a bit overwhelming. I didn’t know where to start. Breaking it down, these are the most common features you’ll find:
- Adjustability: The range of lengths you can extend your poles to. As you traverse different terrain, longer and shorter lengths may be more ideal than the length for walking over flat ground.
- Collapsibility: Poles collapse in a number of different ways. Some fold, while others are telescoping. This affects how easy a pole is to stow in a pack, as well as how effective the locking mechanisms are.
- Camera Mounts: If you’re a fan of carrying a camera on trail, some poles have a standard camera mount (¼–20 UNC threads) under the handle. It’s a quick monopod that helps you get great shots.
- Shock Absorbers: This is something I found to be wild. Some poles have internal springs that reduce shock in the poles when traveling downhill. I can see the benefit in this, especially when you’re doing lots of changing elevation.
- Ultralight: Ultralight poles are weight savers. They reduce fatigue while in use, and aren’t as noticeable in your pack when they’re not needed. Ultralight poles will cost more than a standard pole, though.
With all of these features, there’s certainly a trekking pole out there for everyone. I was impressed at the range of options at my disposal, albeit a little bamboozled.
One Last Thing: Locking Mechanisms
This is the last thing about the poles themselves, I swear. How a pole locks into position is a big deal. Some locking mechanisms are more effective than others. Some designs will be more prone to failure, if they’re anything like camera tripods. Understanding what you’re dealing with before making a purchase is a big deal.
For the most part, trekking poles lock in place in one of three ways. You have external lever locks, push-button locks, and twist locks. External lever locks are a lever located on the outside of the pole. The lever itself acts like a clamp. When it’s engaged, it prevents the pole from moving through the use of pressure. When it’s disengaged, it’s loose, allowing the pole to adjust in length.
Push-button locks are similar to those that you find on adjustable crutches. A spring-loaded button engages when the pole is extended. When it slides into place, it prevents the pole from moving. To collapse the pole, simply push the button in again.
Twist locks, as the name implies, twist to lock the poles into place. They do so by using an internally housed expander and screw. When the pole is twisted in a certain direction, the expander is disengaged, allowing you to slide the pole freely. Once the right length has been found, you twist the pole back, and the screw re-engages the expander, locking the pole into place.
How to Use Trekking Poles
Trekking poles are meant to aid your walking, but to do that effectively, you need to know how to use them. This is another area in which I knew nothing about. There are a number of different techniques to help you conquer any terrain. Some involve the way you swing and plant the pole, while others involve changing the poles’ length. It’s something I’m still getting used to, and I’ve got a lot of practicing to do.
Alternating Swings
When you’re using a pair of trekking poles, you can alternate them with your legs to increase your efficiency. Planting the pole that’s opposite of your forward leg spreads the load between the two, reducing stress and fatigue. This should be done while walking naturally. Eventually, walking with the poles will feel like second nature, and you’ll hardly have to think about it.
Double Planting
When on a steep climb, planting both poles can improve your stability while hiking. With both poles planted, take two steps instead of one. Repeat this process until you’ve finished the climb! You’ll find that you’re less tired, as well as able to make the ascent quicker.
Changing Pole Length with Elevation
While double planting is great for making climbs, sometimes it’s unnecessary. If you don’t need increased stability, and you feel like you could climb rather normally, there’s still a technique that can be used. If your poles are adjustable, shortening the length a bit can help with any upward mobility. The opposite is true for descents; a longer pole prevents having to reach further to maintain stability.
Traversing Obstacles
Wilderness trails come with a number of different obstacles. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll encounter any obstacles, but if you should, having trekking poles can help. They create stability while doing any water crossings. You can check the depth of puddles with them before stepping in. You can also use them to hop puddles if you need to. If you have to climb an obstacle, like a large rock or a log, they can give you the necessary push to make it up, and stabilize you as you come down. Trekking poles are a versatile tool to have in your hiking arsenal.
Why Am I Using Trekking Poles?
Up until this point, I’ve never used trekking poles while hiking. The majority of the terrain I hiked in Florida didn’t make me feel like I needed them. Sure, I was doing water crossings and puddle hopping, but I’d always thought poles were meant for terrain. Honestly, I wish I’d researched them earlier in life, I could have used them.
While my original intent was to use trekking poles to assist me with the elevation I’ve been unfamiliar with, I’m more intrigued by their ability to preserve my joints. I’m 30 at this point in time, and I’ve racked up enough lower body injuries for more than a single person. I’ve broken both ankles, a foot, and most of my toes. My biggest issue comes from my left knee, though.
In 2009, I tore my ACL, MCL, ITB, and meniscus. These injuries have plagued me since then, and have caused me more issues than I’d like to admit. I occasionally find myself doing at-home physical therapy as if I’ve just started the recovery process again. Eliminating some of the activities in my life over the last few years has helped (skateboarding, I’m looking at you). Using trekking poles, however, seems like a good way to keep my legs preserved as I continue to hike big miles.
First Impressions: 8 Miles with Trekking Poles
The first thing I’m going to say is that I’m a dope for never having used trekking poles before. I hit Kessler Mountain with my partner again to try out my trekking poles. I wanted to hike somewhere I was familiar with so that I would have a good basis for comparison.
When we reached the park itself, it looked like the trail was going to be inaccessible. The park is currently undergoing some construction. I think they’re adding new baseball fields to the complex. We backtracked to the front of the park and ended up on a section of trail that we hadn’t used before. This portion of the trail was called the Fayetteville Traverse. It’s primarily used for mountain biking, but hikers are welcome to use it as well.
We used this trail as a way to approach the other trails we were familiar with, like Crazy Mary and Trent Trail. We’ve been on them a handful of times, and know what to expect.
When I tell you I’m never leaving home without my trekking poles again, I mean it. They’ve changed the way I hike, without a doubt.
At first, I wasn’t convinced. The poles themselves took some adjusting, and overall they felt cumbersome. However, once I had them dialed in and ready to go, they made a world of difference. My knee and my ankles haven’t felt better on the rocky terrain than they did today. I didn’t have any issues with stability. I wasn’t constantly second guessing my footing. The poles let me know that I was going to remain upright without slipping too much.
Not only did I feel more sure-footed, I was also faster. My normal hiking pace is about 3 miles per hour. It’s a decent pace, and I don’t mind moving a bit slower than others on the trail. My partner, however, is a runner. She’s used to moving quickly, and can often outpace me. Today I had her putting in work on the inclines. My pace jumped from 3 miles per hour to about 3.5 miles per hour. Not a drastic increase, but I’m not a runner. I like taking my time. The poles allowed me to use my energy more efficiently than I am used to, allowing me to pick things up.
I didn’t wear a whole lot of gear today. I had a 20-liter backpack on, with some snacks and a couple Nalgene bottles filled with water. I’m looking forward to heading out for an overnighter, or a weekender, and seeing how trekking poles fare with a heftier pack.
Also, I’d like to point out that my trekking poles are about as cheap as they come. I got them with a tent that most people end up disliking just to see what all the hubbub was about. They’re made by River Country Products, and I like them. The website says they’re an aluminum and carbon fiber pole, with latching lock mechanisms. Each pole weighs 10 ounces, putting the pair at 1 pound 4 ounces total. I’ve never been huge on ultralight gear, so the weight of the poles didn’t matter too much to me. That being said, they did well, once I got the height adjusted to a comfortable spot, and tightened the locks. I don’t plan on upgrading them until they break.
If you’re on the fence about trekking poles, try them out. They could help save your joints from unnecessary strain, and might help you keep up the pace. There’s a reason people use them, and I am now a believer in them myself.
