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Trekking poles or hiking stick


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I had never used either poles or a stick until about a month ago I read this thread and decided to put my REI rebate and 20% discount coupon towards a pair of poles (carbon fiber, no shock absorbing). At first I used them primarily for descending, then I shortened them a couple of inches and started ascending with them as well. I use them without the rubber tips, partly because the first time I used them I lost one of them. About the only time I fold them up now is if I've got a long stretch on a relatively flat surface.

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I have been using a pair of Leki Titanium hiking poles for about three years.

Light weight and strong.

I love those poles. I take them for most hikes. The Sherlock took a backseat when I got my Leki Ttaniums.

 

The Sherlock I bent was used for easy to moderate hikes. Something to poke the brush with, hold the camera as a monopod, and generally keep branches from going further than my nasal membrane when I trip. :)

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I use both. Leki's for my heavy backpacking (at 55....) definitely make a huge difference in trail energy. For unencumbered and day hikes I like my homemade wood staff. It feels comfortable and does help. I stick with rubber tip unless in icy conditions because forest/park rangers tell me that among a host of many other behaviors, metal tips on staffs can add wear to the trails. I'm not crazy worried about that, but I use rubber tip unless I really need otherwise. 2 things I never go anywhere without, though - my hat and my staff(s). If you have low back pain a pair of poles will make an incredible difference!

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so I have decided to get a set of poles. What I am wondering is shock absorbing springs worth another 20 bucks? any one have an idea about which is better of moderate hiking and off trail geocaching?

 

I have shock absorbers in one set of poles. I keep them turned off, so I'd say no they aren't worth the extra money. Good grips are though. Hard plastic, ski pole like grips can get a bit slippery when you sweat.

Cork, or the foam rubber grips are better.

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so I have decided to get a set of poles. What I am wondering is shock absorbing springs worth another 20 bucks? any one have an idea about which is better of moderate hiking and off trail geocaching?

 

If you have hand or wrist pain, plan to hike long distances on hard, rocky surfaces, or think you might take up running with the poles, then the antishock feature is worthwhile. If none of the above, chances are you'd never notice the shock-absorbing action at all. If you use the right grip, allowing the straps to take the weight, very little shock is transmitted to your hands even without 'shocks.'

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So I ended up getting some black diamond shock absorbing poles from REI today and took them out for a 3 mile test. I like them. Glad I went with the shock absorbing, lots of rock out here in az and some parts of the trail were "paved" with rocks, I could feel the shock working. It took a bit to get the swing of things but after a while it felt good. On the way back down the mountain I wondered how I was ever able to descend without poles. They made it much more enjoyable.

So I have heard some do's and donts with poles. Do use poles opposite foot swing. I.E right pole out left foot out. Do adjust your poles so on flat ground your elbow is at 90 degree bend. Do adjust for up hill and down hill. I saw a DVD saying most people use poles wrong? Thought I would save myself $15 and see what ya'all know about do's and donts

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I have a set of REI poles that I'm NOT a fan of... In fact, I'll probably be 'gifting' them to the non-pole owner in The Fam and buying myself another set.

 

My issue: when my hands are cold (er, that would be all the time) or even colder, I can't get the poles to extend or retract. No twisting for you!

 

I haven't looked at the other poles enough to know how they work, but I need a better option than what I have now... I mean, it's nice that there's usually someone around to make them work for me, but... I gotta admit, it makes me feel like a dope that I can't make my own gear work property.

 

:)

 

Leki's will be on the top of my 'must consider' this go round.

 

 

michelle

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So I ended up getting some black diamond shock absorbing poles from REI today and took them out for a 3 mile test. I like them. Glad I went with the shock absorbing, lots of rock out here in az and some parts of the trail were "paved" with rocks, I could feel the shock working. It took a bit to get the swing of things but after a while it felt good. On the way back down the mountain I wondered how I was ever able to descend without poles. They made it much more enjoyable.

So I have heard some do's and donts with poles. Do use poles opposite foot swing. I.E right pole out left foot out. Do adjust your poles so on flat ground your elbow is at 90 degree bend. Do adjust for up hill and down hill. I saw a DVD saying most people use poles wrong? Thought I would save myself $15 and see what ya'all know about do's and donts

 

When I first got the poles I was very conscious of using 'proper' technique. As time passed, I developed my own style. Don't worry about it too much; normal arm swing on solid, level ground* will automatically synchronize pole placement with foot placement. Just make sure that you use the straps rather than the handles for support--that's absolutely key.

 

In general, I shorten the poles for uphills and lengthen them for downhills. Going up a steep slope, it seems natural to plant the poles in front as a pair and then step up between them. Think of them as handrails.

 

Going down steep slopes, it's the reverse.

 

Some folks advise lengthening the poles for uphills and planting them behind you for a little boost. I think this idea originates with the technique required for climbing stairs on crutches--if you plant the crutches on the next step up, you may stall in midstep and fall backward. Trekking poles aren't crutches and (most) slopes aren't steps, so this logic is flawed.

 

In uneven terrain, the most efficient use of the poles is just to save a stumble. Keep them at the ready, semi-loose in your hands, so that you can stab one down if you start to fall. This will happen without conscious thought on your part.

 

*On loose sand, like in dry washes here in Arizona, you can add speed and reduce drudgery by using the poles in pairs. Plant them slightly behind your feet as you are walking, then give a short, forceful push. This will turbocharge one step. When you get a rhythm going, you'll automatically alternate between right and left steps.

 

When you get really good, we can talk about running with poles...

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Leki's will be on the top of my 'must consider' this go round.

 

They'll probably solve the problem. The lockers use very fine threads. They take more turns to lock down, but offer more leverage for loosening and tightening.

 

The black diamonds I just got use a flick lock. No twisting for me. Sure I only tried them once but it was fast to change pole lenghts and never slipped. Check them out

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Leki's will be on the top of my 'must consider' this go round.

 

They'll probably solve the problem. The lockers use very fine threads. They take more turns to lock down, but offer more leverage for loosening and tightening.

 

The black diamonds I just got use a flick lock. No twisting for me. Sure I only tried them once but it was fast to change pole lenghts and never slipped. Check them out

I just saw those the other day. These are the cat's meow for ease of adjustment and lockability.

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That's for uphill. Downhill I noticed a big difference. I was relying on the poles way too much and took more strain on the knees because I was trying to control the rate of descent with the poles. The end result was my knees would be in pain for days afterward. I had to trust my ability to create a natural gait that my knees could work with and just use the poles for balance. On particularly rough parts going down hill, they are still used to ease my way down.

 

I've used trekking poles for about the last decade. 30 years of running definitely took their tool on my knees, and for me it's most noticeable downhill. In the northeastern US, our higher peaks (4000 footers in NH) are mostly "boulder hopping", especially over in the Presidentials. Personally, I can scamper UP those like a mountain goat. Coming down, however, I no longer have the muscle flexibility to control the descent comfortably, and I end up relying heavily on the poles not only for balance but to control impact on the knees. Quite often I'll stow them entirely on an uphill section, but for me they're an absolute must coming downhill.

 

Thinking about it, TotemLake and I may be saying the same thing. I definitely need the poles for balance on the downhills, and on the steep or rough sections, I definitely need them to control impact. On comfortable slopes or relatively smooth sections, I do use them but more out of habit than anything else.

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im not sure what the difference is ?

 

or is it that trekking poles just are 2. and hiking stick is just one ?

or is there other difference ?

 

i have and love my Komperdell TI-7. it might not be the best but it is my first.

 

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail....845524442621054

 

i only have one. and i think it is enof for now.

since we are walking through the forrests. i like to have a hand free.

 

and i also use it for a perry for brances. and stuff. and to take out most of the cobwebb in the way. hehe

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im not sure what the difference is ?

 

or is it that trekking poles just are 2. and hiking stick is just one ?

or is there other difference ?

 

i have and love my Komperdell TI-7. it might not be the best but it is my first.

 

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail....845524442621054

 

i only have one. and i think it is enof for now.

since we are walking through the forrests. i like to have a hand free.

 

and i also use it for a perry for brances. and stuff. and to take out most of the cobwebb in the way. hehe

The term is fairly interchangeable. Generally speaking a hiking staff is going to be a thicker more substantial pole. I used a single for a couple of years until I switched to using a pair almost exclusively. I stopped using the single altogether when I finally bent it as it saved me from driving a branch too deep up my nostril when I tripped over a vine.

 

The major differences you'll note from using a single and using a dual:

 

Most significant; Both knees will receive the benefit from the dual versus only one knee receiving the benefit of using a single pole.

Next significant; The duals comes in very handy to power up a trail. They also help maintain balance more than a single will when you get tired.

Next; If you manage to break or bend one, you still have the other to fall back on. (no pun intended)

 

When I'm not using mine, or only need the one, I'll carry them/it on my backpack. I walk in the forest all the time. Not all trails are nice and level.

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The other difference between a hiking staff and a hiking pole is the pole is generally hollow and lighter than a staff.

 

The poles are usually collapsible so that you can pack them easier if your not using it/them and they may have a shock absorbing mechanism.

 

Also pole will have a hand grip, staffs generally do not.

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ok thanks. so poles are more like a wooden stick. witch i have aslo considered. but couldent findt one.

There are different styles and materials. The hiking staff I had was aluminum and hollow, beefier, and collapsible. 12 inches of it sunk into the soft sod when I tripped and leaned into it and the ground was the immovable force. Laws of leverage took effect and it bent at the surface. It was still very sturdy afterwards and took the brunt of the remainder of my hike in true form. I had to really lean into it to bend it in half and make it fit the trashcan.

Trackpoles.com

The knob is removable to turn it into a monopod for your camera or binoculars.

Sherlock™ Staff

510b6ce6-9ac8-4758-82a2-fe4a54be0841.jpg

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I've seen a lot lately about trekking poles. (For this post, I'm talking about using the two trekking poles like in skiiing) I have a hiking stick that I use but for anyone who has made the change, what is the benefit of the trekking poles over the hiking sticks...or vice versa? Why do you prefer the one you use? I've heard that the use of the trekking poles when just walking for fitness is really beneficial causes it uses your arms as well....but what about on the hike?

 

Thanks

wizkid

 

:D I am a hiker and a backpacker and I can not imagin going out without my Leki poles. During the week I try to walk 7 - 12 per day after work. I now use my poles for walking as it makes me work/use my arms while walking and burn additional calories.

 

Now I am looking at adding geocaching to my walking/hiking sport :D

 

There may be a 60CSX in my life soon :D

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My last trip backpacking I ran into a thunderstorm as I was cooking my lunch (what's better then backpacking around, you can stop just about when and where ever and cook a meal or make a pot of coffee). Well, I quickly was able to set up an efficient leanto shelter with only a rain poncho, two hiking poles and two pieces of light rope and four stakes. My gear and I stayed nice and dry until the storm passed.

 

I do like the poles as they give me more length options and I like the bi-lateral support. Really helps with preventing those pesky falls, and helps with the up hills, too.

 

Just my 2cnts

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ok thanks. so poles are more like a wooden stick. witch i have aslo considered. but couldent findt one.

 

No the other way around. At least the way I use the terms. I call a solid wood shaft a hiking staff. They are often elaboratly carved and shellacked. The things I call poles are usually made out of hollow aluminum.

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Trekking Poles or hiking sticks? I say both.

When backpacking with a 40 Lb pack I do not trust a trekking pole - it may collapse or break. For this I go with a good maple staff. I even drilled out the top and glued in a bolt for a camera monopod.

When day hiking, especially fairly technical stuff I take a trekking pole - just one. I find when I am descending jumping from rock to rock I get tired of concentrating with two.

Both my backpack and daypack have a piece of Velcro stitched up high on one of the straps. The "fuzzy" Velco is glued to the back of my GPS. Add a string for a safety and I am set for receiving a great signal every time.

 

Happy hiking. Peter

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Trekking Poles or hiking sticks? I say both.

When backpacking with a 40 Lb pack I do not trust a trekking pole - it may collapse or break. For this I go with a good maple staff. I even drilled out the top and glued in a bolt for a camera monopod.

When day hiking, especially fairly technical stuff I take a trekking pole - just one. I find when I am descending jumping from rock to rock I get tired of concentrating with two.

Both my backpack and daypack have a piece of Velcro stitched up high on one of the straps. The "fuzzy" Velco is glued to the back of my GPS. Add a string for a safety and I am set for receiving a great signal every time.

 

Happy hiking. Peter

With today's technology, they don't break or collapse as easily as the early poles did. I've thrown my weight against the Leki's titanium blend anti-shock Makalus and have not had an incident with them. That's before I lost my near 70 lbs, putting me with a combined backpack weight of 305 lbs on overnighters and slightly less on dayhikes. These are skinnier and lighter combined than the hiking staff I ended up bending.

 

Jumping from rock to rock, I have the choice of using, none, one or two poles as the need arises.

 

Using two poles makes life much easier on both knees. I have noted when using only one pole. one knee ends up more sore than the other due to one side being favored more than the other.

 

The newer trekking poles have a different locking mechanism that's supposed to get away from the loosening issues some people have had with the twist locks.

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Trekking Poles or hiking sticks? I say both.

When backpacking with a 40 Lb pack I do not trust a trekking pole - it may collapse or break. For this I go with a good maple staff. I even drilled out the top and glued in a bolt for a camera monopod.

When day hiking, especially fairly technical stuff I take a trekking pole - just one. I find when I am descending jumping from rock to rock I get tired of concentrating with two.

Both my backpack and daypack have a piece of Velcro stitched up high on one of the straps. The "fuzzy" Velco is glued to the back of my GPS. Add a string for a safety and I am set for receiving a great signal every time.

 

Happy hiking. Peter

With today's technology, they don't break or collapse as easily as the early poles did. I've thrown my weight against the Leki's titanium blend anti-shock Makalus and have not had an incident with them. That's before I lost my near 70 lbs, putting me with a combined backpack weight of 305 lbs on overnighters and slightly less on dayhikes. These are skinnier and lighter combined than the hiking staff I ended up bending.

 

Jumping from rock to rock, I have the choice of using, none, one or two poles as the need arises.

 

Using two poles makes life much easier on both knees. I have noted when using only one pole. one knee ends up more sore than the other due to one side being favored more than the other.

 

The newer trekking poles have a different locking mechanism that's supposed to get away from the loosening issues some people have had with the twist locks.

 

I think your refering to the black diamond "flick lock" that I brought up in an earlier post. Well after using them for the summer I will give a few comments.

As far as the locking mechanism I have had zero slip and they have never come loose or unlocked on me even with lots of weight on them. I have found with the twist type that when you are going from a lot of up hill section to down hill it was more work than its worth to twist to different lenghts, so most of the time I would just leave them one lenght unless I saw it would stay either up hill or down for a while. With the flick lock its so simple that I almost always adjust the lenght, its just much faster.

I opted to get a the poles with a shock absorber on them. Here is a word or two about that. I find that while hiking on flat gound using the poles properly they are neither a help nor a hinderance. When climbing a steep hill which casue you to move the poles from behind you to push you up the hill to infront where you use them both to "plant both poles, pull yourself up, and repeat" the shock is nice. When you are tired of going up hill and just kind of slam the pole down in front of you, you can feel the shock absorb which is nice. Aldo on down hill sections when you just throw the pole in front of you and then shove your weight on it to help slow you down the shock comes in nice. If I were to buy a pair of poles again I would spend the extra 20 get the shock.

Pole construction is also nice. I have put a lot of weight on these and never felt them give or feel like they are going to break. I'm not sure what they are made of but they feel stronge enough that if I were to sprain an ankle or hurt a foot I feel confident I could use them as a pair of crutches and they would hold up fine.

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I've been using a hiking stick mainly because I can screw my digital camera into the end to take photos. Based on what I've seen trekking poles are better for tougher hikes and hiking sticks are fine for easy to moderate hikes. It's nice having a hand free to hold a GPS.

You wouldn't have to have a hand free if you had a gps body mount. (sorry I couldn't resist). I do love my new collapsible hiking poles. I used to use ski poles for snowshoeing. I switched to some cheap poles this spring so I could try them for hiking. I use them about 60% of the time. It all depends on the terrain. They collapse and attache easily to my packback when I don't need them.

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I've seen a lot lately about trekking poles. (For this post, I'm talking about using the two trekking poles like in skiiing) I have a hiking stick that I use but for anyone who has made the change, what is the benefit of the trekking poles over the hiking sticks...or vice versa? Why do you prefer the one you use? I've heard that the use of the trekking poles when just walking for fitness is really beneficial causes it uses your arms as well....but what about on the hike?

 

Thanks

wizkid

 

It's a "form" or "function" question most of the time.

 

A well picked hiking stick can be really cool, and is great to lean on while on the trail. But, the darn things don't "fold up" when not in use, and some can be a bit heavy. Most people that use a hiking stick just use one at a time. A well chosen hiking stick is often a conversation starter on the trail, a testament to the form or cool factor.

 

Treking poles are functional and light weight. They "fold up" when not in use, are light weight, and often have molded hand grips with wrist bands. They have nice points on the ends which can easily slip into the eye of a tarp, making a nice dining fly upright. It seems about half the users of hiking poles prefer to use just one, and the other half prefer to use two poles at a time.

 

Personally, I have a set of Leki treking poles and a homemade hiking stick.

 

On longer trips, and on trips where the poles will need to be strapped to the pack for travel, I go with the Leki poles, and 90% of the time, I use just one pole at a time. The reason for using just one pole is that it frees up my other hand for taking pictures, checking the GPS or map, and other trail tasks. I used one pole on an 80 mile trek in New Mexico this summer, and it worked great (the Mini Bears did chew on the handle a bit, making it a bit rough). I usually hold the pole in my right hand, but after days of hiking, started to switch it back and forth, with the pole in the downslope hand most of the time - that system seemed to work well for me. A couple of the folks on the hike had two poles, and it seemed that about half of those spent time trying to find someone else to borrow one of their poles. So I'm glad I just brought one pole.

 

I use my hiking stick on day hikes primarily. This stick goes back to my Cubmaster days. We held a hiking stick building contest for all the boys and adults before we went on a hike, and my current stick was my entry. It's fashioned from a hardwood dowel, about 1" in diameter. It was carved with my roto tool, sanded smooth, and then stained blue. Atop the stick sits a 3" diameter wood ball, stained yellow. At the bottom, the stick is tipped with a rubber chair leg socket. The ball at the top is great to lean on, and the rubber boot at the bottom provides pretty good traction. The thing looks like a blue and yellow thermometer, and I do get a lot of people asking about the history of that hiking stick.

 

In summary: for coolness, go with your hiking stick; for function on extended trips, consider a pole or two.

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My last trip backpacking I ran into a thunderstorm as I was cooking my lunch ... . Well, I quickly was able to set up an efficient lean to shelter with only a rain poncho, two hiking poles and two pieces of light rope and four stakes. My gear and I stayed nice and dry until the storm passed.

...

 

That alone sells me on having a pair, I cannot tell you how many times when hiking I have gotten caught up in a rainstorm. Makes me think about packing a 4'x7' lightweight nylon tarp also, having a quick to setup lean to would be extremely handy.

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One of the Dads in my Boy Scout Troop has a Kelty backpack dining fly that is quite lightweight. The fly is held up by two wooden poles about 7' in height. The poles are actually 2 wooden hiking staffs with a removable connector at about the 5' level. During their time as hiking staffs, they have a beautifully carved wooden topper that extends up about 6" from the connector. The additional 2' piece that screws on during their time as dining fly poles, is carried in a backpack.

 

One person can use both poles as trekking poles, but more often, two Scouts use them as hiking staffs.

 

As for collapsable poles, those poles use brass 2 piece flagpole connectors. The diameter is quite large as are the staffs. I use pool cue connectors in my multi-piece staffs. I use a shilellagh instead of a hiking staff on most hikes. At night, the shilellagh serves as a stand to support by backpack. When not in use, it simply folds up into my pack.

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For those trying to save on the cost, try using a couple of bamboo stakes with a rubber crutch tip on the ends. You can wrap cork or neoprene on the end for a grip and you're pretty much good to go for a total cost of about $5 (mine were free by stealthing a set of unused garden bamboo stakes from the Mrs). Very light (about the same as an aluminum pole) and very strong (mine can easily hold my full weight).

 

Another inexpensive alternative is a set of used ski poles. I like these for how the steel tip digs into hard pan dirt better than rubber crutch tips.

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