Most poles have markings which indicate how extended they are in CM/Inches. Here are a few tips to ensure that you are attaching yourself to your trekking poles in the correct manner. You can rely on your poles most of the time but prepared to react to any slips or poor pole placements. It is designed to be used primarily on softer surfaces such as grass, sand and non-metalled tracks. Hiking poles are of great appeal to trekkers, day walkers and backpackers, though many do not know how to use them to their best advantage. Whether you're new to trekking poles or a lifelong fan, we encourage you to test out pole tips vs. no pole tips in different settings to find what works best for you. KNOW When to Replace Your Hiking Boots, What Pants to Wear Hiking? The poles use a reliable twist-lock mechanism to collapse or extend to your desired length. For some reason, we seem to prefer moving branches and foliage out of our path with poles rather than our faces. In this guide, we will be covering the following: Trekking pole use for hiking, walking, and backpacking is a given for most experienced outdoor travelers, yet we often see new hikers hesitant to bring them along. Hiking poles provide extra points of contact with the ground to support your knees and give you more traction on the mountain. If you will be hiking over trails that feature long sections of bedrock or consistent boulder hopping, you will benefit from adding rubber feet onto the tips of each pole. Poles help with posture. If the terrain gets into scrambling territory, where you need to use your hands as much as you legs, you may want to stow your poles away altogether. As we mentioned earlier, experienced trekking pole users will alter the length of their poles when hiking straight up or downhill. When adjusting the height it’s important to have it locked in properly so it doesn’t slip and cause injury. The extra boost from pole planting will allow you to move quickly while toning arm muscles. If you put your tip first, you’ll have less leverage and you walking will be less efficient. Any skilled photographer knows the importance of stabilizing the camera for obtaining crisp images worthy of sharing. This is the more natural way to walk and most hikers will naturally get into this pattern without instruction. Push-button lock: Poles with this locking mechanism snap into place and lock with a single pull. To combat this and maintain stability on rocky terrain you’ll often benefit from holding your poles slightly further apart. Make sure that the sharp, carbide tip on your trekking poles is properly covered with a rubber pad before shoving them in with other gear. This is a popular strategy amongst ultralight backpackers because it eliminates the need to carry folding, aluminum poles designed only for use with a tent. If you are climbing or descending, the optimal length is not the same. Click here for the lowest price on Amazon. Nordic walking poles typically come with integrated carbide or hard metal tips at the end of the poles. Distributing some of the impact force from the ground through your poles and the arms holding them, not only minimizes joint fatigue in the legs but, also, helps to build fitness in your arms. This method provides greater joint support and helps with propulsion forward. This small change in the length of your poles can be critical for joint protection when gravity is pulling you down fast. If you’re hiking uphill then there are a few key tips making your poles work better for you. This Stratospire 2, from Tarptent, is a great example of a shelter that incorporates the support of trekking poles. Using poles early and often may be one of the simplest ways you can extend your body’s ability to hike. Put your hands through the strap hole from the bottom upwards. At What Altitude Do You Need Oxygen When Hiking? With your arm at 90 degrees the grip should comfortably come up to your hands and the tip should be resting on the ground. Over thousands of steps, the strain and pressure on our knees can build up and cause long-term damage. Every time we take a step forward our knees must take some of this impact. Take advantage of the shock absorption found in most quality hiking poles to help lessen the impact your joints experience while hiking, particularly on downhill sections which can be rough on knees. Read on to learn how to use walking poles correctly. Establish both poles on the lower level before stepping down. Combination lock: Some poles use a combination of two locks. Ideally, you want your poles to come up to your hand comfortably when your arm is bent at the elbow by 90 degrees. Trekking or hiking poles reduce fatigue on your joints, provide additional stability in challenging terrain, and can even be combined with shelters to create multi-purpose use. To begin with, you must be aware of how to use trekking pole tips while hiking. This will then allow the pole to have much greater traction when your hiking over dirt and rocks. When you’re carrying around a heavy pack and have a ton of weight on your shoulders trekking poles, allow you to use your upper body strength to help you carry a pack load, remain balanced and give you stability and traction while staying upright. Using trekking poles when fording rivers and streams is a great way to add stability to your frame within moving current. I find it limiting, however, to say that this is how you should always do it. I can take or leave baskets. I do not find that they are a real positive or a negative. The use of trekking poles, however, greatly increases your steadiness and reduces the likelihood of a bad fall while on the trail. But for longer hikes or multi-day trips, I found bringing my trusty pair of poles really useful. For general hiking we recommend the standard pole tips- they are ideal for both walking and hiking. Generally, one might take rubber tips off when hiking on trails that are "unimproved." Like when skiing, poles provide extra points of contact with the ground which provides more traction at all times. You will want to set a shorter length for ascending and a longer one for descending. You can use protective rubber tips for these situations. Trekking poles can serve as the critical support necessary for creating a splint commonly used for serious sprains or bone fractures experienced while on the trail. They may help a little in mud but you are still hiking in mud. Trekking poles are designed to give you extra stability and confidence when you are hiking. First, it’s an extra weight to carry and secondly using poles does increase your energy output -- although the caveat to this is that you’ll be hiking further and most people don’t perceive the extra energy output. If your grip is too tight it will reduce blood circulation in your hands and leave a mark. The length at which you set your hiking poles (if adjustable) will depend on the terrain you plan to hike. Your elbows should rest at a comfy 90-degree angle when using your trekking pole. “If they don’t [have a trekking pole loop], but they do have an ice axe loop, you can twist that around a few times to make it small enough to fit the tips into. 4. This roughly translates to a 70-degree angle. A positive of using hiking poles is that you can use them on any trail, whether it is well maintained or not. When your heading downhill you can adjust your grip to better suit your angle of momentum. To use them the right way, put your hand up through the bottom of the strap and then pull down and grab the grip of the pole. The core use of a hiking pole is to relieve pressure, provide balance and give you traction. Angle your poles in a way that the grip is more forward than the tip. Whether walking on flat ground or climbing steep hills, poles have the ability to increase your average speed, allowing you to cover greater distances. Many common problems experienced on the trail, such as a pole section not locking in place, are easy fixes with just a little know-how. Some grips have raised ridges, and these ridges don’t necessarily match every hiker’s ha… For example, a pole might use an external lever lock on the upper shaft and a twist lock on the lower shaft. To ensure that you do get the best possible results when using a trekking pole, you will need to ensure that you use the correct tip for the right environment. Read More. Press the push button to release the lock and collapse the poles. Additionally, take the time to learn about your their internal components. Rather than gripping the poles head-on with the grip, it makes sense for a more comfortable movement to have your hands within the grips but clasped over the top of your poles. Note that to avoid poles skidding on rocks even with rubber tips, be careful where you place them. Knowing the differences before you hit the trail will help in determining which may work best for you. Once you cross your first stream with the aid of trekking poles, you’ll never look back! You’re in the right place! And when you’re crossing a frozen stream, using the trekking pole to test the ice is a great option. It is commonly recommended to plant trekking poles opposite your forward leg (right pole plant when the left foot is forward and vice versa), providing maximum stability while matching the natural inclination of our arm movement whilst walking. When using poles many hikes enjoy a sense of rhythm and flow that is harder to get without poles. Backpackers Guide. It wouldn’t be much fun to retrieve your nice camping tent from a gear duffel only to find it has been punctured by the sharp tip of your trekking poles, which you stored in the same place. Place one pole forward and follow with the opposite foot. Have you ever hopped off a rock without knowing whether the mud in front of you was a negligible ¼ inch deep or a shoe-ruining 6 inches? Consider purchasing a small handle accessory that turns a trekking pole into a convenient monopod for better photos. Just imagine how quickly that impact can add up over the course of many miles. With all the positive things to say about hiking poles are there any arguments against using them? Sure there are some negatives. Push-button lock: Poles with this locking mechanism snap into place and lock with a single pull. Trekking pole length (how to size) The right size trekking pole will put your elbows at a 90-degree bend when the tips are on the ground. This is, particularly comforting when hiking around blind corners and is a lot less annoying than bear bells. For lengthy, uphill sections of trail, it is recommended that you shorten the length of your poles (1” to 4” depending on gradient). There are hundreds of different poles out there from ultralight carbon fiber (more expensive) to durable aluminum (more common). (not on every descent, just for sustained periods of moving downhill). It’s no secret that the terrain you, often, find yourself hiking through can be rocky, rooty, steep, and uneven. Don’t forget to use your poles as a way to probe upcoming rocks or other underwater hazards that may not be visible from above the surface. Trekking poles come in handy to help out with stability. Tip #7. So left pole forward and then right foot forward and repeated. Almost all trekking poles are extendable which will allow to set them up at the right height. This helps spread your weight around your body rather than being direct directly in front of you. When going uphill, try to incorporate a solid pole plant and arm push to better launch (that is what it feels like when you time it correctly!) Aaron shows you how to use trekking poles like a pro.You see people using trekking poles. McIntosh-Tolle said a lot of packs are now made with loops designed to hold trekking pole tips. The wrist strap on hiking poles are there to help transfer load and weight as you use the poles. Giant steps and plant poles are not the way forward. You see people recommending trekking poles. This is here to stop the pole damaging the box or other items when in transit. The length at which you set your hiking poles (if adjustable) will depend on the terrain you plan to hike. ). What about leaping onto a rock while crossing a creek unsure of its stability? A trekking pole is popularly known as an assistant hiking accessory to help walkers or hikers achieve stability and rhythm when moving on tough terrains. Steel tips are great for all around use. This technique gives you better balance and stability. The only time this is useful technique is when you’re stepping up onto a ledge -- which will reduce leg fatigue. We, commonly, check things like mud or snow depth, rock stability, and even tap logs we’re about to step on in hopes of scaring critters away before our foot is on top of their home. If the strap is too tight or lose you can adjust the length by pulling the tension block out. The more hiking you do and the rockier the ground, the more quickly they wear down. Take a mental note of this number so you can easily extend them to this each time you get them out ready for the hike ahead. By increasing the length of the pole, you can make traction with the ground and have your arms not outstretched too far in front of you. Move the pole and the foot together when stepping up or down ledges. My point here is that there are a time and place for both methods, with neither being the only ‘right’ way. When walking uphill your poles will sit more comfortably if you reduce the height slightly so that your elbows can still be comfortably bent at 90 degrees. They provide lots of traction in mud, gravel, ice, snow, etc. By using trekking poles, our knees are better protected. You need more stability when descending because gravity is constantly pulling you down. Once this part is removed you’ll be able to tighten and or loosen the strap making the hole smaller or larger. Placing too much weight on your poles can lead to injury or falls if they slip. You can use them to erect an emergency or ultralite shelter, for example, or conduct simple “ski-pole” tests of a snowpack’s strength when traveling avalanche terrain. Wiping down your trekking poles after every trip and clearing the tension adjustments of mud and debris will greatly extend the life of your poles. Ultimately, your goal should be to develop a rhythm with your hiking poles so that they act and feel like an extension of your body’s natural movement. Generally, you’ll want to look for a 90° angle formed at your elbow when holding the handle of your trekking poles, tips placed next to your feet. In my experience, hiking pole tip longevity is correlated with distance and ground surface. We'd love to hear your comments about any lessons you've learned about tip protectors over the years- just share them in the comments box below. Metal tips can also leave unwanted scratches on surfaces and damage sensitive soils. How and When to Use Trekking Pole Tips & Baskets There are several ways to optimize your trekking poles by using the accessories, tips and baskets, on the appropriate terrain. This extra balance means you can walk faster on more challenging terrain. For example, if you step with your right foot, use your left trekking pole, and so on. The best method of pole walking is to put your opposite pole out after each step. I, often, find myself switching between the two methods throughout a hike based on my rhythm and the terrain. Trekking Poles: How to adjust and use straps, How Many Calories Does Hiking Burn Per Hour? Combination lock: Some poles use a combination of two locks. It is the most used type of tip when it comes to hiking. Our included accessories are meant to be used on varying surfaces. A tip I got from a hiking buddy is to have one pole slightly longer than the other when hiking zig zags paths. Confirm that yours are set properly – wide enough that you can easily slide your hand up through them yet small enough that you still feel slight tension from the strap while holding the handle. You can always mark your preferred heights for downhill and uphill by using marking a line in pen so it’s easy to notice. Keep the below comparison in mind and practice both to determine which works best for you: As you move forward with each solid pole plant, raise your forearm slightly to allow the trekking pole to swing forward ready for its next plant. You hold the grip similar to how you would hold a ski pole. Improper strap use is something we, frequently, encounter out on the trail. Poles help steady yourself and reduce your chances of falling over and causing injury. Generally, you’ll want to look for a 90° angle formed at your elbow when holding the handle of your trekking poles, tips placed next to your feet. How to use trekking poles hiking downhill To use them reach out with your arms, place the pole on the ground ahead of you and then step forward with your foot. Almost every single trekking pole on the market comes with hardened steel/carbide tips(cheap poles might not). Hi, I’m Simon, the hiker behind OutdoorYak.I love to love to travel, hike and explore new mountain trails. Your tips will wear down eventually, and they can be replaced(it’s a pain). Long, downhill segments require a longer pole height to better aid with stabilization and shock absorption. Face upstream if the current is strong and maintain a tripod position as you shuffle sideways through the water. When hiking downhill you’ll benefit from extending your poles a bit and the opposite is true when walking uphill (more on this below). Trekking pole replacement tips: Buyer's guide & instructions. It … Using poles is pretty straightforward and intuitive but there are few key things to get right which will make using them much more enjoyably. Rubber tips absorb shock and vibration better than metal tips on paved terrain. When you buy poles from the store or get them shipped to you in the post -- they will often have a rubber cap at the bottom of the poles. By Pat Kinsella 25 June 2020. P.S I cover even more benefits of trekking poles here. That is the simple premise of trekking poles. When walking on flat terrain, your poles can help you with your forward propulsion. The sharper, carbide tips will work best when they are used … With extensive use, trekking pole tips must eventually be replaced. When using poles the weight of each step is distributed between two extra points of contact and we can absorb this energy with our upper body. That said don’t rely too heavily on your poles when distributing your weight. Ergonomic grips have a slight forward lean for a more natural hand position. In fact, I routinely prefer the opposite strategy of placing poles next to the foot with which I am stepping. Keep it neat, relaxed and … This results in a more powerful pole plant helping to boost you onward and upward. MyOpenCountry is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. They’re not essential but many hikers use them because they make hiking safer and more enjoyable. Heading out for a day hike or a backpacking trip and wondering if you should get a pair of trekking poles and how to use them correctly? Thanks for checking out my trekking pole technique, I hope it helps. OutdoorYak.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Lead with the poles alternate to your feet. You may need to try a few different sizes before getting the right grip. For short works or day hikes, I generally don’t use poles. The purpose of the tip is to give you good purchase in the ground so that you are able to push effectively down through the pole during the whole of your swing without the pole slipping. Metal tips can wear down when used on ‘improved’ surfaces like asphalt or pavement. Anywhere too high or too low can cause arm strain and discomfort, so adjust the length of your poles accordingly. Walking or trekking poles are designed to give the hiker maximum support so that they provide propulsion. Rotating it clockwise or anticlockwise to get the correct tension; Closing it so all the way for a tight fit. One of the best adjustments you can make when using trekking poles in deep snow is to add a large diameter basket near the tip. They make the impact of your trekking pole tips a lot gentler (you’ll feel that in your arms) and can give you a far more secure walking pole placement by reducing the unexpected skidding of your poles that can happen when you put the bare metal tips on rock. Different poles using different mechanisms, but usually, it involves: Here are the other types of trekking pole locks; Twist lock: Uses an expander and screw to lock the pole into place. The pole tip can easily gain traction in mud, dirt, snow or ice without leaving any permanent damage to the trail or making much noise. If you are new to the world of hiking or backpacking then check out our hiking 101 guide, or alternatively, get started on your prep by going through our guides on what to bring hiking or for longer trips, our backpacking gear checklist. This is a great way to reduce impact experienced by your joints when your entire body weight comes crashing down onto the next step. This should be a subtle, natural movement with the arms and less of a noticeable pickup and throw forward. Trekking pole use for hiking, walking, and backpacking is a given for most experienced outdoor travelers, yet we often see new hikers hesitant to bring them along. (If the tension is too high or too loose the clasp won’t lock properly. The grip of your trekking pole should feel comfortable immediately, without causing any undue pressure or pinching. Slide your hand up through the strap from behind the pole’s grip, Grip the handle of your trekking pole – the strap should now be running down, between your thumb and forefinger into your palm and around the back of your wrist, Make sure that there are no extra twists in the strap and that the webbing sits flush against your skin, If you let go of the pole it should fall down out of your hand, How to adjust them for different terrains, Adjust your poles to the proper length before hiking, Use the wrist straps for reducing hand/wrist fatigue, Know basic maintenance for handling problems on the trail, Remember to use the proper tip (carbide for soft soils and rubber for rocky surfaces), Assume that trekking poles are unnecessary, Be afraid to commit some weight to the poles while hiking – that’s what they are for. Downhill you can adjust the length of your poles … how to use trekking poles are extendable will. Opposite pole out after each step leg fatigue indeed where there is great... 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