OT: Trekking Poles

Glad to help. I thought they were total yuppie BS till I actually tried some. Shows how wrong I can be!
 
I think they are fine if you want to go as quickly from point A to point B as you can. Most of the time I do not want to do that. If I were on asphalt, I see no reason to linger. If I were in the woods, I see no reason to hurry. A motorcycle would be more efficient yet.

Back when I was full of oats I could jog uphill for quite a while. I imagine this is a little faster than life with ski poles. I didn't see much, but I was in good shape and got to the top of the mountain first.

Esthetically, ( and I doubt I've spelled that correctly so perhaps should be banned from its use) two ski poles in the woods is grotesque. I would even prefer the, "Staff of Moses" to that, leading my People to the Promised Land. My own hiking sticks are simple and elegant, and do not rise above my head, so I'll be leading no ethnic migration anytime soon.

I'm a father, and having two hands occupied with ski poles unacceptable. I often am carrying or holding a small fellow who needs the assist. I doubt he'll be as happy holding onto my ski pole and flopping violently about as I 'make speed'.

Also, I carry a khuk or firearm or both, and need a hand free to use them. There are too many Mountain lions here, I'm not kidding, and having my three young 'steakettes' with me makes this a real issue.

There is a device on TV I've seen that accomplishes the same thing as hiking with ski poles- a platform where you get an upper body workout as well as your legs. With ski poles I truly doubt you've expended less calories, but have probably distributed the work load more effectively so you feel better- your arms and upper torso did some of the labor, and spared your legs. All you need is your own livingroom and a film screen in front of you showing the open road. Ah, what the heck; why not listen to your favorite rocknroll music instead or watch TV? Why go out of doors in the first place?

Yuppie? Yes. Ski poles are yuppie. You might consider form fitting day glow material as well, cutting down on your wind resistance. Goggles are a must.

But seriously, I begrudge no one having fun and getting a good workout. In the broken land I hike, either near my home or in the Mo River breaks, I can't see much use for ski poles anyway. Too much material in your way. The tangled Chokecherry and Serviceberry, the young conifers, the dense pine stands, the mud, the rocks, the dinosaur earth; you aint going that fast. Ski poles are best in maintained trails. You'd be forever putting them down, switching them between hands, in your pack, etc etc. Or you'd fall right on your butt or face without a free hand to catch you.
If I have a maintained trail to travel, and the closet thing here are cow trails, I'll take my Mountain Bike. That's Yuppie too. But I can live with it.

One final note; no one with ski poles for hiking will be permitted in the munk Compound come the End of the World. For better or worse, munk tribe doesn't want your DNA. Using ski poles for hiking is too close to the same thinking that brought the End in the first place.

munk
 
I don't think you thunk it through, Munk. Doesn't everything depend on *how* he got those ski poles?

Save a tree, mug a yuppy. :cool:

;)

Stephen
 
Why is it those most decrying the deforestation of the Rain forest have homes tastefully furnished in Brazilian oak?


>>>>>>>>>>>

More on Poles; in the desert, there are some open stretches, and I'm thinking of the Mojave and Great Basin, where hoofing it fast would work out OK. But even there you better be careful and watch your step. Snakes don't give a damn how efficiently you're traveling- just that you bounced too close. IN the Sonoran; forget it. You couldn't make that country with a ski pole in each hand, or be possessed of any common sense if you did. There is too much plant life, too many ripping thorns, too many rocks and drops.


munk
 
Single pole is not as good for me. Might be for some. Sometimes I just take 1 if I am not carrying a pack.

In brush situations I tend to either just let mine drag behind me or hook them to my pack, depending on the extent.

The main times I use mine are going uphill. Maybe cause I weigh too much, but using the poles uphill turn you from a 2 footed to a 4 footed person, and relieve a lot of back and leg pain.

The other time I use mine is backpacking. I find with a 30 to 50 lb pack on my back that the weight relief makes a big difference, again especially uphill. Another thing, and maybe it's just me, or maybe those that backpack will chime in, but one thing I find really takes it out of you is traversing boulder fields with no soil with a pack on, because you tense your muscles a lot trying to balance on the rocks. The poles give you just enough balance to where it takes a lot of strain off, especiall climbing over downed trees or rocks.

Munk, I agree that aesthetically that ski poles look funny in the woods, but on the other hand so do nylon packs, and non leather hiking boots, but all 3 make backpacking so much easier and enjoyable for me ;)
 
Stephen Hamilton said:
I don't think you thunk it through, Munk. Doesn't everything depend on *how* he got those ski poles?

Save a tree, mug a yuppy. :cool:

;)

Stephen
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Wonder if they make them out of recycled Budweiser cans! :D
 
I'm not suggesting taking them away from you. To each his own.
In the places I love you'd get weary fast of having to take them down and back out all the time, and you sure as heck couldn't let them trail behind you.

I see poles as a personal performance measure.


munk
 
Cliff,
I don't need to go that fast and can't anyway without maintained trails.

I remember one summer I made a 1000 feet up a steep mountain in 30 minutes. Another time I carried my friend's pack up to Gorgonia in San Bernardino Ca, and ran all the way down the mountain to the car.

I didn't see a darned thing. Just a blur of green stuff. But I was in shape and felt great. I beat a 17 year old hotshot up Taquitz Peak, was there 10 minutes before he arrived. Didn't see a darned thing but blurred green things and rock like images. But I was in shape.

You guys are performance hiking. Fine with me.

I should note there was a 70 year old duffer who beat me up Gorgonio one year never out of breath and one time on Taquitz a fellow ran by me, going uphill!!


munk
 
munk said:
Cliff,
I don't need to go that fast and can't anyway without maintained trails.

You guys are performance hiking.
munk
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I'm slow even with poles. For me it mainly amounts to the poles let me make it to where I plan to camp before dark. ;)
 
Cliff, when Mountain bikes came out it was a natural for me. I loved bikes and a bike that could go (with work) to where I loved best to go was just wonderful.

I actually enjoy climbing more than descent.


take care,

munk
 
I like two trekking poles because they make me that much more stable, which means safer. I go hiking alone alot, so I figure I'm already taking some chances there.


They take a lot of strain off of your knees, back, and spine, which at the end of the day can be a real welcome benefit.

But I've also seen lots of people out there without anything, or with one big 'ol wooden stick. And they all seem happy just to be out there.

To each his own, eh.

~ bamboo
 
cliff355 said:
After reading Hollowdweller's endorsement some time ago, I picked up a set of "trekking poles" and have put a fair number of miles on them in the past month or so.

Cliff, would you bring me up to speed on your trekking poles? What brand? Where did you get them? I liked you comments (and enjoyed reading Munk's) but missed Hollowdweller's endorsement, maybe that link would help

Thanks
pragitam
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Pragitam said:
cliff355 said:
After reading Hollowdweller's endorsement some time ago, I picked up a set of "trekking poles" and have put a fair number of miles on them in the past month or so.

Cliff, would you bring me up to speed on your trekking poles? What brand? Where did you get them? I liked you comments (and enjoyed reading Munk's) but missed Hollowdweller's endorsement, maybe that link would help

Thanks
pragitam
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Read this. Says it better than I can:

http://www.backpacking.net/trekpole.html
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The only thing I ask of you ski pole people is when you pass me on the trail, you don't run me over and leave puncture wounds on my backside.



munk
 
cliff355 said:
Prag:

I got a big discount on mine through my health plan, which subsidizes such things in hopes there will be fewer trips to the Drs. office etc. The ones I got are by "Leki" and have some type of shock absorber feature which reduces impact on hard surfaces. This feature can be switched on and off and I have tried it both ways. It is a little more pleasant with the shocks, but I could go either way and the ones without shocks fold up shorter.

I got mine off the shelf at REI, but just noticed www.campmor.com has the same poles for ALOT less.
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I have the Campmor super cheapie models and they work fine. However they adjust with a spring loaded button and if you hike in heavy wind they kind of do a flute type noise :eek:
 
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