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OT: Trekking Poles
- Thread starter cliff355
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munk said:
Yeah I was hiking with them on the Allegheny Front, where the wind blows 24/7 and I kept hearing this flute like sound. I thought it was something on my pack. Turned out the little holes in the hollow pole body that the spring loaded button fits in to lock it into position (the ones that didn't have the button in it) were catching the wind when they were turned a certain way.
If that amazes you I better not tell you about the built in I Pod or liquor flask built into it, or the special bong attachment
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Trekking poles done right can save knees and save you from injury. Dual, lightweight walking sticks that can take a lot of force and impact off your joints are good for those doing long, heavy days on the trail, especially on rough terrain. Something anti-rustic about the whole thing, I admit, but it works.
Nam
Nam
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namaarie said:
Maybe someone needs to manufacture a trekking pole with a simulated wood grain finish.
Dual, lightweight walking sticks that can take a lot of force and impact off your joints are good for those doing long, heavy days on the trail, especially on rough terrain.>>>>>>>>>>> Namarie
Contradiction- there is no 'rough terrain' on 'the trail'. IN the 'rough terrain' I walk, your sticks would mostly be in the way.
What impact? I have a ruptured disk and collasped disks and what have you- what impact? You are walking and hiking- you are not jogging on pavement.
One is supposed to be sufficiently prepared to hike that one's joints are well lubricated by prior motion.
Your sticks are fine for trail systems. They are fine for the reasons you and others list- stability, comfort, distribution of weight, and speed. They are no good if one needs another hand quickly, in rough terrain, thick forest, around family members, etc etc.
If you want to go fast, buy a motor. If you are single and walking with sticks, I suggest strongly you walk with a female and do not take your sticks, as you will find better uses for a free hand.
If two sticks were desirable, there would be a history. There isn't much, is there? I imagine some people have used their wooden ski poles to climb mountains. Past the tree line I can see more use. But we have no record of Lewis and Clark using two ski poles, do we?
There are good reasons to keep a free hand, and many reasons to keep two free hands.
munk
Contradiction- there is no 'rough terrain' on 'the trail'. IN the 'rough terrain' I walk, your sticks would mostly be in the way.
What impact? I have a ruptured disk and collasped disks and what have you- what impact? You are walking and hiking- you are not jogging on pavement.
One is supposed to be sufficiently prepared to hike that one's joints are well lubricated by prior motion.
Your sticks are fine for trail systems. They are fine for the reasons you and others list- stability, comfort, distribution of weight, and speed. They are no good if one needs another hand quickly, in rough terrain, thick forest, around family members, etc etc.
If you want to go fast, buy a motor. If you are single and walking with sticks, I suggest strongly you walk with a female and do not take your sticks, as you will find better uses for a free hand.
If two sticks were desirable, there would be a history. There isn't much, is there? I imagine some people have used their wooden ski poles to climb mountains. Past the tree line I can see more use. But we have no record of Lewis and Clark using two ski poles, do we?
There are good reasons to keep a free hand, and many reasons to keep two free hands.
munk
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munk said:
Munk,
You obviously hike in much different terrain than what I am talking about, or you are one hell of a man.
Poles are not about being faster for me. They are more about feeling good at the end of a hike as opposed to being worn out for 2 days after.
Here are a couple of pictures of the type of trails I am talking about. Maybe you have not spent as much time hiking in these types of trails, but they are common in the Wilderness here:
http://ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?p=386359#post386359
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I've had some 12 mile hikes on rocky Appalachian terrain that wore me out for a day. I just use a hiking stick. If I start getting into longer hikes, I might try trek poles, I can see how they work, but until I need the extra speed or recovery time, I'll stick with a stick.
First, I'm not 'one hell of a man', though I am a little crazy. Maybe all those years of wandering the Mojave alone changed me.
Second, the stream bed photo you show isn't bad, and the 'trail' up the rocks, the exception rather than the rule within organized trail systems. You know this too. Be that as it may, that trail was a walk in the Park. You could easily do that trail. The fact it is made of many large rocks really doesn't make it hard- just FUN!!!
Rocks are fun. Large rocks a lot of fun. Joshua Tree was my favorite place for many years.
Anyway, one 'bad' stretch does not a trail system make. I've hiked forest service trails all over the West, especially Calif. Your poles would do beautifully there.
But even in Calif, once you leave the trail, and go cross country, your poles are of less use. There's chapperal too thick for my coat to slip through, let alone two ski poles. And the ledges and rock berms.
I do not understand why you wish to take a fall with both hands full.
I will not keep both hands full when I'm with my sons, have need of a weapon, and in rough terrain.
This discussion is interesting. Let those who want poles have them. Don't get overly thoughtful if I think them amusing or of limited use. So what?
Just one more Desert loon here.
munk
Second, the stream bed photo you show isn't bad, and the 'trail' up the rocks, the exception rather than the rule within organized trail systems. You know this too. Be that as it may, that trail was a walk in the Park. You could easily do that trail. The fact it is made of many large rocks really doesn't make it hard- just FUN!!!
Rocks are fun. Large rocks a lot of fun. Joshua Tree was my favorite place for many years.
Anyway, one 'bad' stretch does not a trail system make. I've hiked forest service trails all over the West, especially Calif. Your poles would do beautifully there.
But even in Calif, once you leave the trail, and go cross country, your poles are of less use. There's chapperal too thick for my coat to slip through, let alone two ski poles. And the ledges and rock berms.
I do not understand why you wish to take a fall with both hands full.
I will not keep both hands full when I'm with my sons, have need of a weapon, and in rough terrain.
This discussion is interesting. Let those who want poles have them. Don't get overly thoughtful if I think them amusing or of limited use. So what?
Just one more Desert loon here.
munk
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Stream bed? Which one you talking about? The railroad grade in the first pic? Both of those pics are on top of the mt.
No actually they are pretty typical of the area. Dolly Sods was a huge spruce forest at the turn of the century. There was a layer of peat 6' deep. It was completely logged and then caught fire. It burned for months as the peat burned off and supposedly you could see the smoke as far as DC. So basically what you have left is what is under the soil, rock.
The stream is at the bottom of the mountain.
No need to carry a gun and worry about having my hands free in any of the Wilderness here. No lions. Only black bears and they are shy. The greatest risk in these places is to drop a foot in the holes between the rocks and break your ankle, or fall. Both of those places are about 10 miles from the nearest road.
Rather than falling with both hands full, the sticks have saved me from falling multiple times. My balance sucks and balancing on rocks with a pack is hard for me.
No actually they are pretty typical of the area. Dolly Sods was a huge spruce forest at the turn of the century. There was a layer of peat 6' deep. It was completely logged and then caught fire. It burned for months as the peat burned off and supposedly you could see the smoke as far as DC. So basically what you have left is what is under the soil, rock.
The stream is at the bottom of the mountain.
No need to carry a gun and worry about having my hands free in any of the Wilderness here. No lions. Only black bears and they are shy. The greatest risk in these places is to drop a foot in the holes between the rocks and break your ankle, or fall. Both of those places are about 10 miles from the nearest road.
Rather than falling with both hands full, the sticks have saved me from falling multiple times. My balance sucks and balancing on rocks with a pack is hard for me.
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cliff355 said:
Yeah, they would be a definate disadvantage if you need to have your gun hand ready at any instant.
Cliff,
Do you grip yours much? I find if I adjust the poles hand straps to where the handstraps are so positioned as to be able to put the weight on my wrists, and just very loosely grip the handles I get mor out of them than when I actually hold the poles. Then if I am going through thick rhododendron on each side to where the poles would tangle in it I just drop my hands and let the poles drag behind me on the hand straps.
No actually they are pretty typical of the area.>>>
As I said, you may come to these features, but are you going to tell me now you hike 12 or 40 miles solid of such obstacles without interuption? You took photos of some interesting obstacles along the trail. They are common in that you come to them, but they are not the norm.
I can say 'shale slopes' are common in my area, and even have to climb or cross them. But I do not walk on shale slope as a constant of my travels thorugh Eastern Montana. There are natural features and obstacles even improved trails cross or must deal with. To say they are the norm is stretching a point.
munk
As I said, you may come to these features, but are you going to tell me now you hike 12 or 40 miles solid of such obstacles without interuption? You took photos of some interesting obstacles along the trail. They are common in that you come to them, but they are not the norm.
I can say 'shale slopes' are common in my area, and even have to climb or cross them. But I do not walk on shale slope as a constant of my travels thorugh Eastern Montana. There are natural features and obstacles even improved trails cross or must deal with. To say they are the norm is stretching a point.
munk
Well, there are currently 500,000 Finnlanders using them, and thus history of the trekking pole has begun as the history of the Rapala fishing lure began in circa 1960 A.D.>>>>>>>>> Cliff
Did the Finnish Government notify you of the exact number of people using two poles each? And we should do this why?
Really- to each his own. I once saw a skateboarder cruising down the main highway in Joshua Tree National Park.
munk
Did the Finnish Government notify you of the exact number of people using two poles each? And we should do this why?
Really- to each his own. I once saw a skateboarder cruising down the main highway in Joshua Tree National Park.
munk
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munk said:
So let me get this straight:
You've never tried hiking poles yourself but you feel that they aren't useful, and that we are deceiving ourselves.
You've never hiked any of the trails that I have hiked but you think I am lying when I say that rocky steep trails are typical of the trails I backpack on.
Well I guess you must be absolutely right and I am wrong.
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cliff355 said:
That's been my same experience. I tried them without and my upper body was more tense. I do like to grip them and lean on them when I'm winded though. Keeps me from passing out.
So let me get this straight:
You've never tried hiking poles yourself but you feel that they aren't useful, and that we are deceiving ourselves.
You've never hiked any of the trails that I have hiked but you think I am lying when I say that rocky steep trails are typical of the trails I backpack on.
Well I guess you must be absolutely right and I am wrong. >>>>>>>>
No, not at all; I think this is a troll post, though. The peaceful/conciliatory statements I've made you've overlooked for your own reasons.
I would almost think you did not want this thread to end kindly, that drawing an exagerated portrait of my actions and views better suits the image you wish to leave, or hope now, as you've done in the past, to plant enough bait for me to jump.
From everything you've said, I think the poles work well for you. I especially like the idea of the additional safety, not the emphasis on speed. I do not believe for one second, though, that the Appalachians and other chains are different particularly from environs I've traveled. That includes all the Rocky Mountain States, three major deserts, plains, and forests.
As I said, I've no doubt you could beat me to the top of a mountain from a trail with your poles. Now, how that calls you a liar is beyond this reader.
munk
You've never tried hiking poles yourself but you feel that they aren't useful, and that we are deceiving ourselves.
You've never hiked any of the trails that I have hiked but you think I am lying when I say that rocky steep trails are typical of the trails I backpack on.
Well I guess you must be absolutely right and I am wrong. >>>>>>>>
No, not at all; I think this is a troll post, though. The peaceful/conciliatory statements I've made you've overlooked for your own reasons.
I would almost think you did not want this thread to end kindly, that drawing an exagerated portrait of my actions and views better suits the image you wish to leave, or hope now, as you've done in the past, to plant enough bait for me to jump.
From everything you've said, I think the poles work well for you. I especially like the idea of the additional safety, not the emphasis on speed. I do not believe for one second, though, that the Appalachians and other chains are different particularly from environs I've traveled. That includes all the Rocky Mountain States, three major deserts, plains, and forests.
As I said, I've no doubt you could beat me to the top of a mountain from a trail with your poles. Now, how that calls you a liar is beyond this reader.
munk
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- May 21, 2001
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- 1,668
Hi,
I'd like to drop my .02 here before this turns into a flamewar.
I use trekking poles and I love them. I went on a hike with a number of my friends a couple of years back and managed to beat the bejeebus out of my knees. It was crippling pain and I still deal with it. To be brutally honest, if I were more dilligent about doing my physical therapy it wouldn't be bothering me anywhere nearly like it does when I sit on my butt. Anyway, on the last day of the torture session -er hike, we ran into someone we knew and seeing my discomfort, he lent me his trekking poles. The difference it made was incredible. I felt like I was able to just glide along the trail (White Mountains, NH) and my knees didn't hurt nearly as badly. I ordered some Leki Makalus as soon as I got home.
I'm not interested in speed hiking. Some are and hey... Good on ya. When I'm out in the mountains hiking, I want to take my time. I like to look around and enjoy the beauty that is our great outdoors. I like the fact that if I so desired, I could collapse the poles to about two foot long sections and stowe them in my ruck very easily. They are lightweight and the ergonomic design of the handles makes them a pleasure to use. I do get the occasional ribbing from others on the trail from time to time because they do look like ski poles. Personally, I just laugh along with them and take it as a means of opening a conversation. It's all good natured ribbing that I've come across, but it isn't too often that anyone says anything as trekking poles are really pretty common in the New England area.
I can't remember if you have or not, Munk, but give them a try sometime. They aren't for every terrain, but they work great in a lot of them.
I'd like to drop my .02 here before this turns into a flamewar.
I use trekking poles and I love them. I went on a hike with a number of my friends a couple of years back and managed to beat the bejeebus out of my knees. It was crippling pain and I still deal with it. To be brutally honest, if I were more dilligent about doing my physical therapy it wouldn't be bothering me anywhere nearly like it does when I sit on my butt. Anyway, on the last day of the torture session -er hike, we ran into someone we knew and seeing my discomfort, he lent me his trekking poles. The difference it made was incredible. I felt like I was able to just glide along the trail (White Mountains, NH) and my knees didn't hurt nearly as badly. I ordered some Leki Makalus as soon as I got home.
I'm not interested in speed hiking. Some are and hey... Good on ya. When I'm out in the mountains hiking, I want to take my time. I like to look around and enjoy the beauty that is our great outdoors. I like the fact that if I so desired, I could collapse the poles to about two foot long sections and stowe them in my ruck very easily. They are lightweight and the ergonomic design of the handles makes them a pleasure to use. I do get the occasional ribbing from others on the trail from time to time because they do look like ski poles. Personally, I just laugh along with them and take it as a means of opening a conversation. It's all good natured ribbing that I've come across, but it isn't too often that anyone says anything as trekking poles are really pretty common in the New England area.
I can't remember if you have or not, Munk, but give them a try sometime. They aren't for every terrain, but they work great in a lot of them.