Trekking poles vs a stick

I have a pair of the cork-handled Black Diamond "Gradient" poles w/snow basket's and they're my go-to set - hundreds of miles on 'em and never a problem. I use the rubber tip protectors in the non-snowy months so they're a little quieter on the trail. I would pick up a 2nd set of the rubber tips - it's nice to have a spare if one gets lost or worn out (and who knows when they'll change the tip design...).

I've found the wrist straps to be OK on the BD's, not excellent though. Mine don't loosen up (at least not yet....), but the twist in the strap just never seems to lie as flat (initially) without a bit of messing with.

Enjoy!!!
 
Another use for 2-pole hiking. You can use the poles to test the trail when hiking on heavily overgrown trails or in the dark. I've tapped a few holes and washed-away trails hidden by overgrowth which saved me from a nasty fall, twisted ankle or slide down a hillside.
 
I made my own, about 10 years ago. I took the heads off of a graphite driver and an iron golf club. I also took the handle off of the iron's handle. Then, inserted the graphite shaft into the steel shaft, making two shafts into one longer one. They fit together without any glue, and don't rattle at all. The carbide tips were $25 from REI, and didn't require any glue either. I can't even get them apart without cutting something off.
Although I have not weighed my trekking pole, it is only a few ounces, and I have beat the hell out of it. I can put all my weight, with a full pack, on this thing and it flexes just a bit. It has enough give to have some shock absorbtion, it just vibrates a bit. Lighter than any stick, cheaper than trekking poles. So light, that I only need a finger and thumb to walk the trail, a flick of the wrist moves the whole pole.

Not a great photo but...

necklaceanddog027.jpg

necklaceanddog028.jpg
 
I poo-poo'd trekking poles for many years, my wife got a set because her knees would hurt on descents. She quickly fell in love w/ them. One day she had me try them out, it was long after I ordered a pair for myself :)

stream crossings (this particular stretch we made over 100 stream crossings in 20 miles!) they are a god send

janwaterxing.jpg


snow shoeing w/ snow baskets -ditto

paandbeeve.jpg


they even now help form my shelters :D

solotswbivy.jpg
 
I really like that walking stick skyhorse. It reminds of a nice one I found while on a camping trip. I let a friend have it and lent him my knife to shape it. Unfortunately he left it behind. Sometimes I'm left trying to hold onto my trekking poles while adjusting something and walking at the same time. I've never left anyone behind while using them on a walk. If anything they've had to slow down for me to adjust them, or hold both in one hand while trying to get a drink, readjust some clothing, etc.
 
My wife uses the retractable poles for snow shoeing. Haven't tried them and maybe should, as I really damaged my left knee this summer.
 
People will spend thousands of dollars trying to drop 5 pounds from their pack weight, yet they carry around the weight of their arms (about 10 lbs. each) no matter where they go. Imagine if they could design some kind of a support that transfered the weight of your arms to the ground...
 
I used to think trekking poles were a bit goofy until trying them. I will never go back to using just a hiking stick. I have a nice hickory stick, and while it's great for its strength (I could really whomp or jab something with it, should I need to) it doesn't match my trekking poles for utility and versatility. Trekking poles shine for a few reasons:

-4 legs is more stable than 3
-trekking poles are so light, compared to most hiking sticks
-I can collapse my poles and strap them away when I want my hands free or my kit to take up as little room as possible, and being able to adjust the height is great.
-having two poles handy makes setting up a quick lean-to, A-frame, or other support-dependent shelter that much quicker. Again, being able to adjust the height is a nice bonus.
-Using a pair of poles spreads the weight and transfers power more evenly
-a pair of poles is better at saving knees on descents or aiding in ascents

The only thing I occasionally dislike about trekking poles is having to pay attention to where you put a pair of tips, vs. just the single tip on a hiking stick. This can be an annoyance on really rocky terrain.
 
Last edited:
I'm a stick guy. I know trekking poles have several advantages, but I like having a hand free and being able to brace both hands on the stick if needed. Stick is also more personal, it can be personalized and become like and "old friend" in a way that metal poles don't. I don't do much long-distance hiking; I would pick up some poles were I to hike the PCT or AT, etc.
 
BD Carbon Cork for me please. When I first started doing 14'ers (peaks over 14,000'), I thought the folks with "ski poles" as I called them, were buying into the marketing hype far too much. My father-in-law keeps a pair of them at my house for when he visits CO and I decided to give them a try one afternoon on a local mountain less than a mile from home. I returned with them two hours later.

I won't leave the parking lot without a pair now. Properly using the straps is absolutely KEY in taking full advantage of trekking poles, and the adjustable height is important as you use a different length for ascent than you do for descent. I did 22 14'ers last Summer and my knees thank me for using those poles, as well as it making the ascent easier as well.
 
hatidua said:
[...]Properly using the straps is absolutely KEY in taking full advantage of trekking poles, and the adjustable height is important as you use a different length for ascent than you do for descent.[...]
Click to expand...

Definitely :thumbup:
 
I don't backpack without a set of trekking poles any more. Dayhikes I usually use a single pole. They're much lighter than a stick, and with a proper wrist strap setup much much more comfortable and supportive. I also use mine to set up my shelter.
 
I agree with having one hand free, so I'm going the lightweight "stick" route as an aid during moderate hiking. I have typical age-related osteoarthritis pain in hips, feet and other joints. I nearly gave in to it until starting a daily walking routine and extending my limits (until I sit down awhile and stiffen up :( ).

My thought on "sticks" was prompted by Cold Steel's recent moving/parking lot sale. C-S is not far from here, so I ended up coming home with a very lightweight Slim Stick for hiking and a City Stick (bought with aluminum head and subsequently added the much heavier cast stainless "skull" head). For hiking with the "Slim", I bought a few Black Diamond 3/8" ID trekking pole rubber tips. For urban walking with the heavier semi-tactical "City", a few 5/8" ID Nev-A-Slip rubber tips. I'm ready now to put stick to ground and see if my concept works...
 
Lets not forget that using two poles properly would also give you a great upper body work out. Dont so much grab the pole but use the strap and let it hold the weight. What the poles would do is transfer the body weight from the legs to your arms. So you still going to move around the same weight but now your arms would take some of it. Not sure but i think it should be about 20%. When i go on hikes I try and use the poles are a work out EQ. Had some guys tell me that one reason i go up a hill so fast was cause the poles make it easy. When i let them borrow them and showed how to use it they were out of breath by the tiime they got to the top. Saying that they can feel the hands and the stomach muscles getting sore. Exaggerate the hand movement and use the pole to help push your self forward. One thing that i noticed about walking up a steep hill, with poles you tend to walk more up right which helps breath. With out the poles we tend to lean forward. Its also a great way to get a workout outside doing what you love and it would prepare you for longer and tougher hikes. I got into it after i hurt both knees, Now i use them all the time going up or down a steep trail.

Sasha
 
ThriftyJoe said:
Anybody want to tell me why old aluminum ski poles can't be used to see if you like trekking poles? (to be bought later if the experiment works)
Click to expand...


no reason at all- insure they are the correct length and you'll want to cut down or remove the snow baskets on them
 
Adjustable trekking poles; I'm a convert, for all the reasons mentioned above.... Try em, you'll see! Nothing wrong with my knees but I still use them for longer/tougher hikes. And you can always use just one or none on the easy parts, the energy savings on hills more than makes up for the weight, (less than 1.5 lbs in most cases) plus they can double as tent poles.
 
I ended up getting a pair of black diamond cork handled poles with the flick lock. They are great! I have only used one so far, haven't quite got into using both at the same time yet. I really like having a hand free for the terrain I hike. I will probably use both for snowshoeing but thanks for all the replies guys you pushed me over the edge and it feels good!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top