Trekking Poles: Do You Need Them?
By Howard E. Friedman DPM

Moses in the Bible traveled through the desert for 40 years with one. In literature, Gandolf the Grey, in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, travels with one, too. And, the highly experienced backpacker, Andrew Skurka, has trekked well more than 10,000 miles with a pair of them.

“I hike nowhere without my two trekking poles”, Skurka, named ‘Adventurer of the Year’ by National Geographic Adventure magazine for 2007, writes on his backpacking website.

Yet, many hikers and backpackers are still not convinced of the usefulness of hiking, or, trekking poles, and, many of the ones who are, still use only one pole.

Advocates of trekking poles say they decrease pressure on the knees, especially going up or down hill. And, advocates of a type of exercise walking, called Nordic walking, maintain that the poles even help with walking on a level surface.

What does the Research Show?

Research published in scientific journals supports the use of two trekking poles, especially going up or down hill.  One article, published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise in 2000, loaded volunteers with a backpack equal to 30% of their body weight and monitored their walking for 60 minutes on a treadmill with five degrees of incline. Those using two hiking poles had a longer length of their stride with a shorter frequency of strides. The muscles in the legs were less active as well, energy consumption while carrying the poles did not increase, and, test subjects perceived their workout with poles to be less taxing than the same routine without poles.

Another scientific article, published in the Journal of Sports Sciences in 1999, evaluated how trekking poles affected forces on the knees while hiking downhill. Volunteers were monitored while carrying a backpack weighing  about 17 pounds, walking on a ramp downhill 25 degrees with and without two trekking poles. The poles were adjusted to about 2/3 of their body height while participants walked at a constant rate wearing hiking boots. The authors concluded that an important force on the knee (ground reaction force) decreased as much as 20% using two hiking poles. Other forces on the knee also decreased. The greatest decrease occurred while the hikers had both poles on the ground when one foot was in the air between steps.

And a third study, published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine in 2000, determined that 20 volunteers, walking uphill at a grade of up to 25% carrying about 33 lbs in an internal frame Gregory backpack said their perceived exertion was less while walking with a pair of Leki brand poles than walking without them. In addition, no significant increase in energy expenditure was noted while using trekking poles, despite the extra weight, about 24 ounces for the pair, and the extra arm motions. Test subjects also said they relied more on the poles the steeper the grade.


Walking Stick, Stave, or Trekking Pole?

Many a hiker has made his or her way over a rocky brook crossing with the aid of a nearby thick, relatively straight downed branch. Some hikers routinely use a walking stick, carefully crafted from a downed branch, but finished and smoothed to be easier to use. So, what are the advantages of an expensive trekking pole?

Modern trekking poles have many features. They are made from reinforced aluminum or carbon graphite to be very strong. They have a cushioned, ergonomic foam or cork composite hand grip. One innovative company, Pacerpoles, has situated the handles at an oblique angle claiming they make the pole use more efficient. Many poles have fabric straps attached to the hand-grip to secure the poles from slipping away.

Trekking poles have three sections, which can be extended or collapsed. A locking ring mechanism is the most common method of securing the bottom and middle section of the pole at the desired length. A twist to the right locks the pole while a twist to the left unlocks it. One locking ring controls the bottom pole section while another ring maintains the middle section. An optional feature is a small spring in the center of the pole, which can be turned on or off, to give a bit of extra shock absorption when the pole hits the ground.

The bottom of the trekking pole usually has a strong carbide tip, which resists wear and tear. Sitting just above the carbide tip is a plastic circular basket like device. This feature helps the pole resist plunging far into the mud or boggy ground. A special snow basket can be placed on for snow treks. This modification will make the poles more useful in deeper snow by increasing the surface area of the basket.

Since trekking poles are made for rugged use, pole parts such as hand-cushions, carbide tips and locking rings can generally be replaced if needed.

In contrast, walking poles for the exercise discipline called Nordic walking, have a more secure wrist strap mechanism, a modified and angled rubber tip, may only be one or two sections, not three, and are lighter in weight. They are not designed to bear the full weight of the walker, rather, just assist in walking. A hiking or trekking pole is designed for more rugged use and pressures.


Extra Weight or Worth Their Weight?

In the age of ‘lightweight’ hiking and backpacking, some argue that any extra unnecessary weight is a burden that can slow a hiker down. However, people who regularly use trekking poles wouldn’t hike without them.

“Trekking poles are a staple in my gear list, about as important as my shelter or rain jacket,” Skurka wrote in an email. “They put some extra power into my step,” he added.

The additional weight for a pair of collapsible three-section trekking poles varies in the range of 17 ounces to more than 24 ounces. And research studies have shown that carrying this additional weight does not impact the hiker’s performance. Indeed, metabolic use was not increased with pole use, according to researchers.

Many hikers and backpackers have further justified the extra weight of carrying trekking poles by finding additional uses for their trekking poles. These include double-duty as tent or tarp poles and even make-shift poles to string a laundry line to dry rain-soaked clothes. To further make the poles lightweight, some backpackers remove the wrist straps and the baskets from the bottom of the poles.

Personal Experiences

Over the past several years I have become convinced of the usefulness of hiking poles. Before making any investment, however, I ‘borrowed’ two identical kitchen mop handles, unscrewed the mop attachment, and hit the trail. I appreciated the poles during any stream crossing and especially going downhill. On more than one occasion being able to plant a pole into the ground prevented or minimized an ankle sprain or fall. Eventually I began using LEKI Makalau trekking poles. I have also used Komperdell Mountaineer Anit-shock poles.

While I rarely adjust the pole length during a hike, preferring instead to simply ‘choke’ up on the pole if I am going uphill, I do find the adjustable feature important. First, I adjust the pole length to a size that suits me, being certain to tighten the locking rings to avoid slippage. Once my hiking pole did shorten unexpectedly since I had not tightened the adjustment well enough. Second, if I need to use my hands for an uphill climb, I can collapse and stow the poles in my backpack. I am careful now to make sure that I have tightened all the adjustments, since once or twice the pole

Overall, I would add my voice to the comment that I also do not hike anywear without my two hiking poles.

Howard E. Friedman DPM, www.yourfootdoc.net, is a podiatrist treating hikers and non-hikers in Suffern, NY.


Sidebar

Leading Trekking Pole Manufacturers:

Black Diamond (www.bdel.com)
Komperdell (www.komperdell.com)
Leki (www.leki.com)
MSR (www.msrgear.com)
Pacerpoles (www.pacerpole.com)


Trekking Pole Features

Foam or cork hand-grip
Adjustable wrist-straps.
3 Section adjustable length
Rugged carbide tip
Anti-shock absorber available on some models.

Howard E. Friedman DPM