Walking Sticks

   Most any sort of hiking stick or trekking poles system can increase hiking range as well as reduce the potential of injury.  Some hikers swear by dual adjustable treking poles, some to dual poles, some prefer single hiking sticks/poles. There are pro and con to each system. Personally, I'm a single fixed length stick hiker (I use a bamboo XC pole) as I find it more versatile as well as more functional than other systems I've tried.

• I like to have one hand free to hold and do other things.  
  • It's tough to take a picture when you've got poles in both hands.  
  • You can't eat or drink while walking without putting one pole down.
• There is less equipment involved.  Less equipment to carry, less equipment to pack if you decide not to use the poles.  
• There are half the number of pole plant locations to look for.
  • This frees up more time to look around while moving forward.
  • I've run across many 'trekers' who hardly have time to look up from the trail. They are too focused upon using their trekking poles to 'smell the roses'.
• Trekking poles are typically held more like downhill ski poles, with the forearm near level to the ground. This provides great balance, but only modest gains in power.
• I hold and use my single XC pole more like how XC ski poles are used.
  • When the pole passes the body, the arm is bent with my wrist almost against my shoulder.
  • This transfers a large amount of the weight of the pack (and body) to the pole with minimal effort.
  • I then push off the pole as I pass the pole, moving along the trail much like a gondola.
  • This technique isn't readily adaptable to dual poles.
• You can "adjust" the length of the pole on the fly by how you hold the stick without going thru the expense (and extra weight) of adjustable trekking poles. The technique I uses is as follows --
  • Long -- Palm on top for long pushing strokes and reaching downhill and for stream crossing.
  • Normal -- Hand in wrist strap and grip as normal.
  • Short -- Thumb in wrist strap and grip down the pole. For going up steep hills.
  • This technique can obviously be adapted to dual trekking poles.  In fact, slightly longer downhill ski poles with loose straps would work fine as dual trekking poles and cost much less that trekking poles.

   As noted, there is pro and con to hiking sticks and trekking poles.  In general, no matter which system you choose to use, the benefits of their use are greater than hiking without.