Hiking poles, or trekking poles, are lightweight aluminum shafts used to help provide balance and stability on outdoor walks. Hiking poles are modern replacements for the old, treasured hiking staff, helping to cushion the impact on leg joints during a steep downhill climb, shifting weight to the shoulders on an uphill trek and adding safety when crossing streams or rocky, jumbled terrain.
Adjusting Length
Hiking poles set at the right length will enhance their ability to relieve strain on leg joints. Bonnie and David Alley, writing for "Backpacking Network," recommend setting hiking poles to one fixed length for the duration of a hike, starting by extending the bottom section to just within its maximum range, then adjusting the length of the top section so that the pole reaches 2 to 3 inches below the armpit. Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a leading purveyor of backpacking and mountaineering equipment, recommends setting the poles at a height that allows your forearm to be parallel to the ground, with the elbow bent 90 degrees, while gripping the pole handle on level ground. REI suggests shortening the poles a few inches when climbing uphill, and lengthening them on a downhill hike.
Using Two Poles
Using two hiking poles, swinging as if you are cross country skiing, evenly distributing the weight and impact of the hike between your arms and legs, according to Amy Madigan, the Greenways and Trails Outreach Coordinator for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, writing in "Outdoor Illinois." She cautions, however, that using two poles can keep your hands full. Bonnie and David Alley, writing for "Backpacking Network," suggest otherwise: If your hand is properly inserted through the wrist strap upward, rather than downward, so that the wrist strap crosses over the back of the wrist, then you can release the pole without dropping it or setting it down, and a map or compass can also easily be kept in hand along with the hiking pole.
Minimize Damage
With enough trail traffic, hiking poles can cause damage to the natural environment, according to REI. Repeated passages with sharp tips can damage rocks, and pole baskets can tear up fragile trail-side vegetation. REI recommends keeping the tips of your poles within the trail area, and suspending use of the hiking poles, or removing the baskets, in areas where fragile or endangered vegetation is close to the trail. You can also cover the sharp metal points with carbide tip protectors to minimize trail damage--as well as risk of injury.
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