Hiking poles are used to increase comfort and safety on the trail. Sometimes known as trekking poles, they are an effective way to increase the number of miles a hiker can cover each day. Like other types of technical equipment, there is a learning curve associated with using hiking poles, but many people find that once they begin using them, they become an essential part of their hiking gear.
Reduce Stress
People of all ages enjoy hiking, but it is not always the easiest activity on the body. Using hiking sticks while you're on the trail reduces the amount of impact that the leg muscles are under. The arms and shoulders carry some of the load that the legs would normally be under, reducing fatigue. Many people experience discomfort in their knees when hiking downhill. Hiking poles reduce this pain.
Improve Balance
Using hiking poles is like giving yourself a second set of legs, or traveling a trail on all fours. The two additional contact points with the ground improves balance. Hikers with balance issues will particularly appreciate the benefits of hiking poles, but anyone traveling on muddy or slick trails will notice the improvements when hiking with poles. Crossing streams or navigating trails blocked by trees is also much easier with hiking poles.
Allow Hikers to Navigate More Complex Trails
Hiking poles allow hikers to navigate up and down steep hills, through the mud and across scree. This sounds like a benefit, but for many ardent nature lovers, it is actually a big problem. Hiking poles are more damaging to the trail than a hiker's boots, and allows more hikers to access trails that, without poles, would be too difficult. For many people, the environmental drawbacks of hiking poles are not justified by their benefits.
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