Because it’s a local TV news report — and therefore trivialized in the most fingernails-on-a-chalkboard means possible — there is at least one fact error for alert viewers to watch for.
Video posted by Trekking Pole Guru, who has more tips.
I found I was never putting my hands through the straps properly, which explained the blistering and shoulder joint pain after about 12 miles. If it’s on right, the strap should go across the top of the back of your hand, parallel to a wrist watch. When you push down on the pole, the weight should come down on the back of your hand (This vid shows how). Much more at adventurebuddies.com.
These are the model I own (I had birthday money from my mom a few years back so I bought the Cadillac.)
Oooh, I caught the mistake. What do I win? đ
The eternal admiration of your peers, of course.
I’m tempted to say something like “only in America would somebody produce a video teaching people how to walk with sticks,” but I won’t.
I should, but I won’t.
Only in America would it occur to somebody to create a video noting that most stick-walkers use improper technique and need to be corrected.
I interviewed Jayah Faye Paley for the WildeBeat edition numbers 86 and 87, titled Using All Fours. I also recorded a mini-tutorial presented by her which is available to our dues-paying members of the WildeBeat.
It was a challenging interview because we met at Coyote Hills Regional Park, and the air traffic there is relentless. We could never record a take longer than 2:30 minutes at a time without being drowned-out by noise.
I personally have never used walking poles as a regular accoutrement. In a couple of extreme situations – steep slopes, water crossings – I have used them. . .but never understood the ergonomics behind them for simple Class 1 / 2 hiking. I guess I’m missing something, right?
I now have the same poles as Tom. I used Komperdells for a long time. I like the grips better. If you are going on a long distance hike in the US get Leki’s. All the outfitters will take them back and service them. With Komperdell you are on your own.
Also, there are a lot of tents and tarps that are made to use hiking poles. Saves weight.
Gambolin Man: Every time you push the pole against the ground it takes weight off of your knees. Granted it is not a lot of weight but over 10 or 20 miles it makes a difference.
I took an old-style hiking staff on a short backpack in the Sierras and was amazed at how much it helped on those big steps up and down that you find even on regular trails. I’m sure Tom remembers a few of those from the Skyline-to-the-Sea to Berry Creek Falls.
I’ve switched to tarp camping for most of the year, so I got some rubber tips for my old Ramer adjustable ski poles and they double as tent poles.
My back and knees feel better after hiking, and I think it is mostly because I use less muscle to balance. I’m not convinced by the “weight off your feet” argument, but the poles are great as outriggers.
Equally dubious is the claim that poles burn 30 percent more calories … actually they do, but nobody says “get ready for 30 percent more exhaustion.” Your legs were actually designed to support your entire body weight so they really don’t necessarily need the help.
All poles do is redistribute the weight a bit — they do enhance balance, as Walter noted, and they are handy in a lot of hiking situations where the footing’s iffy, and they give you something to rest on when trudging up tall hills.
I use them when I want the extra exercise or stability or both. They don’t work miracles but if you know what they are and what they do, they do that.
I also used them to wave off an angry cow.
Two things:
“Longer for uphill. Shorter for down?” Uh, nope.
And, what is a “trekking pole expert?” đ
I used to think that people using trekking poles were wimps. Then I got older. I now use them for backpacking, especially rougher terrain and/or with a heavy pack. Rarely if ever use them for day hiking though, unless I’m carrying a really big camera gear load.
Dan
“âLonger for uphill. Shorter for down?â Uh, nope.”
For a while I thought I was the only one who thought that was strange đ I do the opposite. I donât always use my poles, but I usually always carry them. Sometimes I only use a staff, which doubles as a monopod. I donât know what a trekking pole expert is, but I really believe that most hikers donât know how to use them to the best advantage, or misunderstand them completely. Theyâre not a âcrutchâ, which is the knock they usually get. I read an article once that described something called âalpine techniqueâ, and it was pretty interesting, but I cannot find it now. I use 3 different uphill techniques mainly for varying terrain, and 2 different downhill techniques. But one of my favorite techniques is to stow them and keep my hands free.
I’ve read that most of one’s fatigue at the end of a day of hiking, or especially backpacking, doesn’t come from locomotion, but rather from managing one’s balance. If that is the case, then using a tool that reduces the effort you expend maintaining your balance has got to reduce your fatigue.
I know of one trekking pole expert, for certain: Julianne Abendroth-Smith conducts research into the effects on the body of hiking with trekking poles. She’s a biomechanics professor at Willamette University in Salem Oregon.