Trekking Poles & Hiking Poles

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Your own Feet are a great mechanism for maintaining balance on the uneven terrains that the outdoors provide. In many Hiking conditions, however, it helps to have more than your own two legs to provide the needed balance. That is where Walking Sticks and Trekking Poles come in. Hiking poles are rapidly replacing the good old wooden walking stick. Hiking poles generally have better grips, are extendable and have better shock absorbing mechanisms. For serious hiking they are definitely the way to go. The typical Hiking Pole looks like the illustration given here.

• Pole Grips
  Most pole grips are made out of high friction contoured rubber that gives maximum grip when fully clinched in your fist. Pole Grips come in many variations with many designs catering to specific needs. Most standard pole grips have a rounded top to allow for holding the pole top in the palm of your hand as an alternative grip. Some more advanced poles might have slightly bent pole grips which are better for steep inclines. Some pole grips even include self-arrest hooks which are a feature copied from ice axes.
• Extension System Most poles consist of 2 or 3 parts that compact into each other. By counter-rotating these parts you can either loosen or fasten these parts. This enables you to increase and decrease the length of the pole. Most poles have scales written on the extendable pieces that allow you to set an exact pole length. Higher Quality poles have a lock system which prevents the pole pieces from compacting as you are using them.
• Basket
  The basket keeps your hiking poles from diving in too deep in softer surfaces. Especially for snowy surfaces special snow caps can prevent your poles from disappearing into the snow.
• Pole Tip
  The pole tip is often made of a rounded tip of steel. This makes sure that the pole tip gives enough grip without it being to sharp. Sharp pole tips could end up puncturing your clothes, tent or even skin so keep them in mind.

Hiking Poles are adjustable in length. Here are some practical tips for using your Hiking Poles:

• You can shorten your poles on steep ascents to compensate for the height difference. On descends you can lengthen your poles in the same way to keep your body from leaning forward. Hiking Poles can help you maintain your balance and keep a good straight body posture on uneven terrain
• Make sure to securely tighten the individual extension pieces. If not securely fastened the poles might collapse in use causing you to fall over. Especially in situations such as River and Stream Crossings where you might exert great pressure on the poles the danger of a collapsing pole should not be underestimated. In general poles are meant for balance and not for fully supporting your weight.
• Hiking Poles are strong, extendable and often have a tip and a rounded grip with a adjustable strap. All these features make Hiking Poles excellent surrogate Tent Poles and they are great for making Makeshift Tents and Outdoor Shelters

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Trekking Poles Trekking Poles & Hiking Poles. We have many different Trekking Poles in our Hiking Shop by many brands like Leki and Lifeline. Compare Prices for Hiking Poles by a multitude of Outdoor Gear Suppliers.

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