I have always thought that trekking poles are just a bit of tech kool-aid, usually associated with the over-equipped, under-skilled, addicted to the latest tech for tech's sake, occassional hikers usually found in brand new, un-broken-in gear fresh from LL Bean, REI and Orvis catalogues. Until I sucked it up and dragged to the HST last year a pair of Leki Super Makalus bought in 1995 and used exclusively for back country ski poles.
Made a huge difference. So now am rarely without them, although I wish I could find just one picture of John Muir walking with two poles.
Of course, in my continued old school stubbornness, I ascribe their utility to my technique, which is naturally completely at odds with the conventional wisdom of trekking pole adjustment and use. We are taught to adjust them so that the forearm is parallel with the ground while standing. This strikes me as completely silly. How was this practice established? Trekking poles are supposed to take weight off the legs -- knees in particularly. Every other device I have ever seen to do this -- canes and crutches -- is used with the arm extended. Placing a trekking pole with the arm flexed at a right angle hardly takes any weight off the knee. Observe most poles in "correct" use, and will be be obvious that the pole is supporting no more than half the weight of the forearm (the other half being suspended from the shoulder, the weight is transferred to the leg)
I shorten my poles, and use them more like canes, and with the improved leverage find I take at least four times the weight off the legs with the same amount of force applied to the arm. And yes, I have measured this.
Makes sense. Who ever came up with the idea that a trekking pole should be adjusted for length the same way as a downhill ski pole? When you plant a ski pole, you are reaching forward, so the weight is taken with the arm extended. Plant a trekking pole of the same length on a level walk, and all that power in the arm is lost to leverage.
So yes, I use poles now. I just refuse to do it correctly.
Last edited by saltydog; 05/09/12 09:20 AM.
