Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Are trekking poles necessary/recommended?

Hi all-

I'm a newbie to mountain trekking. Going to hike San G next weekend (for training) and then Mt. Whitney in mid-June.

My buddy is recommending that I buy trekking poles. I feel like they will probably just be more of a hassle / add weight ...but I've also read they can be quite helpful. Is this just personal preference, or has it become "common knowledge" that trekking poles definitely add value for these types of hikes?

The ones I am looking at getting are here: http://www.campsaver.com/contour-elliptic-shock-poles#ReviewHeader

thx,
josh

There was just a discussion about this on the SJ board.

I think they have their place. I use them only for snow trips, and for really long treks. For Whitney, I leave them at home, unless there's snow. They're good for balance on snow, and for leverage when you posthole. When I do a prolonged uphill hike like C2C, it helps ease the strain on the quads going up, and the knees when going down. For most hikes, they get in the way.

I would not spend $150 on them though. My cheap $30 pair works well enough.

I don't like to hike without them. They are described by some as portable staircase rails, by some as the equivalent of 4WD.

Some find them a bother, and never seem to get the coordination, some like a duck to water.

but I think they do take some practice.

I never hike without trekking poles. They help going up allot and they certainly help on your way down. Stepping off of check dams is hard on the knees but with poles you can lower yourself down easier.

They also are invaluable while doing fords or help balance with snow travel.

They can also give you more options of going lighter weight using tents that only use trekking poles.

The only way I find them a minor pain is when you pause to take a drink or take pictures.

I went for years without using them, thinking that they were more of a crutch than anything and that only older people really needed them. Was I wrong. Once I bought a pair (with the shock absorbers), I was hooked. I never do Whitney or anywhere in the Sierra without them. Well worth their weight.

Their value: Balance and keeping you from falling in during some stream crossings, giving you something to lean on and leverage with when negotiating rocky steep uphill, saving your knees going downhill, and saving you from falls if you use them as extra appendages, which essentially they are. Others have used them for more varied uses than these. If for no other reason, think of how many jarring steps your knees will take in a 6,100', 11.2-mile descent down Whitney.

I would (and did) spend the $150. Good investment.


In that case, you just lean them against a tree or rock, or stab them into the dirt so they stand erect.

CaT

I read that the proprioceptive stabilizing effect of having your upper body in control with hiking sticks means that the knees need to work 10% less hard. On a 20 mile day that may be the equivalent of saving 2 miles of work.

In addition to the benefits others have mentioned, they also keep your arms moving, which prevents edema/swelling in your hands. I find that if i hike more than about an hour or so without poles, my hands swell uncomfortably. The poles have always prevented that (you can also use thumb loops on your pack to get your hands up, but that doesn't work nearly as well for me, not to mention makes me feel a little unbalanced)

Add me to the camp of 'never hikes without em'

=) tif

Josh,

Keep an eye out for good deals, too. I've purchased two different sets of Leki poles via eBay. One still in the box with tags, the other only gently used, both excellent poles (both $150 range) for less than $20/pair. Purchase carefully, but you can snag some great deals online from people who purchased high end equipment thinking they'd use it, and it just never panned out.


Chris

Hiking sticks aren't proprioceptive, they are a substitute for proprioceptive stabilization. Trained balance weighs less and is still available after you have set up your ultralight tent.

The UIAA MedCom suggests them for the old, fat, ill, and over packed and not as a full time practice for others:

http://www.theuiaa.org/upload_area/files/1/UIAA_MedCom_Rec_No_11_Hiking_sticks_2008_V1-2.pdf

Dale B. Dalrymple

I also spent the bigger bucks on a good set of poles. From REI, no less, so if anything happens to them they'll be replaced no issue. I had aluminum poles and didn't care for the flex and wobble that they had. Stepped up to the carbon fiber Carbon Alpines from BD, and I really, really like them. Solid as a rock.

I didn't use poles for years and years, and like others have said, kind of thought they were for older hikers and guys with big knee problems. Then I used one of my buddies pair of poles when he only wanted to carry one, and it only took once to change my mind. Not only does it help with balance and power, but it evens the workload out for your arms if you use them the right way.

Wow. Talk about severely over thinking something pretty simple.

I also like the fact that they keep my fingers from swelling. I do not have the best balance, so I like having the added edge of at least one pole. I also do not do well in gravel or rock hopping, and yesterday I almost fell in the loose rock of the Manker Flat-Devil's Backbone loop to Baldy. Fortunately, I recovered off of one pole.

It ultimately is a matter of personal preference. I did my first hike to Whitney with a second-hand ski pole from a ski rental shop. Don't spend a lot of money, if you only plan to use them on one trip.

I don't think Harvey wrote that Hiking sticks were proprioceptive. They have a proprioceptive stabilizing effect. To me that means the muscles used to keep me upright and balanced can relax some when I use hiking poles.

And yes, trained balance weighs less, but the overall effect of carrying hiking poles so the balance is easier to maintain results in less cumulative wear on the body.

In the referenced "Consensus Statement", it recommends hiking sticks for the situations DBD named, but it ALSO reports benefits in general.

I used to be a hiking pole snob -- couldn't imagine why people needed them. Then I tried a pair, about the time age started to wear me down. Now, I really like to use them, finding they do make hiking just a bit easier.

And by the way, congratulations to Josh P, who signed up and started this thread, for tipping the number of registered users to 1000!

For me, the most beneficial effect of trekking poles is balance in rugged terrain - especially going downhill with a heavy pack. If they save you from just one fall, they're worth the investement. Cannot begin to count the number of stumbles, slips or trips over the years that would have resulted in a full fall if not for poles.

I use trekking poles all the time - light dayhikes to heavy backpacks. Last year I read that constant use of trekking poles may degrade your natural balance, so I went for a few hikes without them. I also do some occasional technical climbing and the thought of any deterioration in balance concerned me. I think it was my third or fourth hike without poles when a mild slip on a section of wet slabby granite turned into a broken big toe, multiple contusions, and several weeks of inactivity till the toe healed.

Screw the theory of possible balance degradation - poles go with me all the time now. Period. My personal favorites are the Black Diamond Trail Shocks. Close to 1000 miles on these babies - beat to hell and chewed gnarly by marmots, but still going strong.

Sidebar: Knowing how to use trekking pole wrist-straps, as well as when not to have the straps looped around your wrist in a potentially dangerous situation, goes a long way in comfort, effort and stability. Used properly, poles can make you feel like a four-legged mountain goat. Used improperly, they're just so much dead weight and a PITA hinderance.

I own those poles without the shock absorbers. I used Leki shock absorbers for year and prefer the former after using the BD for the last 4 years.

Do you need them to do Mt. Whitney? No, but they will help.

However, they are a want, not a need. They are something you buy after you buy good footwear, pack and the 10 essentials.

What an absurd bit of pomposity from the Ministry of Silly Walks.

One could do a similar pseudo-scientific analysis on whether or not to wear a hat. Or whether sleep benefits humans. Wait... someone already spent our taxpayer $$ on that one.

Just use common sense and your own personal preferences. Humans have been using sticks/staffs for a very long time. They're like shoes - some use them, some don't.

Bulldog34 wrote:
> Last year I read that constant use of trekiing poles may degrade your natural balance, so I went for a few hikes without them.

From the UIAA page:
I would LOVE to see the study that backs up that paragraph. I wonder what they define a long-term use? I only use mine when I am hiking. I only hike about 1% of the time I am on my feet. So, if I hike with hiking poles 100% of the time, is that "Long-term" use, or do I need to use them every time I step outside my front door??? Pseudo-science, indeed!

KevinR wrote:
What an absurd bit of pomposity from the Ministry of Silly Walks.   ...My comment:

Actually, the UIAA is the worlds premiere test designer and standard setter for mountaineering equipment. What we are posting on is a "Ministry of Silly Walks", so it is nice that you have the concept .

Dale B. Dalrymple

In most cases I rest them into my legs and they tend to fall allot.

I owned a pair of the shock absorber type and I didn't like them as much because they would squeak allot from dirt in them.

I do say though that flip lock is a must. The twist lock poles will eventfully come loose. I had a brand new 200 dollar pair of carbon fiber poles that while climbing off a rock fell all the way open and then I put weight on it and nearly broke them while it bend over. This could also have caused major injury if I had fallen. Then I got into the habit of constantly twisting them tight to make sure this did not happen again and I finally broke one by over tightening it.

On the other hand while flip lock is faster and more reliable you can't trust your life to them either. I had one collapse in on me and I suffered an injury to my arm that took 3 months to heal.

Get them but know HOW to use them...

If used incorrectly or improperly, you can expend a lot of energy and bonk out...

Good luck and have fun....

Yes, and it won't be the first (or last) time a prestigious organization puts out an opinion piece that's drivel.

But, drivel is drivel.

So put that in your beard and FREEZE it

cracking up

"Help! I've (used trekking poles my entire life and now I've) fallen and can't get up!"

I read the linked article.

While the article lists both advantages and disadvantages, I thought it was pretty obvious that the stated advantages greatly outwewighed the stated disadvantages, and that some of the disadvantages were more like stating the obvious and were easily overcome. The "disadvantage" of raising your heart rate due to higher upper body exertion is listed earlier in the article as an advantage, and even so, I would think that less lower body work (since poles spread out the exertion over the body more evenly) would offset and nullify any "disadvantage" of an increased heart rate due to added upper body work. From my own experience, I would disagree with the conclusion that hiking poles are unnecessary for the normal healthy hiker. I am neither old, fat, nor ill, and they are very helpful to me in numerous situations without any of the disadvantages stated in the article. Certainly there are situations where using hiking poles is not a good idea (where you have to use your hands, and if you are more likely to trip over them than not). But these exceptions are fairly self-evident and still do not, in my mind, outweigh the far greater advantages of using them in the remaining more frequent situations. Taking little "elastic" baby steps mostly down an 11-mile trail (in the case of the MWWT) is not an option for most people if they want to get down without taking hours to do it. What the article did get right in the end is stating that every hiker should weigh the advantages against the disadvantages and proceed accordingly. So after having read the article, I personally see no disadvantages whatsoever to using hiking poles on something like a normal Mt. Whitney Trail dayhike while carrying at least a daypack (which most everyone hiking that trail carries).


Agree. Having said that, however, they are beneficial.

CaT

Gosh, one must feel for those poor blind people, sentenced to progressive loss of balance due to their white poles.

My experience is that my poles are very proprioceptive, after years of use.

This is a very good point.....technique matters. I see many people with poles, which by their use is obviously only decoration.

How you use the straps, how you hold the handles, how long you have them....all make a big difference in how they work and feel. I've made a lot of adjustments over time.

I get the UIAA newsletter regularly, and they often have very high quality articles and research. But not always, caveat emptor

Alright.....confession. I've about a dozen pair.

I started out with non-adjustable ski poles.

The current models are astonishingly better in design and quality.

As others have mentioned, the clip-locking as opposed to twisting are far superior.

Are they absolutely necessary? No.

Is there technique involved? Yes.

Do I use them all the time? No.

If there is a good bit of walking/skiing involved, I take them. But if the route calls for more scrambling, then probably not, as they get in the way. BTW: at the end of a long day, coming down something steep, they do help quite a bit.

CaT,

Because I do find them to be beneficial, I own a multiple pairs.

As stated, I owned a pair of Leki Super Maks for over a decade and every winter they would collapse all to frequently. About 4 years ago, I decided on a pair of BD Ellipticals with flick locks and have never looked back.

It seem Leki in their infinite wisdom and, most likely, loss of market share to Black Diamond have gone the flick lock route.

For noobs, there is a lot to learn and buy in very little time before they head up the MMWT. If I knew then what I know now, I would have delayed my first trip up the mountain by a year...and I was successful.

I'm glad that your poles have been effective for you. I use mine at times too. However, I think that your claim to have extended your nervous system into your poles is some of that medical drivel we've been warned about. If you have extended your nervous system into your poles, we'll expect you to appear in the next Transformers movie.

Dale B. Dalrymple

wbtravis - I have a pair of high-end twist-tightened Lekis (with shock absorbers) that I bought at WPS some years ago. They are still doing fine. I find the snap-lock concept intriguing, as I have sometimes had difficulties with the twist-lock variety (all user difficulties, I'm sure). If/when I need to replace my current pair, I'll certainly check out the snap-lock model.


So I guess, in his case, hiking without his poles would be unnerving. :wink:

CaT

I'm piling on with the group who would not climb a steep rocky trail without poles. The warranty on my knees has expired - using poles for downhill is no longer optional - I need them. I find the extra weight of the poles is not a factor unless you're carrying them in your pack.

This thread advanced my vocabulary with a new word "proprioceptive" and made me think about upgrading my old Komperdale twist locks. Great, my wife loves these perpetual gear upgrades.

I loaned one of my poles to my hiking partner coming down the backside on Whitney. He was one of those guys that didn't believe in them until then. He went on down to Trail Camp without me leaving me with just one pole. When I got to the switchbacks my knees were already feeling it so I collapsed the pole and used it to glissade down the chute in lieu of an ice ax. That was the end of the trail for that pole as it bent and never would open up again. A week later someone got out of control and died glissading down the chute so I felt lucky nothing worse happened.

With those long skinny legs and long really skinny poles he has quite a ganglion appearance.

I heard that Black Diamond held a patent on that design but it ran out so other companies immediately started making flip lock.

Not unlike pharmaceutical products and generic brands.


Well, I would probably take the "turkey legs" award when wearing shorts. :eek:

CaT

Ha! It's funny you would describe it that way, because that IS how it feels to me. I can tell in the dark, whether I'm in contact with ground, or rock. I can tell if the rock is flat, or curves off. I can create a mental image of a stream bottom that I cannot see, by what I can feel. I wonder if there is sound involved, like the cane provides for a blind person? I'm not aware, but I bet there is a subliminal effect.

In surgery, we use probes all the time to feel where we cannot see. This works very well, and seems to me to proprioceptive in nature.

well, since I started the use of the word proprioception on this thread, let me give two illustrations

(1) think curb feelers for cars. Remember those? No the curb feeler is not a literal extension of your brain, of course not Dale, but the information it gives is. The sound signal it gives tells your brain how far over to park the car. Similarly for poles, the signal they give (sound or feel) helps guide you on the trail, knowing where to put your foot.

(2) skiing poles offer some of the same proprioceptive information on the slopes instead of the trail.

(3) Grand Canyon deaths were mentioned on another thread. A common cause of death is standing on the edge, losing spatial awareness, and plopping over the cliff. Just holding onto a tree, or railing ,etc gives proprioceptive clues to staying upright. Even looking at the ground nearby is helpful. Looking out at the vistas with just visual clues is often not good enough because the far, far distance and tiny angles of motion. That clue plus the even worse inner inner balance function gets you into trouble. Just touching something else gives you "hard data" . Just as an aside, if anyone thinks their inner ear balance function is good, then why do pilots flying in a cloud bank without instrumentation find themselves at extreme bank angles, thinking they were level? It seems like physical and visual clues are far more powerful than the inner ear/brain balance function for all of the scenarios listed here.

As for me, I actually prefer a single hiking staff. I prefer its rigidity, especially for going down with a load. And when stopped I prefer to not fiddle with two poles tucked under my arm or rested somewhere. The fancy expensive gear testing info is useful, but it boils down eventually to personal preference.

God, you're old.

I remember them well!

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.

Sadly, so do I. My grandfather had them on his Studebaker.

CaT

oh what the heck, I'll weigh in on this one....

I like one trekking pole going up and two going down.

I shorten the pole going up and lengthen them going down.

And I pretty much only use them where there is a step of some sort.

But do yours have curb feelers?

For some of us - me included - the correct way is the way which works for us as individuals. Mostly I leave them the same length going up was well as down, unless it's very steep, and then I shorten them on the up's, and lengthen them on the down's. When it's mostly level and even, I hold them in my hand as I can hike slightly faster without them.

If there's any "correctness" in technique, I'd say it has more to do with how the strap is used. Like a ski pole, I put my hand UNDER the strap first, and then grip the pole - when the strap is the right length (longer if wearer mitts or gloves - it "locks" my wrist into the pole. A few long-time users I know won't use the straps at all, fearing they'll break/strain their wrist or arm if they do. For me, NOT using that technique increases the risk of not being able to plant them quickly to break a fall.

Sorta like should I use a leash on my ice axe or not. You can make a strong case either way. Fortunately, the Trail Police aren't checking compliance on either point.

and tassles on the handles and a big ole horn.

kinda like the PeeWee Herman bicycle of trekking poles.

I would be in this group, but mostly because I don't like the feel of something around my wrist, and if I need to drop the poles very quickly for some reason, that's impossible to do with the straps on. But mostly, I feel less constrained in my overall use of the poles when not using the straps. Just personal preference. I've tried it both ways. If I could get rid of the straps on my pair, I would.

CaT

Dawg, I used them much the same as you mention.

But it does depend. I want them shorter for ascent, and longer for descent.

When I have up-and-down, I adjust by moving the ground contact point sideways to effectively shorten the pole, or moving it closer to my track to lengthen it.....without adjusting the pole, itself.

I have never understood the technique that is like the older cross-country poles, that are neck high with the points next to your foot. Makes no sense for hiking.

David, that's what I meant about using the wrist-straps properly. There are a number of situations where the wrist-straps just have to come off due to the increased probability of a fall (and that broken wrist), or being pulled off-balance by the straps: snow and ice, water crossings (even going over stepping stones or logs), and unstable terrain (the last 1000 feet of Mt. Dana comes to mind).

However, when you're chugging along on reasonably stable terrain, those straps can take a tremendous amount of strain away from your hands. I often see hikers using poles with what I think of as a "death grip" - a white-knuckled clinch that just cannot be comfortable - or stable. I also see hikers with two poles telescoped up to chest level (even shoulder-level) and, again, cannot imagine how they're comfortable or stable like that.

But it's personal preference. I like mine scoped to just above my waist when I'm climbing, and a little longer when descending. I keep a light 3-finger grip on the handle and allow the wrist-strap to do the lion's share of the work. That's what's worked for me for about 10 years, and they feel like a natural extension of my body.

Another take on the mental aspect of it: we bought trekking poles for our daughter Brianne when she was six, and she pretty much rebeled against them for years. She tended to face-plant from time to time (the typical looking-over-your-shoulder-to-talk-while-hiking syndrome), so I kept after her to use them. It was a running battle to get her to use the poles (especially properly in rhythm instead of windmilling them around). I had almost given up. Last July we went up Kearsarge Pass with Laura, and there was still a ton of snow. Footing was often sketchy and Laura kept encouraging Bri (11 at the time) to use her poles, and use them properly for the conditions (straps off on snow, back on for the trail). Several hours of Moose-coaching ensued. Bri, of course, idolizes Laura and actually paid attention that day. The light bulb went on for her during that hike, and she's used her poles ever since without having to be pestered. One more penny in the I-O-Moose piggybank.

Trekking pole usefulness and technique can be debated and analyzed from now till doomsday, but in the end it boils down to mental attitude and personal preference. People that want to use them will, in whatever way suits them best, and others will not - till they take a bad fall or their knees start getting creaky. I think most folks who hike long enough wind up with poles eventually - and think to themselves, "why didn't I go here a lot earlier?!"

Gary: I'll be sure to bring the ice tools with me next time Bri comes to visit...

It does boil down to personal preference, and also the conditions on which I'm playing at each moment. I've sometimes even found the poles helpful in larger boulder fields as extensions of my arms to balance points; only to have the tips slip on the boulders and I end up tumbling.

I tend to leave my straps off due to the simple fact that I am constantly flipping positions and grips while using the poles: choking up on traverses, putting two poles in one hand while scrambling, gripping the tops of the poles with the heels of my hands for stepping down. If I'm on a snow slope, imagine trying to arrest with the poles (not recommended, but possible) while the straps are on your wrists.

-L

PS: Gary, I was also working on Bri wearing her sunglasses that day. How did that work out?

I think the 'level' fitting came from the gentle(flat) trekking use. I use them in Grand Canyon (as do a lot of others); and I quickly figured out that adjusting them was A LOT MORE comfortable; and smarter than moving hands up and down the shafts.
When going down, they are adjusted to just below waist. So when I step down,the poles act as extensions of my arms; and my skeleton supports the transition of weight; and not my knees.

When I return to the rim, I shorten the poles 4-5 inches; so when I step up; the skeleton transfers the weight, not the quads,thighs and calves.

On the step up/downs that are 6-12 high/low; My palms are on top of the handle; easing the weight transition through the skeleton. The shoulders get a work out, and there is a technique that is quickly learned to do the weight transfer in a fluid motion. My legs thank me, and I hope to have my original knees, without braces; at 80.

Another bonus is the constant 3-4 points of contact; which when carrying a big back over uneven terrain, snow or scree- is alot more comforting.

Gee. Thanks. Can't wait . . .




Needs more work. Assuming she can even find the damn things.

Hey Gary!

For me, hiking pole straps are no different than a lanyard for a camera, the only purpose being to keep it in your personal possession in the event you accidentally lose your grip of the item (particularly helpful if you are near a drop-off). Unless I'm missing something, for me, there is no weight bearing mechanism involved in having the straps loosely hanging around your wrists, and thus, no weight bearing advantage to wearing them. Although I don't experience nearly the diversity of hiking situations as Laura (which comes with living in Ohio), nonetheless my reasons for not wearing the straps are similar to hers in principle.

CaT

PS - Hope your Dawgs do well. Richt is in the proverbial hot seat a little this year, I think.

JAGC: Yes that's my point, the conventional level fitting is wrong even for walking on the level. The point is implied in the medical report cited above: the leverage is wrong and it creates a twisting moment. To really take weight of the knees, the effort is much better expended it a single straight line nearer to the center of gravity, like a cane or crutch. Its fine out in front for balance or curb detection, but not for weight bearing.

I think the adjustments you use are about the same ones I do. I use the palms on top, too. In fact I am thinking of getting a pair with the cane handles like the Kaito Bt 409, which can be gripped either like a ski pole or cane. Hope I'll be doing the same at 80. Only 18 years to go

David, here's a good video that kind of summarizes how I use poles. The wrist-strap and support benefit from it is detailed around the 1:30 mark:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtV_KpYTw00&feature=channel&list=UL

I would say that the vast majority of the time I'm carrying 80-plus percent of the weight support the poles provide on my wrist versus my handgrip. Again, works for me but others see it differently.

Hotseat? Hmmm . . . we played in the SEC Championship game a few months ago, so the heat's a lot less than it was a year ago. He better win the SEC this upcoming season, though - this team is loaded. We'll have a top-5 defense again and there are offensive playmakers everywhere. Did you know OSU and UGA have scheduled a home-and-home a few years down the road? Gotta get to Columbus for that one

CaT, you ARE missing something! If you use the straps correctly, there is significant weight-bearing mechanism. Here's a video for skiers, but it applies to hiking poles, too. Note the strap extending under the hand between the wrist and little finger. That is where the weight is held.

When you use the straps correctly, there is no twist in them, either. They run smoothly from pole, around the hand and back to pole, without any twist. First time is confusing and complicated, but once you get used to putting on the straps, anything else will feel weird.

When I use my poles, I can relax my grip, and let the straps do most of the weight support. You have to adjust the tightness of the straps so they bear the weight while holding your hand at the right height position on the grips. And when I let go of the poles, the straps just move the poles away from the hands, so the hands are free for whatever is necessary.

Watch the video, (source) I think it will help:

My experience with straps is like Steve's. Makes a huge difference.

I control the pole with my index finger alone. I am rarely gripping the handle with any force at all, in fact, my hand is partway open in a relaxed state, and the strap holds it against my hand, and the pole top grip ridge rests on my index finger.

I can control the movement of the pole by a simple "flick" of my finger, my other fingers are not really involved except as "limiters".

It is a fine-control type of maneuver.

I have a couple of Komperdell Walking canes that I bought from www.sierratradingpost.com Item # 4847K for $38.95 discounted from $69.95 but this discounted price has been ongoing for years in spite of their claim that the items are being closed out.

Specs: Anti shock; 3 sections that collapse from 22 1/2" to 39": rotary tightening rather than the lever style, but I have had no trouble with them: weight is 9 oz each: NOT a pair but a single hiking cane, thus I bought 2; Made in Austria NOT China. Can use hand in two positions: as a cane or around the top as per a normal hiking pole. Has Strap.

tdtz, you mean something like these:



There not too many poles that are day glo yellow with orange racing strips out there.