Trekking Poles: Benefits, How to Use, Everything You Need to Know

Whether you’re an experienced hiker or just starting to explore the great outdoors, trekking poles can be a game-changer for your hiking experience. These seemingly simple tools offer a multitude of benefits that can enhance your performance, protect your body, and even make your adventures more enjoyable. From providing stability on uneven terrain to reducing strain on your joints, trekking poles are more than just accessories for old people– they’re valuable pieces of safety equipment on the trail. In this post, we’ll explore the numerous advantages of incorporating trekking poles into your hiking routine and why they might become your new favorite piece of gear.

Who Are Trekking Poles For?

Short answer: everyone! They are not just for old people like I originally thought. Trekking poles are helpful for anyone on the trail, including young, fit hikers (like me), thru-hikers, beginners, older people, people with disabilities or joint pain, people recovering from surgery, clumsy people (like me), people with a heavy pack, beginners, or if the terrain is challenging.

They can help relieve stress on hips, knees, and quadriceps by utilizing your upper body to take some of the load. If you’re looking to improve your hiking in any way, whether it be distance, pace, hike difficulty, or overall enjoyment, the stability and support offered by trekking poles can’t be understated.

Trekking Poles for Casual or Beginner Hikers

For inexperienced hikers, trekking poles can provide stability on unfamiliar terrain and help navigate steeper portions of the trail.

Trekking Poles for Advanced Hikers

Trekking poles transfer some of the load from your lower body to your upper body. This means your leg muscles won’t get tired as quickly, enabling you to hike further or keep a quicker pace. It also helps you navigate more challenging terrain, allowing you to explore more remote locations or hike for many days at a time, such as a thru-hike.

Trekking Poles for Hikers with Disabilities or Injuries

When used correctly, they help relieve stress on your leg muscles and joints including hips, knees, and ankles by transferring some of the load to your upper-body, easing the strain on your lower-body. So if you have had a surgery, or if overuse can flare up an old injury, using trekking poles can help make hiking more enjoyable, safe, and hopefully less painful.

10 Benefits and Reasons to Use Trekking Poles While Hiking

trekking poles hiking for beginners trail backpackinng camping

1. Reduced Impact on Joints and Muscles

Poles reduce the impact on your legs, knees, ankles, and feet, especially when going downhill. The reduced impact to your knees can allow you to remain an active, pain free-hiker for years to come and into old age.

2. Better Traction

Poles provide an extra two points of contact, which improves your traction on surfaces like mud, snow, and loose rock.

3. Improve Balance

Poles help with your balance when dealing with difficult terrain such as river crossings, uneven trails, and slick log bridges. Staying balanced helps you move quickly and safely.

4. Use as Probe

Poles can be used as a probe, providing valuable information about your environment and trail surface. Use your poles to gauge depth of water, integrity of snow and ice, stability of rocks, and many other things.

5. Navigate Overgrown trails

Trekking poles can help you through overgrown trails by pushing away branches and thorny blackberries, removing spider webs before walking face-first into them, and smacking rainfall off branches in your path, keeping you more dry.

6. Increase Performance

Using poles can help establish a consistent rhythm, which in turn can increase your speed. This is especially true on flat terrain.

7. Pitch a Tent

Trekking poles can be used to pitch a tent, which saves weight (for the ultra lightweight hikers). They are also much stronger and more rigid than regular tent poles, so they’re less likely to break in high winds.

Note: not all tents. You can’t swap out your folding tent poles for trekking poles- you have to have a specific tarp or tent that is designed to be used with poles. If you own one of these, before you head out, make certain that your poles are compatible not only with you, but with your tent or tarp. Often, adjustable poles work best.

8. Help Cross Hazards

Poles can help you cross hazards safely. They can be used to test ice strength and water depth or the stability of a surface (loose rocks, slick mud, rotting tree trunk, etc.) It can be hard to determine how stable a section of rocks is or how deep a water crossing is or how thick the ice on a frozen stream is. Trekking poles can help take the guesswork out of it without risking falling or putting yourself in danger.

9. Use as a Splint

In case of emergency, trekking poles can double as a medical splint and can serve as ultralight packrafting paddles.

10. Protection from Animals

Trekking poles can help keep wild animals and dogs at bay – It’s always important to stay aware of your surroundings when in the backcountry. Do what you can to avoid sneaking up on wild animals by making loud noises to make your presence known. If you find yourself too close for comfort to an animal such as a bear or aggressive dog, banging your poles together or against trees and rocks makes a harsh sound that will often scare the animal away. You can also wave trekking poles above your head to make yourself appear larger, which can discourage animals from approaching you.

How to Use Trekking Poles (properly)

trekking poles benefits solo female hiker with backpack camping gear in forest

Pole Height

Almost all trekking poles are extendable/ adjustable which allows them to be set up at the right height for you. You want your elbow to be bent at a 90 degree angle. The grip should comfortably come up to your hands and the tip should be resting on the ground. When hiking downhill, you might lengthen the poles a bit, and the opposite is true when going uphill (more on this below).

Most poles have two or three sections, each with markings that indicate how extended they are. Take a mental note of this number so you can quickly and easily extend them. For added ease, you can mark your preferred heights for downhill and uphill by marking a line with a pen so it’s easy to adjust on the trail.

When adjusting the height it’s important to have it locked in properly so it doesn’t suddenly collapse and cause you to lose your balance. Different poles use different mechanisms, so just make sure you are familiar with your poles and ensure they are locked into place.

Wrist Straps

Wrist straps are essential to what makes a trekking pole work well. To use them the right way, put your hand up through the bottom of the strap and then grip the handle. Adjust the strap to keep your hand in that place, but it doesn’t need to be tight. You should be able to let go of the handle and not lose your hand placement.

This allows you to walk comfortably without having to keep a tight grip. Proper strap adjustment allows you to let go of the pole to take a picture, grab a snack or adjust your backpack and then easily grab the pole again in the right place. A properly adjusted strap should be tight enough to help support the weight of your hand on the pole but not so tight that you cant get your hand free. You hold the grip similar to how you would hold a ski pole.

Some trekking poles have specific straps for the left- and right hands, but most are identical so it doesn’t matter which one is in which hand.

Baskets

These small, circular removable pieces attach to the tip and help prevent your poles from sinking into soft terrain such as snow or wet, soggy ground. They also increase your stability in those kinds of terrains.

You don’t need to use the baskets on regular terrain, and in fact, they can get caught and snag on vegetation. Before you head out, take a quick look and make sure your poles are set up for the expected condition and terrain.

Pole Tips

Poles usually come with a rubber tip protector that slides over the carbide or steel tips. Use the rubber tips when hiking on rock, slick surfaces, in sensitive areas to reduce impact to the ground (some State and National Parks request it), and when they are stowed in your pack to protect your gear. Using the rubber tips can also help extend the life of the metal tips underneath.

The carbide or steel tips are commonly used to provide traction, especially on ice and rough rock. Tip protectors weigh nothing, so toss them in your pack before a hike, or place them on your poles so you’re sure to have them when you need them.

hiking in the rain trekking poles benefits

Basic Technique – Tips for Walking with Trekking Poles

Walk naturally. When using trekking poles, walk naturally and maintain a natural arm swing. Don’t overthink it. Don’t drive your poles into the ground. Instead, use the contact of your poles on the ground as a springboard to propel you forward.

You will naturally fall into the proper rhythm of planting a trekking pole in time with the opposing foot (right foot, left pole; left foot, right pole).

Double plant for extra stability. Occasionally, you might want to double-plant your poles (pressing off both at the same time) such as on steep climbs or descents. Think climbing stairs that are a bit too tall, or descending a steep grade where it’s easy to slip forward.

Uphill Technique

Make your poles shorter.

When walking uphill, your poles will naturally sit higher on the ground ahead of you. Shorten your poles so that your elbows can still be comfortably bent at 90 degrees. You might have to readjust a few times to get a height that is comfortable for you and matches the terrain.

The steeper the slope, the more you shorten your poles.

Your trekking poles should assist you in moving uphill without causing strain or fatigue to your shoulders and your shoulders should never feel as if they are in an unnatural, lifted position or as if they are being pushed up into your backpack straps. If so, you need to shorten your poles even more.

Trekking poles can also assist with climbing steep, stair-like ascents. They can take some weight off your quads and knees and distribute it to your upper body.

Downhill Technique

My poles have saved me from breaking my legs and ankles more times than I can count. One time, I was in the Swiss Alps on a very, very steep descent and ended up snapping both of my poles during two separate falls (same day). The poles took the brunt of the force, sparing my bones from the full weight of me plus my heavy pack. Breaking my ankle or my legs on this trail would have required an evacuation by helicopter, so I am very grateful I had my poles.

Make your poles longer.

When walking downhill, the terrain ahead is lower. Extend the length of your poles to whatever is comfortable for you and the terrain.

For long downhill sections, lengthening each pole by about 5-10 cm will keep your body more upright for better balance. By increasing the length of the pole, you can make traction with the ground ahead of you, keeping you upright and also helping to catch you if you slip or fall. This might require some readjustment as you move through the terrain and figure out what feels safest.

Grip the handles differently.

When you’re hiking downhill, changing your grip on the handle can better suit your forward momentum. Rather than gripping the poles the normal way, it is more comfortable to have your hands clasped over the top of your poles, like you are covering a lightbulb with your hand. This angle is more comfortable for your wrist and allows for more weight to be applied to the pole.

Keep your poles wider apart.

To maintain stability and balance on steep descending and/ or rocky terrain, angle your poles slightly further apart than parallel. This triangle shape between you and your two poles will help prevent you from falling left, right, or forward.

Considerations for Trekking Poles

trekking poles benefits hiking backpacking snow capped mountains patagonia

Grip Materials

Grips come in a variety of materials that affect how the poles feel in your hands.

Cork: Maintains a good grip despite sweat, decreases vibration, and best conforms to the shape of your hands. If you sweat a lot and will be hiking in hot weather, go with cork grips.

Foam: This absorbs moisture from sweaty hands and is the softest to the touch. These are generally less expensive than cork grips.

Rubber: This insulates hands from cold, shock and vibration, so it’s best for cold-weather activities. However, it’s more likely to cause blisters or be uncomfortable for sweaty hands, so it’s less suitable for warm-weather hiking.

Trekking Poles Shaft Materials

The material the pole is made from determines its strength and weight.

Aluminum: More durable and economical, usually weighing between 18 and 22 ounces per pair. The actual weight (and price) can vary based on the gauge of the pole, which ranges from 12 to 16 mm. Under high stress, aluminum can bend, but is unlikely to break.

Carbon/Composite: These poles are made either entirely or partially from carbon fiber, making them lighter and more expensive. These poles average between 12 and 18 ounces per pair. They are good at reducing vibration, but are not as strong as aluminum. If you hike in rugged, remote areas, this is something to keep in mind.

The poles that I snapped in the Swiss Alps were carbon fiber (and quite expensive). Check out my Backpacking Gear list for the exact trekking poles (and other gear) I use.

Adjustable: Most trekking poles adjust in length to fit each person. They generally adjust from about 24 to 55 inches long. Typically you’ll want to shorten the poles when going uphill and lengthen them when going downhill.

Non-adjustable: Some trekking poles don’t adjust in length. Why would anyone want that, you ask? They tend to be lighter than adjustable poles because they have fewer parts, making them popular among the ultralight (thru-hiking) crowd.

Foldable: Foldable poles are typically the most packable and often are very lightweight. They are especially popular among ultrarunners and fast hikers.

Ultralight: Ultralight poles weigh less, and over the course of a long hike, this means less fatigue. The pole shaft’s material is a key determinant of the pole’s overall weight. Carbon fiber poles are generally lighter than aluminum.

In conclusion, trekking poles are versatile tools that can significantly enhance your hiking experience. From improving balance and stability to reducing joint stress and increasing endurance, the benefits are clear. These simple yet effective devices can transform challenging terrain into manageable paths, making hiking more accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages and fitness levels. While it may take some practice to master their use, the payoff in terms of safety, comfort, and performance is well worth the effort. So, whether you’re planning a short day hike or a long-distance trek, I strongly advise adding trekking poles to your gear list. Your body will thank you, and you might just find yourself wondering how you ever hiked without them.