Backpacking with trekking poles

I started using poles on the last 8 miles of the JMT. My wife brought hers and didn't use them much the entire trip. My knee starting giving me grief the last day and I stole one of hers to get of the mountain. Since then (if I remember them) I take them on big hikes with a lot of elevation gain/loss. Worth every penny. I use the Kommperdell something's. They work.
 
I've gotta have two poles or nothing. Yin and yang. One pole throws off my Feng shui.
I'd look like the hunchback of notre dame after 20 min with a single pole.

I've definitely seen others who rock the single pole though, and it seems to work for them.

My favorite are the dh ski poles thst are 12" too tall with the baskets on the end; the goodwill specials. I love to see those on the trail.
 
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Crossing a large puddle in the trail last week, without poles caused me to slip off a log so fast I couldn't put my arms out to catch myself - my nose ran into a rock, my camera got filled with water and otherwise made a mess of myself. Needless to say I won't be hiking without poles any more. So I bought some Kelty poles with cork handles and twist tighten extensions from Amazon for only $49. After 1 small hike with them they seem to be pretty good.
 
I know the feeling. I should probably be using a pair of hurrycanes on my hikes.
 
@DrNed I guess it could have been worse. You could have fallen right on your face...wait. ;) I'm always worried, especially when I'm hurrying, that i'll roll an ankle and eat it big. Poles help.
 
I have a set of Lekis and Black Diamonds. If it's just a day hike where I don't have much weight on my back then I don't usually take them. If I'm backpacking or hauling the kids around I bring them every time. I LOVE my trekking poles.
 
I use my single pole each and every hike. Anything and everything over about 1/8 mile. It saves me nearly every long hike and assists me with the up and down. Plus it gives me an upper body workout! I am pretty sure my worn out knees are going to make it until the ceramic replacements are perfected because of my hiking pole. The more rugged the trail, the more I value them. Even got me up King's peak in a day and a half when I forgot to bring my shoes and had to hike it in my Berkenstocks....
 
They can be dangerous, though I shouldn't admit this.... Twice that I can think of I've tumbled off a roller-boulder or rock and threw my hand ups up trying to catch myself. I let go of the stick and it went swinging. I didn't fall but the wrist strap kept the pole swinging until it went 180 degrees around and hit me right on the head. Good thing I always wear a hat :moses:

But for those two falls I know there are several hundred other fall saves that stick has provided.
 
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Doctor: How did you do this? Patient: I stabbed myself with the pole! :facepalm:
 
I fell in some rocks at Abe's Lake once. My trekking poles got all wrapped around me to the point that I was literally stuck amongst the boulders. I think I could have eventually gotten out of it, but it took Audra more than a minute or two to untangle me. Darn trekking poles! I think they were more than worth it for that ungodly climb out of the Middle Weber though. One of the steepest 'trails' I've ever hiked.
 
Another + 1 for the trekking poles. I'm mostly repeating what many have said, but...

I like to think I'm saving my knees a bit. I love them in the snow. They are great for extra balance a lot of the time. A little extra oompf on the steep climbs and big step-ups. Good as brakes on steep descents. I use Black Diamonds as many do. The Flick Lock is great. Way better than my first pair that were the twisty kind. Those really sucked in the cold. My gf claims they help her hike faster because she can get in a rhythm and involve her upper body. She hated them at first though. And they work well with my mini velcro tripod (summit shots, selfie type videos, etc).
 
I never wanted to use them, but seeing @langutah use one convinced me to try. I really like using one now. I don't in a lot of desert situations, but always use one in the mountains.
 
Safety: @ Angels Landing a few years ago I saw a couple hiking with them. They had the non collapsing style. I recommended to stash them so they could use their hands. Well they didn't and she struggled continuously with them until she fell backwards on a steep section right on top of me. I saw it coming and basically held out my hands to stop her fall. It was all because of the poles.

With that said I am thinking of getting a set. Just hiked Old Rag this week and the steep hike down the mountain had my knees squealing.

***** I have the BD Flintlock back-country ski poles. Can these be converted to hiking poles? I love multi-use gear.
 
I prefer to have them than not in most kinds of terrain. When it's obvious I'll need my hands in class 3 type of stuff, then the poles get strapped to my pack.

Also, in theory, slipping your hands through the wrist straps from underneath is supposed to allow for an easy release in the event that you still have one of these more severe falls. Others don't use the wrist straps at all.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk
 
Has anybody found any medical / doctor studies that hiking poles help with knees, etc? I see a lot of articles by equip manufacturers and backpacking companies forums and articles. Would be interested in them.
 
Indirect mention from here.

A landmark study published by Dr. G. Neureuther in 1981 proved that use of "ski poles" while walking reduces the pressure strain on the opposite leg by approximately 20%. Furthermore, while walking on level ground, poles reduce the body weight carried by the legs by approximately 5 kg every step. Move to an incline, and that reduction increases to 8 kg. This translates into tons of weight -- yes, tons -- for even a two hour hike.


One more:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/walking-poles/expert-answers/FAQ-20057943

And more info here (not specifically relating to knees).
http://infinitespider.com/use-walking-poles-hike/
 
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