Many hikers believe trekking poles are not for them. Strong legs are enough and there is no need to be old fashion and using these weird sticks. In fact, trekking poles are much more than compensating for weak legs. Trekking poles can be versatile, with many use cases and once in proper use, they can take you faster and safer in many ways to your destination.
Trekking poles are here to stay, and to walk, not only while you hike but also can be used during camping, trekking, rainforest trail, and desert walk.
Let’s list some of the benefits using trekking poles:
This is the first obvious reason to use trekking poles. Consider them as your 3rd and 4th legs. You are much more stable. You can make sure the terrain you are going to place your foot on is stable and safe, you can balance better your weight on different terrains, from mud to wet rocks.
This is the second obvious consideration to use trekking poles. When climbing up, your muscles probably should work hard to take you up the hill or mountain. Backuping with the assistance of the hands’ power, through the trekking poles, allow you to reduce the effort from your legs. When descending, you hit the ground again and again and knees should be your suspensions. This might be hard and hurt sensitive knees. Instead, using trekking poles can reduce the pressure from the knees in those down strides by taking some of your body mass to rely on the hands rather the legs. If you are doing a long backpacking with a hard route, you surely going to feel the difference.
But, there are of course the secondary reasons which are great reasons to carry trekking poles with you.
Imagine how easier it can be to cross water, to have a sense of its depth, to be stable although the stream of water. Also when there is ice-covered water, you can probe the ice and have a safer crossing.
There are cases in which you will be glad to have additional tent pole to support your tent. Also, with an emergency blanket, trekking poles can be used to make make a shelter, for any bad weather, rainy or sunny.
In an emergency case, when you need to be over water, either intentionally or by the situation. using a trekking pole with additional instruments like portable paddle blades that fit the poles or finding any relevant element from mother earth and nature to hook up to the trekking pole.
That’s right. A trekking pole can be a Self-defense instrument to keep away sneaks or other animals.
You can hook a blade or your knife to your trekking pole and use it as an emergency spear
Waving for rescue or due to other reason can be much easier and successful when extending hands using the trekking poles and hooking one of the shirts, for example, so you can be uncovered more easily.
If wounded, you can use the poles as your crutches and make the required progress to a safe point and help.
When trees are not around, by using cord between tent to trekking pole, you can actually set your laundry line and while resting in a sunny day, you will get your clothes dried.
Surely you can state additional use case, let all know your ideas by commenting below.
For additional safety tips, you can read the article tips for staying safe while hiking or trekking.
Leave a comment