Treking Poles
June 14, 2010 10:10 am Leave your thoughts
Treking poles have gained a lot of popularity recently. I have never been a fan of them. People who use them swear by them, even ex non-believers like me:)
I have read countless articles debating their pro’s vs cons. On the one hand using them is supposed to help absorb shock to your knees, help provide stability which can improve posture and reduce back injuries. They are also helpful for river crossing’s and other situations where maintaining balance can be tricky.
The argument against them is you expend more energy and burn more calories using them. Maybe not such a big deal on a 3-4 day hike but on a 6 month thru-hike your burning 3000-5000 calories a day and those calories aren’t so easy to come by. Expending extra energy is a serious consideration.
Even if you only use them for stability and impact reduction in certain situations, you have to carry them the rest of the time and then the extra weight is a concern.
Well after much debate I have caved in and bought a pair. I am much older than the average person attempting a thru-hike and my knees aren’t feeling all spring chicken either. So with much hesitation I’ll give them a shot, but they are on the top of my list to get mailed home if I deam them not worth it.
I did manage to get a pair of the Ultralight series and they weigh very little. I knew I should have picked them up in NYC though, I could have saved $25. Oh well.