How to use trekking poles?

Trekking poles are one of the commonly used mountaineering equipment. We must prepare a pair of trekking poles with reliable performance and learn to use them correctly when climbing mountains. In addition to effectively protecting your knees, it can also help you reduce your weight by about 30%, allowing you to walk more efficiently and comfortably and better enjoy nature's fun. How about trekking poles

Is it correct to use? Now, let's take a look at how to use trekking poles. 

Common mistakes

Trekking poles help maintain balance and reduce shock to knees, hips and ankles (especially when going downhill and with heavy packs), and they help to support on slippery ground and through rivers.

Trekking poles can also give you a full-body workout by distributing the strength load and working the upper body and upper arms.

However, some people do not use trekking poles as they should, mainly because they are misusing them or adjusting them incorrectly.

Mainly in:

Trekking poles are used on the side that is too far or too close to the body, and their length settings do not match the user's height.

Also, some hikers prefer to use their trekking poles 24/7, but in some cases, such as walking through dense vegetation or climbing rocky terrain, trekking poles can be a hindrance rather than a help.

In fact, by slightly adjusting how you use your trekking poles, many more people can benefit from going out on a hike.

How to use trekking poles? 

You can do without trekking poles if it is a simple or short leisure route. If you are climbing a mountain for a long time, climbing a hill with heavy equipment, or at a high altitude, you must master some methods and skills of trekking poles. It would help if you did not use trekking poles when encountering a steep slope or a route that needs to be climbed. It would be best if you put the trekking poles in your backpack. It is safer to climb by grasping rocks or branches. Otherwise, it will be dangerous.

When using trekking poles, you should hold two sticks in your hands, stand on the flat ground, raise your arms at 90 degrees to your body, open the lock, adjust the two nodes below the trekking pole, and hold the trekking pole in your hand, touch the tip of the trekking pole on the ground, and fasten the lock. Buckle your hand through the wrist strap, press the belt on the tiger's mouth, and hold the handle tightly.

Adjust the length of the trekking pole

1. In general, three-section trekking poles have two sections that can be adjusted. First, loosen all the trekking poles.
2. Extend the pole near the bottom to the maximum length, and there are scales on the trekking pole for reference.
3. Stand on a flat surface with a trekking pole to adjust the length of the pole, the arm hangs down naturally, take the elbow as the fulcrum, and raise the forearm to 90 degrees with the upper arm. , and then the trekking pole.Adjust the tip of the trekking pole downward to contact the ground, or place the head of the trekking bar 5-8 cm under the armpit, then adjust the pole's tip downward until it touches the ground.
4. Fasten all the poles of the trekking pole.
5. The other trekking pole that has not been adjusted can be adjusted to the same length as the one with the locked size.
6. Trekking poles. When purchasing the trekking poles, you can first adjust the length to determine whether to buy a suitable measurement.
7. When changing the trekking poles, the maximum adjustment length displayed on the trekking poles should not be exceeded.

Use of wristbands

When most people use trekking poles, they hold the handle of the trekking pole tightly and apply force, thinking that the function of the wrist strap is to keep the trekking pole from leaving their wrist. If you feel so, then you are wrong. The importance of the belt is no less than the strength of the trekking pole itself! Correct use of the wrist strap can effectively improve the stability of the trekking pole to achieve the purpose of saving effort.

First, distinguish between left and right hands. The wristband will have different logos, and the correct wearing should be selected according to its logo. The trekking pole can be used better only if the wrist and the wristband fit. Next, adjust the wrist strap. The wrist should be stretched in from the bottom of the wristband, and then hold the handle of the trekking pole downwards after reaching in; remember not to hold it too tightly so as to distribute the body's load better.

To keep the wrist, the wrist strap and the handle fixed together can not only maintain stability but also effectively play the role of the wrist strap

How to operate on different terrains

The following describes the standard operation methods of using trekking poles in general, but not all. You can adjust the actual operation to find the process that suits you. Only in this way can you fully utilize the benefits of trekking poles.

• Flat ground and gentle uphill: Take the same rhythm as you would normally walk, with your right arm moving forward with your left foot and taking the trekking pole forward at the same time, but the tip of the pole should not exceed.Cross the front of the body, then push back against the ground, and do the same action with the left hand and the right hand.

• Sloping steep slopes: The action is the same as regular walking, but the arms should move forward, place the position of the trekking pole in front of the body, and use the trekking pole to support the body upwards. If necessary, you can use two trekking poles simultaneously to do the climbing action to reduce the pressure on the legs. When pushing the body up, the palms can be placed on the top of the poles to strengthen the pushing force.

• Downhill: Due to the relatively large impact force, it is necessary to use trekking poles to reduce the load on the legs; the position of the trekking poles must be placed in front of the body and before the front feet
• One can only achieve the effect of sharing the force by landing on the ground. At this time, the body will lean forward. This action is not natural for us to go downhill, so it should be practiced frequently and simultaneously. How far should the trekking poles be placed to achieve the effect of reducing the pressure on the legs and will not slow down the speed and rhythm of the original travel? According to personal feeling, increase the length of trekking poles when necessary.

In any case, it is important to have the correct technique when using trekking poles, otherwise many of the advantages of trekking poles are lost, and we have also seen so many hikers using trekking poles wrongly that the disadvantages more than profit.

IFAST  Lightweight Hiking Trekking Poles

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【Lightweight Aerospace Grade Aluminum】Made with 7075 aerospace grade aluminum, essential for hiking or backpacking in rough terrain

【Quick Lock & Easy Extent】Our poles feature our quick flip lock so you can collapse or extend your poles from 26” (66.04 cm) to 54” (137 cm) quickly while firmly holding their position. 

【Lightweight, Easier Travel】Each pole weighs only 10.56 ounces, much lighter than other aluminum materials, reducing overall weight and arm fatigue

【Accessories & Multipurpose】The kit includes:

• A snow basket.
• Sand/mud basket.
• Rubber boot tips.
• Rubber tips.
• Trekking pole clips and a tote bag.