Trekking Poles

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
Because I think that they aren't only absolutely useless, but also horribly disturbing and annoying in nearly all circumstances.
We did very well manage without them for decades and centuries, what means they are superfluous. And superfluous stuff doesn't belong into a rucksack in my opinion.

Of course there are exceptions for medical reasons and very specific purposes.
 

Billy-o

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 19, 2018
2,039
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Canada
I agree with Erbswurst. It is a personal thing whether to like poles or not. Whether they are a help or a hindrance depends rather on one's capacity, strength, stamina, balance, urgency, personal syle/technique etc. Also, and this is perhaps odd, I have a pair of Pacer Poles. They are magnificently well-designed and really educate your posture. I highly recommend them. But, they work so effectively in optimizing and raising your cadence that it becomes difficult for your lungs to keep up. :lol:
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
Didn't the trekking poles become popular with the Nordic Walking fashion?
That's my impression.
Suddenly they were everywhere offered and used by laughable people.

If someone does cross country skiing half the year and keeps training for that also in the warmer month after work for an hour or two that's something totally different.

Is hiking a sport or not?
May be for some people, others just spend recreational time in the woods.
For me it's definitely not, although I can become pretty fast too. But if there is something interesting to see I stop and look at it as long as I want without thinking about training efforts.

Well, do what you want. But I simply don't like them and don't recommend them.
 

Tvividr

Nomad
Jan 13, 2004
256
38
Norway
www.gjknives.com
When I have been walking in the mountains here in Norway, on the Hardangervidda, Lifjell, Setesdalheiene or other places, I have usually cut myself a staff to aid me when I am walking in difficult rocky terrain etc. – a third point of contact with the ground is a big advantage in such terrain. It is also extremely useful when crossing rivers with strong currents, as well as in some tarp shelter configurations etc.
A hiking staff has been used ever since the stone age, or at least for many many centuries among reindeer, goat, sheep and cattle herders etc. The Saami people have always used a hiking staff when walking on the vidda and in the mountains – perhaps not so much nowadays, as most herding is done on snowmobiles these days.
I recently read the book "Eld : flammor och glöd - samisk eldkonst" (Fire : flames and embers – the Saami art of fire), a 430 page thick book on the Saami use of fire, written by Yngve Ryd. It mentions the hiking staff as so important, that it was seen as a very bad thing to cut thin slivers of the staff to use as tinder in the first stages of making a fire, and the only exception being in extremely severe and difficult circumstances.
Herders in Africa where I grew up, use a staff when walking in the hills and mountains, even on the plains. It doubles up as a weapon for self-defence as well, and I have had my "butt kicked" so hard many a time trying my luck in a stickfight or two with those guys...

I see the trekking poles as just a modern type of hiking staff, and see nothing wrong with them.
I picked a pair of Black Diamond hiking poles up on sale a couple of years ago when a local store went bankrupt. I have never used them yet, but with my knees being no longer, as they were in my youth, I look forward to using them this summer – just me, my Alpacka packraft, a tarp and a pair of trekking poles. I do not care how laughable that may look – I bet I will find them extremely useful.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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A shepherd also catches animals with the stick and because they are strong like you, they can break.
My brother recently broke a modern one.
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
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Vantaa, Finland
Didn't the trekking poles become popular with the Nordic Walking fashion?
They were used by some people before that but yes, that brought them to common use.

(To ridicule people using poles when walking it was called "dementia skiing" by some, skiing without the skis. Not seen that used for a long time though.)
 
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SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,651
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Ceredigion
I find hiking poles annoying, cumbersome and in the way, but with my damaged knees they are a must if I want to get down a mountain safely, especially if there are lots of loose bolders as is common here, and on very uneven and unstable ground if I'm carrying a heavy load. So I got a lightweight pair that packs up small for the ascent, with those click-locks for reliability when in use. I've had the twist to lock ones fail on me too many times to trust them.

If the women's ones are long enough for you, you can dafe some weight by choosing those.

For people with balance issues, poles can also make a huge difference, letting them enjoy the outdoors more safely.
 

SCOMAN

Life Member
Dec 31, 2005
2,609
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Perthshire
We did without a lot of things for centuries. Are we going back to nude foraging and hunting? They can be a great resource, assistance for walking and hills and can be used as support for tarps.
 
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plastic-ninja

Full Member
Jan 11, 2011
2,267
274
cumbria
Because I think that they aren't only absolutely useless, but also horribly disturbing and annoying in nearly all circumstances.
We did very well manage without them for decades and centuries, what means they are superfluous. And superfluous stuff doesn't belong into a rucksack in my opinion.

Of course there are exceptions for medical reasons and very specific purposes.
With a little thought the obvious flaw in your argument is that humans have been using some sort of trekking pole, staff, walking stick, cane, scout pole, quarterstaff, etc etc etc for at least a thousand years. The use of two sticks may be more recent but the principle is ancient.
I have Black Diamond aluminium ones which are excellent but used to have some Fizan poles from Italy in either duralumin or titanium ( can’t remember which ) that folded to little over 30cm. Very good poles too but not quite long enough for my 6’6” frame.
 
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Minotaur

Native
Apr 27, 2005
1,624
246
Birmingham
In your case trekking poles are a bad idea in my opinion.
Lightweight hikers who walk double the distance of normal hikers all seem to use poles. The evidence seems to suggest it protects your knees so you can walk longer while making you faster.

I've decided I don't really like tent camping, if the weather is really bad then I would rather stay in a bed and breakfast or Airbnb.
I must be weird I like being in a tent in the rain. In a gale not so much ;)

Keep an eye out at Aldi and Lidl as they have them fairly often so you could try them for not a lot. I have some Aldi specials to try out. Watch some videos first as there a few odd things to pay attention to.
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
Sorry, in my opinion it's just a fashion.
Like the hobo stoves or the fire blowing antenna.

I also can find a lot of explanations why it's sensible to wear such a red plastic clown nose while out in forest and field.

You really should try that, it's great!
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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Berlin
I am of course not generally against a walking stick. Sometimes it indeed can be practical to have one.
But there are really enough of sticks in the woods should I need one. And usually I don't need it.
 
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Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
1,554
1,232
58
Finland
Me, call me autistic or whatever. I want my walking- and tarpstick to be "perfect". I can´t stand for any "out of the woods"-stick. Goes together with that I want everything to be symmetric. I hate assymetry.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
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1,774
Berlin
So, that's your day today!
The Easter egg is symmetric from all points of view!

:chicken:
 

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