Trekking poles are not for burning calories or improving core strength. They are not in the same category as cross-country snowboarding, but they’re borderline absurd on the flats. Add hills, mountains, scree, moraine, a gargantuan pack, or 15-hours of movement and you’ll end up worshiping your trekking poles. Think four legs instead of two: more momentum and double the balance. They propel us to the next alpine climb, down from 10,000-foot summit days and help us crush our hill climbing opponent. Trekking poles will keep your 20-year-old knees going 70 more, or your 70-year-old age-thrashed knees functioning another 20. 

Sections, grips, shocks and beer cozies
Trekking poles are considered by some to be just fancy backcountry ski poles. While backcountry ski poles work great for their intended purpose, there are a few extra features worth considering on trekking poles. Wrist straps let you push Nordic ski-style, easing strain on hands and arms. Wide, padded wrist straps provide a better pushing platform and reduce chafing. Some people just ignore the straps and just push palm down onto the top of the pole. Ergonomic grips made from EVA foam or cork (less sweaty) provide a more comfortable grip, especially when using gloves.

Another feature is shock absorbers within trekking poles, such as Leki’s anti-shock system, REI's Shocklight, and Black Diamond's Control Shock Technology, that help reduce pounding on elbows and shoulders, especially on the downhills. Some poles have shock lockout mechanisms, like on mountain bike forks, which transfer your pushing power into uphill momentum rather than bouncing the absorber up and down. With so many feature options, be wary of the technology trap. While fancy straps, grips and shock absorbers provide a more comfortable ride, they ultimately add weight and decrease longevity.

The biggest feature to focus on is whether to purchase two- or three-section poles. For mountain or hill use, the more adjustable sections the better, as they are essential for dialing in the right pole length for you. Three-section poles are heavier, but they’ll shorten to fit in your travel duffel and stow on your pack to prevent screaming fits while bushwacking or when managing climbing ropes. How the sections are joined is also important. An ideal set-up is something like Black Diamond’s FlickLock system, which clamps shut and holds. In mountaineering situations, with rain, ice, crevasse probing and heavy loads, I watch most Leki, Komperdell and REI trekking poles – which have twist-lock mechanisms – fail and collapse. Strong and light carbon fiber rather than aluminum pole sections is a final feature worthy of extra money.

Length
When backcountry skiing, it's best to keep your ski poles at a fixed length for both uphill and downhill. For general cruising with trekking poles, keep your poles at alpine ski length – to determine this length, turn your pole upside down, grip above the basket, and adjust the pole until your gripping arm is bent at 90-degrees. When going uphill, shorten the poles' length for more pushing power. A tip to keep in mind: shorter poles keep your hands below your heart, which is key to warm hands in cold temperatures. On downhills, lengthen your poles to brace your body’s impact on each step.

How to use
Be rough and mean to your trekking poles. Push yourself uphill by placing the pole even and opposite of the striking foot. Beginners tend to place poles ahead of themselves, actually pushing themselves backwards and wasting energy. On the downhill, this is exactly what you want to do however – get your poles far below you and a little outward to brace your downhill weight (an aspect that haggard knees appreciate).

Trekking poles work great for all mountain activities. Last week, while crossing soft snow on Denali’s Kahiltna Glacier, I used two ski poles instead of an ice axe. On a photo-heavy trip, like this upcoming weekend on Carlo Creek in the Alaska Range, I’ll take one pole, keeping the other hand free for wielding a camera. When I need both hands I’ll cram the pole down between my shoulder blades and the pack.

I also find trekking poles great for steep mountain running. When running the 12 highest summits in the Chugach Front in 23-hours (35-miles, 19,000-vertical-feet) the trekking poles kept me out of the wheelchair the next day. Trekking poles can support your behemoth pack during standing breaks, they work to beat away charging toothy animals and can be strung with line to fish at McElligot’s Pool. Either way, trekking poles are essential in the mountains and in your 70s they’ll be essential on the flats.

Liked it? Share it!