Trekking Poles And Hiking Staffs
By Steve Gillman, Thu Dec 8th
Are walking sticks longer than trekking poles? What about hikingstaffs and hiking sticks? Whatever you call them, and whatevertheir differences, they are supposed to help your knees morethan anything. This they do very well, at least when you'regoing downhill.
What else are they good for? They help you keep your balance.You can use them as defense against wild animals as well. I usea walking stick to rest my head on from time to time, and I alsouse it as a monopod for steadying the camera.
Do You Need Trekking Poles?
What if you don't have knee problems, and you are hiking onlevel ground? Then maybe there is no point to using trekkingpoles. They can be just more things to carry.
Do they save energy? They take weight off your joints, but logicsays you'll expend more energy by carrying them. I use a walkingstick at times, when my knees insist, and it's fun to poke atthings, but it's not a necessity. For what it's worth, RayJardine, the "father" of ultralight backpacking, doesn'trecommend trekking poles.
If you decide to use them, consider the incredible
