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Benefits of Using Trekking Poles During Your Outdoor Adventures

Whether you’re hiking through mountains or backpacking across rugged terrain, trekking poles can be your best ally. These tools are not just for seasoned adventurers or mountaineers; they offer a wide array of benefits for anyone who enjoys spending time in nature. From protecting knees and reducing injury risks to serving multi-functional purposes, trekking poles provide enhanced comfort, support, and safety on any trail. In this blog post, we will explore fourteen reasons why incorporating trekking poles into your outdoor gear can greatly enhance your hiking and backpacking experience.

WHY YOU SHOULD USE TREKKING POLES WHILE HIKING AND BACKPACKING

why hikers and backpackers use trekking poles

Trekking poles are not merely an accessory but an essential piece of equipment for many hikers and backpackers. These poles can dramatically augment your hiking experience by providing a range of advantages. They particularly help when dealing with harsh terrains that challenge balance and stability. By redistributing the load your knees and legs carry, trekking poles assist in creating a more enjoyable and efficient hike.

Additionally, trekking poles are highly versatile, offering numerous secondary benefits, as we will explore further. Their design isn’t just about support but incorporates features that make them useful beyond mere hiking, like setting up tents or even as improvised tools for rescue situations. The following sections detail the comprehensive benefits of these multipurpose hiking companions.

1) Protect Knees and Reduce Injuries

One of the primary reasons hikers and backpackers rely on trekking poles is for knee protection. Especially during descents, your knees take on a significant amount of pressure, which can lead to chronic pain or long-term injuries. By using trekking poles, you can effectively distribute some of this impact away from your knees, thereby minimizing potential damage.

Studies have shown that using trekking poles can reduce compressive forces on the knees by as much as 25%. This is especially beneficial when carrying heavy backpacks, as the strain on the knees further intensifies. For both novice hikers trying to preserve their joints and experienced adventurers aiming to continue their passion as they age, trekking poles are an excellent investment in knee health.

2) Less impact on joints and the body over time

The repetitive strain on joints during long hikes can accumulate over time, contributing to joint fatigue and soreness. Trekking poles help mitigate this effect by absorbing some of the impacts that would typically be absorbed by your ankles, hips, and lower back. This can be particularly valuable on uneven terrain, where each step requires additional stabilization effort from your body.

Over extended periods, the cumulative benefit of reduced joint impact can contribute to increased hiking endurance and less post-hike discomfort. This makes trekking poles highly recommended for multi-day backpacking trips where carrying a heavy pack over varying terrains is expected.

3) Trekking poles make your hike easier and faster

Speed and ease of movement are crucial aspects of an enjoyable hike. By using trekking poles, you engage your arms and turn your hike into a full-body workout, which can lead to more efficient movement through rugged landscapes. The added propulsion from each step helps maintain a brisk pace which can be particularly beneficial on long distances.

Furthermore, they reduce the perceived exertion by diversifying the muscle groups used throughout your hike. This not only makes hiking easier but allows you to cover more ground within the same time, optimizing your hiking or backpacking itinerary.

4) Measure and assess dangerous situations before you proceed

Safety is a paramount consideration in outdoor adventures, and trekking poles offer an added dimension of security. They can serve as extensions of your arms, helping you probe uncertain terrain before committing your body weight. This is invaluable for testing the stability of rocks, checking the depth of mud or snow, and ensuring a secure footing.

Moreover, being able to identify and react to potential hazards before they escalate into crisis situations is a significant advantage that trekking poles provide. This proactive approach can prevent accidents and contribute to a safer hiking environment.

5) Trekking poles make crossing rivers and creeks easier

When encountering water obstacles such as rivers and creeks, trekking poles can drastically improve stability and safety. By providing additional contact points with the ground, they help maintain balance against the force of flowing water which can otherwise destabilize hikers.

Using trekking poles in water crossings not only prevents accidental slips but also assists in gauging water depth and current strength, allowing you to better strategize your crossing and keep your gear dry.

6) Better Balance

Maintaining good balance is essential when navigating uneven and tricky terrains, and trekking poles enhance this capability. They act as stabilizing points, distributing weight and helping maintain your center of gravity more effectively.

This balance is not only important in obvious dangerous paths but also helps conserve energy in less taxing parts of the hike. By reducing wobble and maintaining a stronger stance, you’ll be able to hike further with less fatigue.

7) Extra Stability On Slippery Terrain

Slippery trails caused by rain, snow, or moss can be daunting and often hazardous. Trekking poles provide much-needed support by acting as extra points of contact, reducing slip risk, and giving hikers additional leverage to prevent falls.

In wet conditions, the grip that poles provide is akin to an extra pair of legs, supporting you in maintaining surefootedness and confidently navigating through difficult patches without compromising safety.

8) Poles are multi-purpose gear: tent and shelter set up

Beyond their use on the trail, trekking poles can play a vital role in setting up your campsite. Many ultralight shelters require trekking poles as pivotal support structures, negating the need for extra tent poles, which can save weight and pack space.

This multi-purpose use enhances their value, transforming them into central tools in your outdoor toolkit. The versatility ensures nothing goes to waste and everything carried supports multiple aspects of your outdoor pursuits.

9) Use as a gravity water filter

Water is a crucial resource on any hiking trip, and while carrying large quantities is impractical, a gravity water filter setup using trekking poles can help you access clean water easily. With proper equipment, you can set up a makeshift filtration system using the poles to suspend the filtration apparatus, enabling gravity to do the work.

This versatility not only reduces the weight of carried water but provides the flexibility of sourcing clean water wherever you venture, significantly enhancing the breadth of your backpacking routes.

10) Tripod for Photos and Videos

In an age where documenting adventures is an integral part of the experience, trekking poles can double as a convenient tripod. Many poles are designed to be compatible with camera mounts, allowing you to capture steady photographs and videos of your journey without the need for cumbersome equipment.

This capability can add a whole new dimension to outdoor exploration, especially in capturing long exposures or selfie shots in isolated breathtaking locations, where a steady hand just isn’t enough.

11) Protect against wildlife and dogs

While wildlife encounters are often peaceful and beautiful, there are occasions where they can turn aggressive, particularly with curious dogs or territorial animals. Trekking poles can serve as a deterrent, keeping a safe distance between you and the animal.

Being able to posture confidently with extended reach provides reassurance and an extra measure of safety, potentially averting dangerous confrontations with unpredictable wildlife.

12) Clearing the Trail

Overgrown trails can hinder progress and obscure paths. Trekking poles can act as extended arms, allowing you to bushwhack through dense growth and clear spider webs or low-hanging foliage without compromising safety.

Having such an ability becomes crucial in maintaining visibility on less maintained paths, ensuring you remain on track without having to physically push through thickets or undergrowth.

13) Reduce Swelling in Your Hands

Long hikes can often lead to swelling in your hands due to gravitational pull and limited upper body movement, especially when hands are not actively used during the hike. By using trekking poles, you increase circulation through the act of swinging your arms, which can minimize swelling.

This active engagement of the arms and hands through pole usage results in a more balanced distribution of physical activity and lessens the discomfort from swelling, adding to overall hike enjoyment.

14) You Can Use Them as a Splint

In case of an emergency or injury while on the trail, trekking poles can be utilized as makeshift splints. They offer solid support to immobilize a limb, assisting in stabilizing fractures until further help can be reached.

This invaluable capability underscores the importance of trekking poles in backcountry first aid, where immediate medical help isn’t always readily available, turning them into potentially lifesaving tools during emergencies.

Final Thoughts

Can I Use Ski Poles as hiking poles?

While ski poles and trekking poles may appear similar, it’s important to note that their designs serve different functions. Ski poles are generally not adjustable, whereas modern trekking poles allow length adjustments, which are crucial for tackling varied terrains effectively. Additionally, trekking poles are equipped with features such as ergonomic grips and shock absorption for hiking-specific tasks.

It’s advisable to invest in dedicated trekking poles for hiking. While ski poles might suffice for small excursions, they do not substitute the specialized support and functionality that trekking poles offer for serious trekking and backpacking endeavors.

Summary of main points

Benefit	Description
Protect Knees and Reduce Injuries	Reduces impact on knees, especially during descents, preventing long-term damage.
Less Impact on Joints	Distributes impact, reducing strain on joints, beneficial for endurance.
Make Hike Easier and Faster	Engages body, increasing speed and efficiency over varied terrain.
Assess Dangerous Situations	Helps test terrain stability before committing to paths or crossings.
Assist in River Crossings	Provides balance and depth gauge to safely navigate water obstacles.
Better Balance	Stabilizes your center of gravity for enhanced footing.
Extra Stability on Slippery Terrain	Acts as extra support on wet or treacherous paths.
Multi-purpose: Tent Setup	Serves as poles for lightweight shelters, reducing extra gear.
Use as a Gravity Water Filter	Helps in creating water filtering systems, reducing weight and increasing route flexibility.
Tripod for Photos/Videos	Acts as a tripod to capture stable media during trips.
Protection Against Wildlife	Offers defense against aggressive animals, maintaining distance.
Clearing the Trail	Clears overgrowth and webs along paths, maintaining track visibility.
Reduce Hand Swelling	Increases circulation, minimizing swelling during long hikes.
Use as a Splint	Can be improvised into a splint for emergency first aid scenarios.

Sources

While this article draws from a broad base of experiential knowledge and common hiking advice, the reader is encouraged to seek specific studies and texts for deeper insights, particularly in the fields of outdoor gear technology and trekking safety research.

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