Hiking poles

obi604

hi,

What do people generally reckon on hiking poles?

are they useful?

Or just an extra thing to carry

Tabnabs

Depends on the terrain you are going over, how much weight is on your back and how steep the ascent and descent is. They are undoubtedly useful and a great help in taking the strain off your knees. You can get very lightwreight ones, and ones that fold up into a very easily carried size. The more you spend, the better the quality etc. They are also now a very useful component in wildcamping and are used to form the frame of some of the lightest tents available.

Planet X

When you're fording a stream and / or coming downhill through bracken and the likes.........invaluable.

Bought a pair last year after holding out for a few years. Depends on the terrain you plan to cross.

Alun

Very useful on rough uneven terrain or when the bracken is high to probe the way ahead of you, great for ageing knees when descending, fording streams, poking boggy patches to see if it's safe to step on them etc. etc. I wouldn't be without my Leki poles, but the ones they have in Lidl now and then are actually pretty decent.

If you do get any, I'd recommend looking for ones that have a grip that continues on down the pole from the actual handle. Great for steep uphill sections so you don't have to mess about shortening them just for a few minutes.

Kat1170

I find they're the type of equipment you can manage without once you start using them you'll find them invaluable and won't want to be without them.

I also like the fact they give my shoulders a gentle workout.

Wanderer78

lidl and aldi sticks are just fine.....

Save the knees on a downhill, also came in very handy when I was attacked by a dog in Spain, walking in the Sierra Navada

Tabnabs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185197#Comment_119185197

That's what I thought, but having used the Lidl sticks for a while now, they are very basic and I'd buy something lighter and easier to stow instead.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119194847#Comment_119194847

more expensive sticks certainly look nice, but a lot of members of the club im in use them, including myself, and are just fine for a lot of walking, designs are improving year on year also, in regards weight and foldability etc

It's also surprising how many other uses you can put them to when out for an overnight camp. Add support to your tent porch, stick your boots on to dry, set up a clothes line, raise up a tarp, etc. Well worth bringing especially if camping in a place without trees.