August 10, 2022
Using hiking poles correctly: How hiking poles really make a difference
Dhe idea behind trekking poles is to support footwork and balance. Trekking poles offer knee protection and balance, but there are a few points you should bear in mind when using hiking poles correctly.
When are walking poles useful?
Experienced and sure-footed walkers can use poles in places to take the strain off their knees and improve their balance. Nevertheless, the body should also have the opportunity to move freely without poles often enough to gain balance experience. When the trekking poles are not in use, they should lie loosely in the hand and be held centrally so that they do not get in the way.
Hiking poles are absolutely unsuitable for steep or exposed terrain. They can even become a deadly danger in the event of a fall.
What walking pole techniques are there?
There are three pole techniques in total:
1. The diagonal technique: On less steep terrain
right pole, left leg.
2. The double pole technique: On higher steps up and down
Here, both poles are placed clearly in front of the body and feet, then you walk between them in two to four steps. On steep cross-paths, it is a good idea to hold the poles at different heights: On the uphill side below the handle, on the downhill side you can lean on the pommel.
In the double pole technique, both poles are placed in front of the body.
3. the side support method: for extremely steep terrain
You can hold one or both poles. Grip the pole with your uphill hand close to the tip and with your downhill hand approximately two thirds of the way up or at the handles. Now place the tip in front of your body to the side and at about hip height on the slope. The uphill arm is stretched out and the body is supported on this side, the other hand presses the poles against the slope. Take two steps, then repeat the whole thing.
Side support technique: Here you use the poles to support yourself sideways on the slope.
Important: When descending, the poles will only take the strain off your knees if you place them parallel in front of your body. This involves bringing your upper body forward and bending your legs in order to place the poles far forward and down.
This pole use is only done every two to three steps. On steep slopes, the walking poles must be set a little longer on the descent.
This pole insert is only done every two to three steps.
When should trekking poles not be used?
In rocky terrain where there is a risk of falling, poles should be in your rucksack. They absolutely do not belong on your wrists. If you attach hiking poles to the outside of your rucksack, you should make sure that they are attached correctly. Otherwise they can become an obstacle and get caught on rocks, for example.
Stick bows
The hiking pole loops should really only be used on completely flat terrain. If your hands are in the pole loop and you stumble, you are tied up and can neither hold on nor support yourself.
The loops can be omitted completely or included with the handle.
Related blog posts
Everything you need to know about hiking poles
Hiking poles are much more than just cool equipment. They offer you numerous advantages and turn your hike into an absolute highlight. Nevertheless, there are still some prejudices and misconceptions.
The following blog post brings light into the darkness. Learn more:
- The health benefits of walking poles
- How you can use trekking poles
- Which poles suit you best
- How to adjust the poles
- What transportation options are available
- How to recognize good hiking poles
Are you more of a video person? No problem, in our buying guide we go into the topic in detail
Video advice on hiking poles " How to find the right hiking poles
Why are walking poles useful?
You've probably often asked yourself: "When are trekking poles useful?" There can be very different reasons why someone uses trekking poles. In principle hiking poles have many positive features and advantages:
1. support of the joints
Walking poles provide relief for
- Feet,
- Legs,
- Knee
- and back.
Your knees are put under a lot of strain, especially when walking downhill. By using your mountaineering poles, you save energy, your concentration does not wane so quickly and you are safer on the descent.
2. balance
Most accidents while hiking are caused by slipping or stumbling. If you are also tired and your concentration wanes, the risk of falling is even greater.
The walking poles are like extensions of your arms that support you and give you a better grip. This gives you additional stability and improves your sense of balance.
3. posture and breathing
Hikers who use trekking poles can improve their posture at the same time. If you are carrying a heavy outdoor rucksack on your back, the poles support your upright posture. Your spine is relieved as much as possible.
Hiking poles encourage you to walk in an upright position. It is almost impossible not to walk upright with walking poles.
- Your shoulders cannot 'collapse' at the front.
- The upright posture also promotes breathing. You can breathe more easily.
Expert tip: Conscious breathing is essential for endurance sports so that you can concentrate for longer, you don't tire so quickly and therefore remain accident-free.
4. safety
As you can see from the previous points, walking poles help you in many ways. You stay accident-free for longer by
- Supports your joints,
- Promote your balance,
- not put additional strain on your posture, but promote a healthy posture.
In general, this walking aid has a positive effect on your energy levels, so you can really enjoy walking with poles when hiking in the mountains.
5. nordic walking
The energetic movement of Nordic walking
- strains the heart and circulation,
- stimulates the metabolism,
- strengthens muscles and bones
- and gets rid of excess pounds.
Those who diligently swing the mountaineering poles back and forth also strengthen their arms, shoulders and back.
Step-by-step guide: Adjusting hiking poles correctly
Step 1: Choose the right walking poles
Before you adjust your hiking poles, it is important that you choose the right model for your needs. Pay attention to the length, material and grips of the poles to make sure they fit your height and hiking style.
Step 2: Determine the optimum length
The hiking poles should be adapted to the terrain. The poles should be set slightly longer for descents and slightly shorter for ascents. As a rule, however, mountaineering poles should be set to this length,
- that the hand can easily grasp the handle,
- while the arm is at a right angle to the floor.
- The forearm is parallel to the floor and bent at the elbow.
Which walking poles for which height?
Many companies offer guidelines for the correct length for the body size. However, how a pole is adjusted can be very individual. As described above, it is important that the basic setting is at a right angle.
How long should Nordic walking poles be?
As this question often arises specifically for Nordic walking poles, we will deal with this question separately here.
- The distance between the pole and your body should be about half an arm's length.
- If your arm is bent at a 90 degree angle, the poles should end at your forearms.
- The 90 degree principle is therefore exactly the same as with conventional "trekking poles".
- There is also a method for calculating the length. To do this, multiply your height in centimetres by 0.7 and the result is the pole length.
Step 3: Adjusting the height of the walking poles
Look for the adjustment mechanism on your hiking poles. This can be a twist lock, a folding system or a snap lock. Release the lock to adjust the poles. Pull or push the telescopic poles to set the desired height. Make sure that the markings on the parts match to ensure that both poles are set to the same height.
Step 4: Adjust the hand straps
Hiking poles are usually equipped with hand loops that allow you to hold the poles without gripping them tightly. Slip your hand through the strap and adjust the size of the strap so that it fits comfortably. You should adjust the strap so that you can easily slip in and out of it without it being too loose or too tight.
Step 5: Check the tips
Check the tips of your walking poles to make sure they are intact and sharp enough to provide good grip on different surfaces. If necessary, you can replace the tips or replace worn tips.
Step 6: Test run and fine adjustment
Before you go on a longer hike with your hiking poles adjusted, do a short test run. Walk a few steps and check that the length and settings are comfortable and feel good. Adjust the settings if necessary to achieve the optimum hiking experience.
How do you walk properly with hiking poles?
When hiking, we often just start walking without thinking about our walking technique. This is not surprising. After all, our walking is automated.
However, if you want to use your trekking poles to their full potential, you should bear a few points in mind when using them:
1. set the size correctly
First of all, adjust your walking poles to the right size. See our step-by-step instructions.
2. hold the handle correctly
A common mistake is the wrong grip, where the loop is often simply threaded in from above. The correct way is to grip through the loop from below so that you can exert pressure on the pole even with an open or loose hand.
This allows you to open your hands during the outstretching movement without sacrificing relief.
Expert tip: To prevent your hands from cramping, make sure you keep your grip loose during the lunge.
Important: The loop should only be used on relatively flat terrain. If you fall and are caught, you cannot grab the handle or support yourself. This increases the risk of injury considerably.
3. the correct posture
To achieve the best possible effect, it is advisable to always hold the poles close to your body. On flat terrain, the poles are diagonal to the legs and are used alternately according to the natural movement pattern.
4. walking on steep terrain
In steep terrain, the double pole technique is the variant you should use. When ascending and descending, the poles are usually placed every second step and you push yourself upwards with both arms. This ensures stability and relief.
5. go downhill
The double pole technique is also the best choice for downhill skiing. You should not drill the tips of the poles into the terrain, but grip or hold the handle in such a way that you can perform a clean technique. This will prevent you from slipping and avoid falls.
6. crossings
Poles do not necessarily have to be adjusted differently for crossings. It is sufficient if you hold the uphill pole below the handle and grasp the handle like a knob from above on the downhill side.
7. very steep terrain and traverses
You should pass very steep terrain and traverses without any restrictions. The pole should 'only' be used as a support here. It is also possible to hold a pole with both hands.
"It's an old method, like the mountaineers used to do back then. Says Wolfgang Loacker, an experienced mountain and ski guide in the Montafon."
However, you should only tackle steep terrain if you are fit enough and have experience, or if you have an expert with you.
Attaching folding poles to the rucksack
You won't need your walking poles on some stages or on buses and trains. Folding poles have a decisive advantage here.
They can be folded up in no time at all and are ultra-light to transport thanks to their small pack size and weight. What you should know about transporting your hiking poles:
The poles in the rucksack
Ideally, you should not attach any equipment to the outside of your rucksack.
"It's safer to keep trekking poles in your rucksack. For one thing, they can easily get lost and if you fall, the risk of injury is higher," says Wolfgang Loacker, Austrian mountain and ski guide.
In addition, hiking with poles attached to your hiking rucksack is more difficult and dangerous. The weight pulls backwards and downwards. This puts strain on your spine and costs you strength.
The tip on the backpack
The fastening option depends very much on your backpack. In most cases, trekking and hiking backpacks have loops and hooks that allow you to insert and thread the poles.
With loops, (the tip) is inserted at the bottom. The small loop is used for poles without plates and the large loop for poles with plates.
The plates usually prevent the pole tips from slipping through. Otherwise you can use pole plates can also be turned down in a few simple steps.
Compression straps
Compression straps are loops, usually attached to the right or left of the rucksack, which can be tightened. The hiking poles are enclosed and tightened, so to speak. This means that your poles do not swing back and forth and sit firmly and securely on your rucksack.
Velcro and cable ties
Alternatively, you can use external Velcro fasteners and cable ties to attach hiking poles to your rucksack. These methods assume that you already have an existing system on your rucksack to which you can attach your external Velcro or cable ties. The Velcro method in particular is only suitable for transportation.
How do I transport walking poles on an airplane?
Hiking or trekking poles are not permitted in hand baggage. This also applies to telescopic hiking poleswhich can be pushed together. The reason for this is that hiking or trekking poles are classified as dangerous items at the security checkpoint because they can potentially be used as weapons.
Hiking poles can only be carried in checked baggage. Folding or telescopic hiking poles are an advantage here. These can simply be stowed in the suitcase or rucksack. No additional fee has to be paid and the suitcase can be packed to save space.
An additional fee must be paid for non-foldable canes, as this is bulky baggage and these types of canes do not fit in the suitcase. The only exception to hand baggage is walking aids such as crutches or walking sticks if they are necessary for medical reasons.
Which tip for which surface?
You will often be confronted with different surfaces on your tour. That's why our hiking poles also come with different attachments.
- Asphalt tips are particularly suitable for use on hard surfaces. They protect the metal tip of the walking pole from unnecessary abrasion.
- For use in the mountains, you should use your poles without an additional attachment.
- Unless you are hiking over scree. In this case, we recommend screwing on the mud attachments. They prevent them from sinking in. As the name suggests, you can also use them in mud, on earth and sand.
The included Nordic walking attachments make it easier for you to walk fast and push your speed.
Can I also hike on snow and ice with hiking poles?
Yes, thanks to the snow plates supplied, you can also use your walking poles in winter. The tips are ideal for use on snow. If you want to cross ice-covered passages, you should use the tip without the attachment. This gives you maximum grip.
Conclusion: What are good walking poles?
Your own needs come first. This is the first clue as to how you should choose your poles so that it is a "good" pole for you. Your height and weight will help you in this regard. For good hiking poles, the price-performance ratio should always come second. Comparisons and experience reports can help here.
If you are not sure what you will be using the poles for, it is advisable not to buy too specifically. Instead, buy a pair of poles that can be used for several purposes.
Otherwise, poles should be selected according to their intended use. If you mainly need the poles for relaxed hikes on flat terrain, aluminum telescopic poles should be perfectly adequate.
However, if you also want to go on multi-day tours or into the mountains, then foldable aluminum or carbon poles are recommended. There is no clear answer as to what makes a good walking pole and what does not.
If used and handled incorrectly, even the most expensive and lightest carbon pole will be of no use to you. It is much more important to familiarize yourself with the material and know your own needs in order to choose a suitable pole.
FAQ about hiking poles:
Should I choose fixed or telescopic walking poles?
Of course, there is no general answer to this question. On the one hand, the use of the various models is a matter of taste. On the other hand, their use also depends on the area of application. If you value a low weight and small pack size, you should choose telescopic hiking poles.
These are adjusted and ready for use in no time at all. If, on the other hand, you value rigidity and demand a lot from your poles, then sturdy hiking poles are more suitable.
My walking poles can no longer be locked: What can I do?
If your walking poles no longer lock, there are a few possible solutions you can try:
Check the fasteners: Make sure that the closures or clamps on your walking poles are properly closed. Sometimes they can accidentally come loose or not lock properly.
Clean the poles: Dirt, sand or moisture can affect the hiking poles' mechanisms. Clean the poles thoroughly to ensure that they work properly.
Greasethe fasteners: If the fasteners are jammed or difficult to move, you can apply some lubricant or silicone spray to the mechanisms to make them move smoothly again.
How do I clean my walking poles?
With proper handling and care, hiking poles are a reliable companion for many years. If your walking poles get wet, you should adjust them to their full length and wipe them with a clean cloth. This also applies if your poles have come into contact with dirt or dust.
Make sure that dirt does not get into the individual segments, as this can impair their function. If you give your hiking poles a longer break, be sure to store them in a dry and clean place. A damp cellar or garage are not suitable.
