Trekking Pole

Trekking Pole and Pole for skiing

   It is September now.  I have been busy this summer for many unexpected things.  New school year started for our kids in mid August and it is back to normal now and finally I have some spare time to write an article.

   Today's topic is "Trekking Poles" that many hikers are using nowadays at least in the US.   I did not use them when I was young.  But I started using them a few years ago since I am getting old and I'd probably better to get some support using them.   I was using one for skiing, but it was broken and I bought a pair of trekking poles last year.

Trekking Poles

What I bought was one from Black Diamond, you can find it in Amazon.  There are many different types, this is a folding type  Another type is an adjustable type, which is easy to adjust the length.  Most of folding type is fixed length, but one I bought was there is a part to adjust the length on the top part.

Adjustable part

   This is a model for women, I think the main difference is strength and weight.  I think it is good enough for my weight.  I am relatively smaller than typical men.
　
   A difference between trekking poles and ski poles are the tip portion.
　

Tip portion for a skiing pole

   Tip portion for skiing is designed easy to stick surface of snow with metal tip.  It is also having larger ring not sinking into the snow.

Tip for a trekking pole

   On the other hand, trekking pole is using rubber material to get more friction on rocks.  The ling is smaller or nothing.  This model can replace the tip to a metal part to use on the snow.

Metal tip for replacement

   Some models, it is also possible to replace the ring to use for skiing.  However, I have different poles for each purpose.  The model i have, it is ok to use on a snow course in summer time.  But for skiing the ling is too small and sinking into the snow when I use them for skiing.  Also, the length on the tip portion is too short to use for skiing as well.
　The tip has many different shapes.  Some of them are bigger tip to get more friction and stable on rocks.

   As I mentioned, I was using poles for skiing in my previous hiking.  However, the stress to the big ring is big on summer trail.  Also, the friction might be smaller and not very stable.   However, the friction is not a big deal, just need to have some experience to adjust how we use it.

Advantage to use trekking poles

   Talking about advantage using trekking poles, the major advantage is helping to keep the balance.  Using poles, the chance to loose the balance is probably getting less, it is also easy to recover when people loose their balance with the poles.  In general, many people select boots to protect their ankles.  However if people using poles they may choose lighter pair and the selection is more flexible.  Especially having heavy backpack, people tend to pick really heavy boots for a better protection.   With the poles, they may pick liter boots.  Also, if they do not have heavy backpack, they may pick shoes instead of boots.  It is really depending on strength of legs, experience and skill to pick shoes / boots.  I would say with combination with trekking poles, the selection will be more flexible and easier for many people.

   In my case, my leg strength is getting weaker than when I was young.  It is really helpful to distribute weight with pole to reduce weight to legs.   That is the primary reason I started using poles.
   I think many people using a pair of pole on the both hand.  I guess it might be better to keep balance during hiking.   However, I personally do not like to occupy the both hands, therefore, I just using a single pole to help the balance.

Low cost models?

   By the way, when I am looking into listing on Amazon, there are many low cost models.   Most of time, I usually go to outdoor stores to see one I want to buy.  Therefore, I do not see many low cost model in the stores.  However, some of friends mentioned that there are many low cost models and I realize there are so many low cost models.
   For example, this model  is USD $36.99.  I have never used them and I cannot tell what they look.  Just based on the specification, its pair of weight is 1.1(lb).  One the other hand one I bought is 1.6(lb).  It is about a 0.25(lb) difference.   It is probably some difference for the material and strength.  I do not have any experience to use them, so this is just my speculation.   I guess it is not a big problem in most of cases.  Probably, it might be easy to broken or deform when they get unexpected force during hiking.  So this is really up to how people think and use them.

  Personally trekking poles are probably one of good equipment for middle age to older age hikers to minimize injury during the hiking.