Who actually uses trekking pole wrist straps???

[saltysack]

About half the time I find my self not using the straps on my poles...I'm debating removing them....thoughts? Not that it matters but they're BD alpine carbon corks...notice GG doesn't even have straps...


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[tdoczi]

About half the time I find my self not using the straps on my poles...I'm debating removing them....thoughts? Not that it matters but they're BD alpine carbon corks...notice GG doesn't even have straps...


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pretty much never saw the point of poles until someone showed me how to use the straps correctly. given a choice between strapless poles and no poles i'd go with no poles

[saltysack]

pretty much never saw the point of poles until someone showed me how to use the straps correctly. given a choice between strapless poles and no poles i'd go with no poles

Well I'd pic my poles over almost anything as they save my big arse on every trip...besides supporting my shelter....I know how to use them properly.....I think???


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[Kaptainkriz]

pretty much never saw the point of poles until someone showed me how to use the straps correctly. given a choice between strapless poles and no poles i'd go with no poles

this ^^ i only guide the poles with two fingers very lightly. The strap is a functional part of the pole. There are a number of threads on this, and several camps of opinion. YMMV.

[DuneElliot]

I removed mine. I shift my poles from hand to hand all the time and the straps were in the way. I don't miss them. There was a minor injury incident where if I had been using the straps I probably would have got hurt much worse. I like to have my hands free to drop the poles immediately, if necessary.

[Sandy of PA]

I remove the straps, I use the poles all wrong, but the right way rubs me raw when the straps get wet. I just grip the poles lightly in my fingers and use them mostly for balance not weight bearing. The other uses are knocking down spider webs and blocking loose unknown temperament dogs.

[Furlough]

Had to think this one through a bit for usage over time. I honestly think I may be unscientifically in the 50-50 camp. The straps do not bother me, probably have helped along with poles in saving my carcass more than a few times. I never use the straps for water crossings. On those rare occasions when there is an extended flatish cruise control section the poles are carried. At the beginning of the ups and downs after a cruise control section - initially no straps, but I transition to straps as I get serious about navigating the ups and downs. And from time to time I hang the poles by the straps.

[swisscross]

I use the straps as intended about 80 percent of the time. I don't use them when the terrain is sketchy or water crossings.
That said after I pull out of the straps for such conditions I am in no rush to start using them again.
They don't bother me flopping around and the fact I use them often I see no reason tocut them off.

[ScareBear]

I don't use the straps, ever. There was a very lengthy prior thread about this. My opinion comes from having skied for more than 40 years all over the world, in some very gnarly shtuff on some very steep slopes. No straps for me. It's a safety thing. YMMV.

[evyck da fleet]

It depends on the terrain. If it's rocky and rooty, I'm not using the straps so I have the ability to easily let go of the pole if it gets snagged.

Keeping the straps also allowed me to retrieve a pole by slipping the other pole's tip through the strap after taking a fall and having a pole go a few feet out of my reach down a cliff on the side of the trail.

[TexasBob]

I have a feeling this is going to be like the thread on poles with antishock - some think your crazy to use them and some think your crazy not use them. I use the straps. I agree that unless you use the straps the correctly you are missing most of the benefit of using the poles.

[bigcranky]

pretty much never saw the point of poles until someone showed me how to use the straps correctly. given a choice between strapless poles and no poles i'd go with no poles

Yeah, +1 on this. The straps take all the weight and I don't have to grip the poles at all. I also use the BD Alpine Cork.

I did try to go strapless on a weekend hike once and hated it.

[Doc]

Never use the straps while hiking but they are great for hanging on a branch stub while in camp. Too many times I have had a pole hang up on something as I was hiking or falling so they present too much of a risk for wrist injuries for me.

[Puddlefish]

I remove the straps, I use the poles all wrong, but the right way rubs me raw when the straps get wet. I just grip the poles lightly in my fingers and use them mostly for balance not weight bearing. The other uses are knocking down spider webs and blocking loose unknown temperament dogs.

I "upgraded" to a pair of Leki poles, and ended up with the same problem. I felt like the wet straps were going to saw my wrist in half. Never had the problem with my old cheapo pole straps. I'm thinking about sewing in some sort of padding/stiffener. If that doesn't work, I'll just remove the straps as well.

[rhjanes]

removing double post

[rhjanes]

I used to use the straps. I went with Gossamer Gear carbon, strapless, poles. They come with a very small loop. I tied some reflective twine to those for two reasons. 1: the loop I tied on, is large enough to slip over my wrist. I try and do this on water crossings. I use the poles for my third balance point, but WHEN I fall in, it is good they are attached to me! I've watched as a pole headed down stream without me (I didn't use the strap), thankfully saved by my hiking partner! 2: I use them to put my hammock tarp in porch mode (one side raised up). The pole handles are down in the dirt and being reflective, when I get up at night, I can see them.

So are the loops used like traditional pole straps? Nope.

[lonehiker]

Most people I have observed use the straps incorrectly so they would probably be best suited to simply not use them. If used properly I doubt that the straps have contributed to many wrist injuries. Improper usage may be a different story.

[Ethesis]

I have a feeling this is going to be like the thread on poles with antishock - some think your crazy to use them and some think your crazy not use them. I use the straps. I agree that unless you use the straps the correctly you are missing most of the benefit of using the poles.

exactly.

I find that bu switching up how I use my poles I hike better than if I use them the same way all the time.

Removing the straps would change that for me.

[jefals]

at first I thought they were a nuisance, but after dropping them a number of times, now I always use them. I'm not sure what it means to "use them right". You just slip your hand thru it and grab the pole, right? On my Lekis, there is a pole with the strap attached correctly for the left hand, and b he other for the right. so, as long as you have the correct pole in the correct habd, and you slip your hand thru the strap, I think that's about all there is to "using the strap correctly". Right?

[TexasBob]

at first I thought they were a nuisance, but after dropping them a number of times, now I always use them. I'm not sure what it means to "use them right". You just slip your hand thru it and grab the pole, right? On my Lekis, there is a pole with the strap attached correctly for the left hand, and b he other for the right. so, as long as you have the correct pole in the correct habd, and you slip your hand thru the strap, I think that's about all there is to "using the strap correctly". Right?

The wrong way (good demo at 2:00) -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IszfjOC6KLI

The right way --- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOQFPL2lpMY