I'm a late convert to hiking poles, but I won't hike without 'em these days. There are places where you could easily get by without them and a few places where it's too steep to use them, but on typical AT rocks and roots they're a godsend.
I'm a late convert to hiking poles, but I won't hike without 'em these days. There are places where you could easily get by without them and a few places where it's too steep to use them, but on typical AT rocks and roots they're a godsend.
All right on and true. You rarely see thru-hikers without poles on any long trail. Also oak poles and other homemade hiking staffs although much nicer looking are a heavier load than a couple of Leki style poles. Also adjustable poles are a necessity for those of us he use poles for our tarptents.
Everything is in Walking Distance
I think the real question here is "Are" two poles better than one.
Grammar Nazi coming out in me.
"Truth is anything you can convince someone else to believe" - Me
Funny how the older I get the more poles I use.
In my teens and 20's...0
In my 30's...1
In my 40's...2
They help my knees and keep my hands from swelling.
Riddle of the Sphinx, right?
I have hike for many years without poles. In my youth I have climbed Mt. Washington, Mt. Greylock, Baldface Mt. and many more. This year for the first time, mostly because of my knees and back I tried using two poles I received from Cascade Mountain Tech and they made a big difference uphill as well as down hill and not once did I trip on them plus they allow you to use your upper body as well as your legs.
"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12
Last edited by Meriadoc; 03-05-2014 at 07:31.
1 is best. 2 is overkill
I mostly just carry a bo staff. This one gang keeps wanting me to join because I'm pretty good with it.
Lol. 2 is always better than 1. I will explain in the best math+nature scenario I can come up with. Here we go.
If you have 2 poles and 1 bear charges at you and you throw 1 pole at the bear and miss, you still have 1 pole to throw at the bear as you run screaming into the woods.
If you have 1 pole and 1 bear charges at you and you throw 1 pole at the bear and miss, you have 0 poles and 1 bear that is no longer hungry (I know bears don't hunt people, just humor me).
If you have 0 poles and 1 bear charges at you then you will become bear food even quicker and you can now tell your dad, who always said that you would never be $#!7 that you have proved him wrong because you are probably digested bear poop by now.
Take 2 poles. It could save your life.
"Truth is anything you can convince someone else to believe" - Me
Grr. As soon as I correct someone on their grammar I say "proved" instead of "proven". 10 lashings by my grammar teacher are coming soon.
"Truth is anything you can convince someone else to believe" - Me
Hike your own hike but I went from zero to one. I just need a free hand. But one helps the old knees.
100th post. Woop!
"Truth is anything you can convince someone else to believe" - Me
I carry both two poles and one, so I can switch back and forth as I tire of one method, or depending on the conditions. At times I will collapse all three and place them on the pack, and hike sans poles, but for some reason the straps on my pack only hold two.
I'm going to tote my old fashion stick I found on a gentle hike through a Pennsylvania state park. No ski poles for me.