Trekking poles:

The low-tech tool to hike faster, sidestep injuries, and feel better after long days

We’ll admit it—trekking poles have a nerdy rep. Or at least, they used to. They’ve made a massive comeback lately, with sleek, ultralight, trendy-colored poles taking the place of the clunky old-school poles our parents used. Often, these newfangled poles come with a notable price tag and a long list of techy features that feels ironic for something as simple as a next-gen hiking stick. But there is definitely a method to the madness: the nicer models are extra light-weight, fold down small enough to easily tuck into a pack or running vest pocket, and have grips that are easy to really rest your weight onto. Why bother with poles in the first place, you ask? Honestly, we consider them pretty indispensable these days. Here’s why.

Poles can make you faster on the uphill.

When you press your poles into the ground and use them to help propel your body forward on the uphill, you’re letting your arm and core muscles help your legs out. No longer are those poor quads and glutes laboring alone. You’ll probably find that you log faster times on your uphill hikes and jogs with your upper body chipping in. Take that, Strava leaderboard.

Preserve your joints on long downhills—and for the long run.

Poles vastly reduce the impact on your legs, knees, ankles, and feet when you’re hiking or running downhill. In fact, poles can reduce the compressive force on your knee joints by 25%. That incredible improvement means you’re substantially less achy the day after a big hike or run if you used poles. Not only do you get the immediate benefit (Hilly trail running on back-to-back days? Don’t mind if we do!) but you also get long-term benefits with happier joints over time.

Move more smoothly on steep and unstable terrain.

Ever notice how confident four-legged animals are on steep and gravelly terrain? You can channel a bit of that feeling with poles—as you place them in front of you, you’ve got two more points of contact and can step forward with more stability. It’s a huge boon on loose talus fields, boulder fields, and that pesky type of gravel that can act like ball bearings slipping under your feet. The poles don’t have to slow you down. You can get into a great rhythm between pole-planting and stepping.

Use your poles to probe stream crossings and snowfield crossings.

You can confidently maintain far more speed with confidence if you know that stream is just three inches deep, not three feet deep. And when you encounter a snow patch in late spring and early summer, a pole helps you quickly assess if you’re about to step into a hollow air pocket between boulders or if you’re stepping on to a firm, thick snowpack.

Trekking poles can double as tent poles.

Your tent poles add a pound or two to your backpack, so why not double up and let your trekking poles do some of the work? Many ultralight tents and shelters rely on poles as part of their design. The weight savings truly compound over the miles. (Every extra pound in your pack adds three pounds of pressure to your knee joints with every step—oy!) So shave a little weight and get more mileage out of your knees.

Pole features to pay attention to

Trekking poles aren’t the most high tech piece of equipment out there, but there are a few features to watch out for.

Weight:

Obviously, lighter is better. You’re lifting the pole with every step, which does add up to a bit of an added arm workout over the hours. Also, there’s a chance you’ll stash your poles in your pack or vest during the flats, and you certainly want to minimize the weight you add there. Metal poles tend to weigh more, and you can invest in poles made with lighter metals or fancy carbon if you want to shave grams.

Adjustability:

Some folks appreciate adjustable poles. Not only are they easier to share and easy to prop up a tent with, but you can make them longer on the downhill and shorter on the uphill—a nice on-the-go customization. Adjustability adds a few components to the pole’s construction, which in turn adds weight. Some of the ultralight, sleek models are not adjustable. Instead, you buy a pole length that works for your height and stick with it

Packability:

If a pole folds down in three pieces, it can probably fit neatly into your pack, running vest, or luggage. If it only collapses down in two pieces, it’ll be too awkwardly tall to fit in most packs and bags. And if it doesn’t collapse at all … you’re carrying it!

Grip and wrist strap:

Make sure your poles have a comfortable grip and adjustable wrist strap you can easily press your body weight into. Some snazzy models have more of a glove-like strap that you slip your hand into for a seamless fit. Feeling inspired to get some poles? Us, too. Clearly they’re good for way more than campground sword-fights. Check out the poles available UnNew here on Geartrade, and don’t forget to tag us in your most excellent adventure pics. Beth Lopez is a seasoned writer and creative director who loves to tell tales of adventure and discovery—and finds writing a powerful way to give a voice to people, causes, and places. Beth runs amok in the Wasatch mountains when untethered from her computer. She believes there’s no such thing as a bad ski day and considers animals her favorite people. Don’t tell her mother about her Instagram mountaineering photos. Follow us on Instagram + Facebook: Tag us @geartrade with the hashtag #unnewoutdoor #wearitout on your post or story for a chance to be featured on our page.

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