How Do Hiking Poles Help?

You may think that hiking poles are a waste of time, but you might be surprised just how helpful they are. In fact, there are quite a few benefits to including them in your hiking kit.

In this article, we are going to take a look at a few of the most obvious upsides and some that may not be as obvious when it comes to how hiking poles help.

Why Use Hiking Poles

There are a lot of reasons that using hiking poles should be an essential part of your hiking repertoire. From the physical relief to the mental and emotional preservation, there is a lot more to these metal sticks.

Here are some of the many reasons why we think you should invest in and use hiking poles.

Stride and Pace

When you’re out climbing on easy terrain, you will find that getting into a rhythm will help make the trek easier. After a while using these hiking poles, you’ll get to where you walk and breathe in sync. This can be very beneficial in assisting you with keeping your pace.

Ascend That Hill Easier

When climbing up a hill, your legs will have to be very strong, or you can use these fantastic hiking aids. Planting your poles and pushing up with your arms can help take a portion of the physical stress off your lower body. This will lead to you being able to remain energized longer.

Lessen Impact On Knees

With hiking poles, you can shift a portion of your weight to your arms. This will allow a more equal distribution of pressure as opposed to your knees and lower leg joints, taking the brunt of the stress.

Stability/Balance

How many times have you been out hiking and stepped on a rock or something that is just a bit too smooth or wet? If you have done this, you might have slipped. If you had a set of hiking poles, you might not have fallen. They offer more points of contact, and therefore they give you better balance and stability.

Helps With River Crossings

Indeed, even shallow, slow-moving water can make crossing it a bit troublesome and tricky. Using these poles helps with your balance and stability, as we have already stated. This same principle may save you from landing in that water.

Clearing the Path

Sometimes those trails are blocked by shrubbery or other obstacles. Hiking poles can be very helpful in clearing the path for you to have a smooth trek.

You can also use them to clear out any of those cobwebs too. Using hiking poles for this could help you keep from touching a poisonous plant, which is very handy.

Checking the Ground

When hiking in rough terrain, you may see a place on the trail that seems like they might be a potential problem. You have to be sure of your footing, and using the hiking poles to test the path ahead of you for any structural issues is a good idea.

Placing your pole onto the spot and giving it a push can help you make sure you have the best footing, which will help reduce the chance of any potential injuries.

Helps Keep Your Tent Up

Even after the long trek hiking poles aren’t done with what they can be used for. Having a good set of hiking poles can help with tons of other camp duties like balancing hanging things up to dry, keeping your pack off the ground, or pitching your tent.

Fending Off Wild Beasts – Snakes, Rats, or Other Creepy Crawlies

There are a lot of bugs and other wildlife floating around whatever trail you are hiking. This could lead to some dangerous or simply embarrassing situations. With your poles, you can whack at potential hiding spots before traipsing through them with your legs. There is no need to gamble with your life or your legs.

Final Thoughts

So as you can see, hiking poles are more useful than you might expect. Not only do they help relieve stress from certain parts of your body, but they can help prevent potential injuries. The trick is finding a set that really works for your needs.

When doing this, make sure to pay attention to the type of poles, the materials used in the construction, and the comfort.

There are, of course, additional features that can be helpful in choosing the right one, but these are the primary features. Once you have the right pair, you can get to taking advantage of all they have to bring to your adventure.