You're Probably Using Trekking Poles Wrong

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Happy to say that apparently I'm already doing everything right. Trekking poles are good on terrain up to a certain difficulty, imo. You need to know when to put them away and use your hands to balance and grab hold of things..

Like ice axes and ski poles, if the strap is adjusted properly for length and I put my hand through the strap from the bottom and hold onto the grip over the straps, the straps help support my weight that I'm putting onto the poles so I don't have to grip the poles as tightly with my hands. That significantly decreases the amount of stress put on my wrist and forearm muscles and the overall amount of energy expended over a day of uphill & downhill hiking.

Thanks for the advice! At 67 with osteoarthritis even though I can no longer do long hikes this helps a lot since in spite of everything I’m still tent camping and enjoying nature just not backpacking.

Gotta say, very classy how you did the advertisement. You added a timestamp and even a little duration bar at the bottom. Also, great tips! Much respect!

You show it the right way. Just one hint: About 30 jears ago it saved my life when my hand was "entagled" in the sling of the trekking pole. It stoped me from falling further down a steep slope. As there were almost no dedicated trekking poles in the 90th we were using ski poles which fortunately were much more rigid and stable. So it might be a good idea not to go too lightweight in some parts of your equipment.

Always have a cup on the end of your pole. If you hit soft ground or a crack in the rocks it will get stuck and throw you off balance. Experience can be a heartless teacher.

I've used my poles a few times now on fairly steep terrain with unsure footing; also once during low visibility. I think the poles saved my life; certainly kept me from falling numerous times. I got poles based mostly on recommendations and hoping to lessen impact on my knee--my expectations were modest. After one hike on terrain, I was pleasantly surprised 1) how much they improved my footing and balance and 2) over the course of a long day, how much they saved my knees (especially going downhill).

Good video. A good tip for new users of poles is "It takes time to get used to them" I hear a lot of people say that they tried them once and couldn't get on with them. That's normal, most of us feel like that, you have to get used to walking with them. It takes time but is totally worth it.

Lots of good info here. In my trek in Iceland I was taught to put all my fingers through the loop,except for the thumbs which wrap part way round the pole. That worked like a charm from then on and I haven't looked back. Before that I wasn't using the loops at all and was considering cutting them off.

Y’all know that even IF you happened to put your hand thru the strap the wrong way, you can simply rotate the strap around right? All these YouTube bloggers saying how bad a thing is when really it’s not a massive deal

I found that the rubber tips are useful if you are hiking over boulders. the plain tips may slip on the hard rocky surfaces which can be a problem if you're going downhill!

You're gripping them too tightly. Check out how the cross country skiers do it. The strap needs to be tight, the grip of your fingers loose. – Matti

I am walking mainly in Australia. Trekking poles have one important advantage which may be bigger than any others. The vibration of the poles hitting the ground signals to snakes that danger is coming and they move away. Mind you, death adders will not move.

I'm just starting out and you're one of the 4 other hiking channels that I've really liked. Feels like real wisdom and not just an ad. Also, I love the 'to the point' approach in the editing and your teaching style. Some of the other channels I've subscribed to are Americans and I love those people but oh boy they sometimes take a while to get to their point! Thanks for the videos

There is actually a Left & Right pole. It’s determined using them such that your thumb rests on the lower of the straps at the pole.

Great points. When I teach Nordic skiing to beginners I have them just do a normal arm swing with walking and the ski poles dragging. This get them away from the same foot same arm forward motion. As a Nordic skier I see many folks using the straight through grip - people are used to doing this from Alpine skiing. You get no power from pushing off against the strap. Most Nordic ski poles don't have a fat top - which makes putting your poles in your palms for push-off less comfortable. Adjustable poles are important - this helps with the pole placement. I often make the downhill side longer on a steep traverse. Shorten for going up, lengthen for going down - when I want more reach. Also a ladder lock / flip lock is more secure than a twist lock. I sometimes put tip guards/rubber feet on - so the tips don't skate on hard surfaces, sink into mud. As well as changing out the baskets. I mostly use a 3/4 circle basket so the front of the basket is flat, right angle to the direction of travel.

Hi Oscar, i totally agree with all your explanations but one. In downhill movement, we teach the hikers to go out of the strap, so in case the are falling, the poles can be thrown away from the hiker to prevent injuries. We had cases of poles breaking and then piercing the hikers thighs, so we started to teach this technik with major succsess.

Another great video. Thank you!

What a helpful video! It's great to learn about the common mistakes hikers make when using trekking poles. Your tips on correct gripping and positioning are really useful, and the benefits of using trekking poles are definitely something to consider. Thanks for sharing this valuable information, and also for the discount on the Saily eSim. Looking forward to more of your hiking tips! Cheers, Simon - Tales From Abroad