Trekking poles divide hikers like few other pieces of gear. Devotees call them knee-savers that turn two legs into four; sceptics see expensive sticks that just get in the way. The evidence favours the devotees – with a large caveat: poles only help if your technique is right. Used well, they reduce the pounding on your knees and legs, improve balance on rough ground, and double as tent poles for ultralight shelters. Used badly, they are just dead weight in your hands. Here is how to get the benefits.
What poles actually do for you
The headline benefit is load reduction on descents. A 2001 study by researchers at the Universities of Massachusetts and Wisconsin and the Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation found that trekking poles reduce loading on the lower extremities while letting hikers keep a more normal stride at a faster pace with less perceived effort. Anyone who has descended 1,500 metres on tired legs knows exactly what that means: the difference between knees that work the next day and knees that don’t.
Beyond the knees, poles give you four points of contact on river crossings, scree slopes and snow patches; let you probe uncertain ground before committing your weight; take load off on long climbs by recruiting your arms and shoulders; and – for the ultralight crowd – pitch your shelter, eliminating tent poles entirely.
Sizing: the 90-degree rule
On flat ground, adjust your poles so that with the tips on the ground a few inches from your feet, your elbows sit at roughly a 90-degree angle when your hands are on the grips. That is the baseline. Then adjust for terrain constantly: shorten the poles a few inches on climbs – the steeper the slope, the shorter the poles, since hands above shoulder height give you no leverage – and lengthen them a few inches on descents so you can plant ahead and lower yourself with control.
Good poles are only as good as their locks; before you buy, check that the locking mechanisms hold firmly under load and are easy to operate with gloves on. Three-section telescoping poles pack small for travel; folding Z-style poles pack smaller still but offer less length adjustment.
Technique: the opposite-arm rhythm
The foundation is simple: walk naturally and swing opposite arm to opposite leg – right foot forward, left pole plants, and vice versa. Plant the pole with a relaxed grip and push through the strap rather than white-knuckling the handle. On flat and gentle terrain, angle the poles slightly behind you so each plant propels you forward.
On descents, plant the poles slightly ahead of you and a little wider than your feet, leaning back just a touch – this is where the knee-saving happens, as your arms absorb what your joints otherwise would. On steep pitches, plant both poles together for maximum stability, take two steps, and repeat. Keep the poles close to your body: planted too far out they cost you balance, and tips planted too close to your feet become a tripping hazard. On rocky scrambles where you need your hands, collapse the poles and stow them – flailing with poles on a scramble is worse than no poles at all.
Straps, tips and baskets
Wrist straps are not decoration. Put your hand up through the strap from below so it sits across your palm, then grip the handle – the strap, not your grip, should carry the load on each plant. Done right, this dramatically reduces hand and forearm fatigue over a long day; done wrong (hand down through the top), the strap does nothing.
Carbide tips bite into trail surfaces; rubber tip covers are kinder on rock and pavement and quieter – and more considerate on popular trails. Small trekking baskets are standard; fit large snow baskets before any trip involving soft snow or postholing, where poles without them punch straight through. In groups, stay aware of the person behind you: a pole tip at face height is no joke.
Care, limits and honest caveats
Clean the locking mechanisms after dusty or muddy trips, dry poles fully before storage to prevent corrosion, and replace worn tips – a polished carbide tip grips nothing. And be honest about the limits: poles slightly increase cardiovascular demand on flat ground, poor technique can actually worsen your balance, and at altitude, badly adjusted straps can impair circulation in the hands – get the strap fit right before a high trek. If after a few practice walks the poles still feel like an encumbrance rather than a help, your technique needs work, not your gear. Give it a dozen kilometres of conscious practice: for most mountain hikers, that is the point where poles stop being equipment and start being part of how they walk.
Arjun Mehta is the pen name behind Mountains Bliss — practical mountain-travel guides with routes, costs, seasons and safety notes, researched from real trekker discussions and cross-checked before publishing. No sponsored posts, ever.
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