Best Trekking Poles For Hiking and Backpacking
The Grand Canyon anecdote that opens this post is the best argument for poles anyone has made: you notice them most on the way down, and downhill is where knees are lost.
What they actually do, which the research has firmed up since: they take a meaningful share of the load off your knees on descent, help on stream crossings and loose ground, and cost you a little energy on the flat. If you have knee trouble or carry a heavy pack, they are not optional kit.
The decisions, in order:
- Aluminium or carbon. Aluminium bends and keeps working; carbon is lighter and snaps. For general hiking, aluminium. For fast-and-light on established trails, carbon.
- Flick lock, not twist lock. External lever clamps hold when wet and muddy; twist locks slip, which is the single most common complaint about older poles.
- Folding or telescopic. Z-fold poles pack down much shorter, which matters if they travel inside a bag. Telescopic ones adjust over a wider range and are sturdier.
- Cork grips if you sweat, which is the upgrade you notice on day three.
Set them properly, which most people do not. Elbow at ninety degrees on the flat; shorten them a few centimetres for climbing and lengthen them for descending. Use the straps from underneath so your weight hangs through the strap rather than being gripped.
One thing worth knowing for travel: poles are not allowed in hand luggage on most airlines, so they go in the hold. Folding poles fit inside a checked bag, which avoids paying for an oversize item.