If you have been hiking before, you may have seen some people using hiking poles on the trail and thought, “are hiking poles worth it?”

It is a challenging decision to make, especially since so many hikers use trekking poles. Are hiking poles just another marketing gimmick, or should one invest in them?

The truth is that hiking poles are definitely worth the additional weight. Scientific evidence proves that hiking poles aid in decreasing the forces played on the human body. This is great news for those who have previously injured their knees or hips or those who go hiking with heavy backpacks.

Having added support is always better when you go hiking, especially when you get tired and can barely make it up another incline. Hiking poles can be used by people of all ages and genders. They are a great way to encourage beginners to hike and can also be a fantastic asset for senior citizens who want to go outdoors.

In this article, we will look at the facts to see if hiking poles are worth it. As hiking experts, we will help you understand the benefits of using hiking poles, especially when you go on challenging hikes, and how the poles can assist you and those around you.

Are Hiking Poles Worth It?

If you are unsure whether to invest in hiking poles and fear that they may become a hindrance, you should think again.

According to an article by Scwhameder et al. published in 1999, the knee joints of hikers who used hiking poles were compared with the joints of those who did not. It was found that when used appropriately, hiking poles reduce the internal and external loads on different parts of the structure of the knees. This goes to show that hiking poles are worth it and can be a great investment for those who go hiking often.

Another study explored the differences in muscle damage one day after those with hiking poles and those without the poles completed their hikes. 37 active adults were studied who hiked up Snowdon- the tallest peak in Wales- while carrying a light day pack.

The participants were tested before their hike, and 24, 48, and 72 hours after their trip, and their muscle damage was noted. It was found that individuals who used hiking poles did not show signs of muscle damage after their hike compared to those who did not use the poles.

Many other studies prove that hiking poles may not allow people to hike faster, but they definitely allow them to have a superior walking posture and make it easier to hike with a backpack. There is enough evidence to prove that hiking poles lower the likelihood of injuries as they help reduce the load placed on the lower body joints, including the knees, especially for hikers who carry backpacks while hiking.

Reasons to Use Hiking Poles

People use hiking poles for a number of reasons. Many of these have been backed by scientific evidence.

Stability

Many individuals believe that they are more stable when going uphill and downhill while using hiking poles. Hiking poles take the role of a third leg, which is why they help boost balance and reduce the likelihood of slipping or falling and injuring your body.

Loads of hikers use hiking poles to walk on ice, muddy hills, and even snow because these poles allow extra contact with the ground. This is especially helpful for older people, those with balance problems, as well as those individuals who are relatively new to hiking. Hiking polls can give them enough confidence to explore the wild and find new hobbies and ways to remain active.

Whether people use hiking poles to improve their balance or simply for the mental peace that they can climb over steep and slick slopes easily, there is no denying that these poles are integral in helping them hike over difficult terrain. If you are someone who does not feel comfortable hiking over steep or uneven terrain, hiking poles are definitely the best option for you.

Easier to Travel Downhill with a Heavy Backpacks

A popular reason cited for the use of hiking poles is that they allow additional support for the hips and knees, especially when carrying a heavy backpack. When hikers use hiking poles on steep downhill areas, they are less stressed and less likely to experience wear and tear of the hips and knees.

Moreover, hiking poles can help provide some extra support and balance when hiking downhill with a load on your back. Many hikers throw on their bags without making sure that it is placed properly on their backs. This may cause the backpack to pull them backward. Hiking poles can help keep these hikers upright as they walk downhill as they help provide stability on uneven areas.

Steam Crossings

If you are hiking in an area where you need to cross some streams, you might want to consider investing in hiking poles, as they can be incredibly helpful. Have you ever found yourself slipping off a rock and losing your balance when crossing a stream? This is when hiking poles could come in handy, especially when you are trying your best to get on the other side of the stream without splashing water on your clothes or boots.

Hiking poles help keep your hiking gear dry as they give you two additional points of contact with the terrain, allowing you to carefully trudge along the slippery, loose rocks that are usually found on the riverbed.

Hiking poles can also be a huge savior when crossing a huge river- using the poles as the third point of contact can make a situation go from bad to worse really fast, especially if you were to lose your balance and drown.

Traveling Through the Snow

Have you ever experienced snowshoeing, only to fall in deep powder? If this memory rings a bell, you already know that getting back up can be a real struggle. Unlike during the summers, if you fall on powder snow, you cannot just laugh it off; place your hands on the ground, and push yourself back up. This is not how it works- you will probably end up sinking in the snow and will have to start over.

If you have hiking poles on you, all you have to do is put them flat against the snow and push your weight down so that you create a brace for yourself, allowing yourself to stand up till you regain your balance. You might find this a little awkward to do, but if you fall down in the snow, you will definitely be grateful that you had your hiking poles to help you back up before all the other hikes leave you behind and continue their trek.

Bush Washing

Do you know what the worst part about bush washing is? It’s when you are completely focused on your hike, and suddenly, the trees and bushes swing back and strike you so hard that you lose your balance. You almost wonder why you didn’t notice them before. The good news is that hiking poles will allow you to push the bushes and trees to the side as you hike through them.

Hiking poles are very helpful when hiking in a wild area filled with poisonous plants like stinging nettles, poison oak, or poison ivy. Instead of touching these plants and risking exposure, you can move them to the side while walking. Many of these plants can cause you to break out in hives, all by brushing against them. What better way to be careful than by using hiking poles, right?

Tarps and Tents

Even when you are not hiking, hiking poles can come in handy. When you are at a camp, taking a rest from your hike, you can use your hiking poles to create a tarp, especially if the area you are hiking in does not have any big trees where you can tie the tarp. The hiking poles can be used in place of trees to provide sufficient support for your tarp.

Moreover, you will find many lightweight tents in the market that use hiking poles as tent poles to ensure that hikers can pack light and do not have to carry too much weight while hiking. The great thing about hiking poles is that they are multipurpose and can save you a lot of weight, especially on longer hikes that are already tough to get done with.

Self-Rescue

If you are ever in a situation where someone in your hiking group gets injured, hiking poles can be of great help.

You can use the poles to improvise different splits for cracked bones and create devices known as litters to carry your fellow hiker a short distance to get help. After all, we all know that hiking with an injury is extremely painful, if not impossible.

Scrambling

When hiking on steep trails, you might need to use your hands to ensure that you do not fall on the hiker behind you, leading to a complete catastrophe. If you are using hiking poles during your trek, you might find it impossible to make use of your hands at the same time.

However, we know that hiking poles are an absolute necessity when hiking on steep trails or when going downhill. If you feel the need to use your hands, all you have to do is stash your poles on your pack so that you can start scrambling and then, as soon as you feel stable enough, continue using your hiking poles to complete the rest of the hike.

Increased Activity

When you bring hiking poles to a trek, you will have to use your arms more. This means that your body will use more energy. Even though this will not make a great difference on a short hike, on longer hikes, you will require more energy to finish the trek, especially if you bring along a heavy backpack.

If you are someone who hikes to maintain weight, remain active, or slim down your body, hiking with poles is a great option for you. It engages your upper body as you keep your arms moving and requires your body to use an increased amount of energy. What better way to make use of your arms and legs without hitting the gym?

Things to Lookout for When Using a Hiking Pole

If you choose to use hiking poles while hiking, you should keep the environmental impacts in mind so that you do not destroy plants and trees in your way.

Hikers must learn responsible use of poles, especially in fragile and muddy areas, so that they can reduce any impact their poles may cause on the surrounding elements of nature. For example, hiking poles may scar rocks and tear leaves. This is why it is important to not be reckless, or else the use of hiking poles can have extreme consequences for the beautiful wild areas.