Why you should get walking poles for your Camino trek

Why you should get walking poles for your Camino trek. If you want to experience one of pack-free guided Camino walks – or any of our 50 other walks – you might want to consider using hiking poles. Poles are great for taking some of the work off your hips and legs and also helping you with balance over tricky terrain and steep hills.

Why you should get walking poles for your Camino trek. Here are 8 things to you should know about walking poles before you buy one.

Pole weight The weight of walking poles is an important consideration. While hiking, your arms will need to lift the poles with every step. The heavier the pole, the faster your arms will fatigue. If you can’t easily lift and place the poles, they will become a hindrance rather than a help to your walking. Poles can weigh anywhere between around 250 grams and 600 grams per pair. The weight of the pole is determined by the pole design and the pole shaft diameter, length and material.

Pole shaft material
Most poles are made from aluminium or carbon fibre. The heavier poles are usually made of high-grade aluminium which is unlikely to break under pressure. The lighter, more expensive poles are usually made of carbon fibre which is a strong material however it may splinter or break under stress more easily than aluminium. Carbon fibre is lighter – but more expensive but weaker. Aluminium is stronger and cheaper – but heavier. When choosing new poles, you’ll need to make your own personal choice on the weight – strength – price equation.

Correct pole length
As a general rule, to find the right pole length for your height, try this simple technique. Hold your arms with elbows beside you bent at a 90 degree angle and hold the poles by the hand grips. With the correct pole length the poles should be straight up and down resting on the ground in this position.

Hiking pole sections and locking system
Most poles are made with shafts that deconstruct into two or three sections, either by folding or telescoping. The compacting and locking systems vary, but the end result is about the same – a compacted pole for easier transit. (Note that hiking poles will generally not be allowed in hand luggage on a plane.) When shopping for poles, try the different pole types to ensure that you can work the locking mechanism easily.

Fixed-length pole versus adjustable-length
When extended, some poles are a fixed length and others are adjustable. Fixed length poles lock in place at one point and adjustable poles have the ability to adjust the length by a few centimetres. You may find that fixed-length poles are lighter-weight and cheaper as they have simpler construction with less moving parts.
The benefits of adjustable length are that you can vary the length of the pole depending on the terrain. Many users suggest lengthening poles for heading downhill and shortening them for heading uphill. You can also lengthen the pole on your downhill side when walking along an extended traverse and it can be helpful to lengthen the poles for a creek crossing.

Hiking pole hand grips
Each manufacturer has their own hand grip design perfectly made for walking tours, so try a few to consider their comfort in your hand. Hand grips are generally made out of rubber, foam or cork or a combination of those materials. Rubber absorbs shock and insulates against temperature, but it is more likely to cause chafing on your hands. Cork resists sweat and may mould a little to the shape of your hands, while foam feels the softest and absorbs sweat but may be weaker in the long term.
Some poles have an angled hand grip to keep your wrist in a more neutral position while using the poles. Some poles have a long hand grip section, designed so that your hand can move up and down the grip enabling you to move your hand to change the effective pole length depending on terrain.

Pole wrist straps
Most poles have adjustable wrist straps, which will allow you to secure the strap comfortably around your hand. A firm wrist strap will be an aid when using poles for propulsion over even ground, providing a secure point of pressure that utilises your skeletal frame rather than hand strength. This adds a lot of strength that doesn’t rely on the strength of your hand grip. This can be an advantage for users with RSI or other issues which impact on hand strength.

Tips and baskets
Hiking poles usually have a carbide tip or a rubber tip. Rubber tips are best for hard surfaces to absorb some of the impact of the pole hitting the ground and the metal tips work best on softer ground. Poles may also be fitted with baskets – round disks that sit above the tip. Baskets are useful when hiking in snow, sand or in soft muddy ground. Larger and smaller baskets are available, and you can use them depending on the type of hiking you’re doing.

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