Hiking Sticks

Hiking sticks, sized to the walker rather than to the hill

Hiking sticks take the load off knees and ankles by moving part of it into the arms, which is why they turn up in the hands of walkers, of people recovering from a joint problem and of anyone carrying a heavy pack downhill. The range covers telescopic poles that collapse into two or three sections, sturdier single staffs, shorter versions cut for children and lightweight pairs made for travel. What separates them is height adjustment, locking method and how they behave in the hand over several hours.

What length should a hiking stick be?

Stand upright, hold the grip and let the arm hang: the forearm should sit roughly level with the ground, with the elbow bent at a right angle. That is the baseline on flat terrain. On a long climb, shortening the pole by a few centimetres keeps the wrist from cocking upward, and on a steep descent lengthening it saves reaching down for the ground. A pole that adjusts mid-walk earns it several times a day; a fixed staff is set once and suits gentler ground.

One hiking stick or a pair?

A single stick gives balance on stream crossings and takes some weight on a descent while leaving one hand free for a gate or a map. A pair spreads the load evenly and keeps the rhythm symmetrical on long climbs with a pack. The pair also opens the door to a different technique altogether: nordic walking poles are used with a straight-arm push behind the body, which brings the shoulders and back into the stride rather than simply propping up the legs. Height and grip differ between the two styles, so a hiking stick for men intended for hill walking is not the same tool as a pole meant for the Nordic technique.

What separates one pole from another?

• Locking system: an external lever clamp is adjusted with gloves on and is easy to tighten; a twist lock is slimmer and needs a clean thread to hold.
• Grip material: cork moulds to the hand and stays dry, foam is soft and absorbs sweat, rubber lasts but can blister a bare palm.
• Wrist strap: adjusted so the hand comes up through the loop and rests on it, taking the weight off the fingers.
• Section count: three sections pack shorter for travel, two sections have one fewer joint to work loose.

What are the tips and baskets for?

The metal tip bites into soil, grit and turf. A rubber cap pushed over it protects paving and quietens the pole on hard tracks, and it should come off as soon as the ground turns soft. The small plastic basket above the tip stops the pole disappearing into mud or snow. On frozen ground the pole becomes a balance aid rather than a brake, which is the point at which crampons under the boot do the actual work of holding the slope.

How should poles be stored?

Collapsed but not locked tight, with the sections pulled apart and left to dry after a wet day. Water sits inside a twist lock and corrodes the thread, and grit ground into a joint is what makes a pole slip under load months later.