[pct-l] walking poles

[Steve Fosdick]

I can see that opinions on water caches are as wide as an ocean. Thanks for all the comments.
   
  Now, my next big dilemma is whether or not to carry walking poles. In a lot of photos in journals, I see many hikers using them. I rarely use a walking stick of any kind. Here in Oregon, if I really feel the urge to use one, there are always plenty of tree limbs lying around that will do the job just fine. However, I find that I soon tire of carrying it, so I toss it far off the side of the trail as though it had just blown down like all the other tree limbs lying around. I'm sure there won't be a lot of poles lying around on the So. California stretches of the PCT, so if I want them, I'll need to bring my own along.
   
  Will I be the only hiker on the trail without walking poles? Other than using them to flick off a rattle snake, hold up a tarp-tent (my tent has its own poles) or defending myself from a charging bear (yeah, right!), will I wish that had some on my thru-hike? I'll have an ice ax for the parts of the trail that have snow. When hikers get out their ice ax, do they put their walking poles away?
   
  I understand that ski poles are not the same as hiking poles. And Keen Fit Poles are NOT hiking poles, according the Keen Fit website! (That was really funny. I followed the link "Hiking Poles" to the Keen Fit site, and one of the first things on their video was "These are NOT hiking poles!")
   
  I hope this topic is not as controversial as water caches! But I would like to hear some advice from experts out there.
   
  Hikin_steve
   

       
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