Re: [pct-l] Trekking Poles?

[Jim Mayer <JamesLMayer@netscape.net>]

Peter,

I used a pair of hiking poles for a couple of years and liked them very much. 
This past summer, though, I went on a couple of "ultralight" hikes (my total
pack weight including food and water was under 25 pounds) and discovered that
I really didn't need the poles and rather enjoyed having my hands free.

Anyway, I no longer take the poles when I'm going the "ruck sack & trail
runners" route.  I'll take them for winter camping (they are real important
with snowshoes) or any time I'm carrying a big load (e.g. I'm playing
packhorse on a family trip).

One caveat... my longest trip with the ultralight gear was about 50 miles.

-- Jim Mayer

"Peter Haskell" <pchaskell@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 12:22:40 PST
> Subject: [pct-l] Trekking Poles?
> 
> On a couple of shakedown hikes, I've used trekking poles, but both times I 
> found them to be more of a hassle that a help.  Maybe, I thought, it's 
> because I'm hiking in flat Texas.  I'd appreciate hearing opinions about the

> pros and cons of using poles on the PCT.  Are there kinds of terrain where 
> they're especially useful?  Any of you carrying just one pole?
> 
> As it stands now, I plan to leave them at home and use the tent poles for my

> Nomad Lite.  But I'm open to new data.
> 
> Peter


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