[pct-l] Hiking Poles

[richard at hare22.demon.co.uk (Richard Hare)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
> [mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of Marge
> Prothman
> Sent: 25 September 2003 17:11
> To: Pct-L
> Subject: RE: [pct-l] Hiking Poles
>

...


> Nor do I like straps on my poles, so I take them off. This gives me the
> freedom to let go of that pole if I need to.  Maybe that comes
> from to many
> years of skiing and falling with the pole twisted under my body.
>
> Cheers,
> Marge   [The Old Gal]
> http://www.prothman.org/marge
>

Marge I thought the idea of the straps was to take the weight! I barely grip
the handle as I have found that having to grip tight enough to put all that
force through the pole makes my hands ache, I prefer to lightly grip the
pole and let the force go straight through the 5th metacarple of my hand via
the strap (which on my leki poles have a softer material on the inside to
prevent any chaffing).  I'm surprised you can grip hard enough without the
straps especially if you have arthritic hands?


Rik