[pct-l] Hiking Poles

[ECPG at peoplepc.com (ECPG)]

I have really bad carpal tunnel and strangely the poles don't bother it at
all. I use them the same way as Marge, no strap. Actually, I have my dog on
a flexi lead attached to the pole because I can't have him pulling on my
arm. This puts the pull into the pole instead of into my hand. I never
thought about the hand swelling thing but it is a nice bonus.

I don't find myself gripping them, more of a pecking feeling if you are
walking fast. The only time I grip is going up hills where the trail is wide
enough when I put the poles behind me and use them to add push up the hill.

I tried the shock absorber ones but they are really annoying. Also, two
poles give you better balance when you slip, one pole can let you rotate as
you're falling, causing more problems than no pole. This is how I broke my
ankle.
Carolyn Eddy
Goattracks Magazine
www.goattracksmagazine.com