Re: [pct-l]trekking poles

[Tom Rogers <tfrogers@san.rr.com>]

I started using trekking poles during a Kennedy Meadows to Tahoe section
hike last summer.  Now I can't imagine backpacking on trail without
them.  Let me qualify my wording.  For day hiking with a negligible
load, I don't see much benefit, and off trail I find they can be quite
awkward, especially when climbing over boulders.  That said, Joanne
asked:

> 1) Do the ones with springs in the shafts help to prevent injuries or
> anything else.  Is there someone who has used the non-spring types and the
> spring versions that can give us some information here.

Mine have springs, and I haven't used any without, but to me the
greatest benefit of the springs is to reduce impact stresses during
downhill grades.  Without getting too rigorous, during a downhill grade,
the poles reduce stress on knees and hips by transferring braking forces
to the arms and shoulders.  Going down stair steps, I plant the pole
before foot impact to reduce knee and hip stress.  What the spring does
is reduce the magnitude of the impact force by storing some of the
energy at impact and releasing it after impact when the force on the
shoulder is lower, or put another way, it allows the shoulder to absorb
the energy of impact over a longer period of time, reducing the peak
stress, and hopefully preventing stress induced injury. 

> 2) How long do the carborundum tips last?  Can I expect to get thru an
> entire thruhike with a single pair.  What wears out first?

I have about 800 miles on my original tips with no discernible wear. 
However there have been several occasions when the tip has stuck in a
crack as I passed over it and I've torqued the tip.  Haven't broken one
off yet, but the Leki owner's guide warns that this is a possibility and
recommends carrying spare tips.  I still don't carry a spare, but I
would for a thruhike.

> 3) I have the collapsible 3-part 24 inch models.  These have plastic
> inserts inbetween the sections,which prevent the sections from slipping,
> and which can be adjusted by twisting.  I suspect that every time they are
> readjusted there is a very slight wear in this part(I will be readjusting
> them since I will be using them with the tent that I am building).  From
> what the Campmor catalog said eventually they began to slip and will not
> bear your weight.  Has anybody had this trouble?

Haven't experienced any slip.  As long as you loosen the joints before
you adjust them, I don't think there's any wear involved.  I adjust my
pole length whenever there is a significant change in grade, as often as
several times in an hour.  The adjustment is so quick and easy, it can
be done on the fly.  Going uphill, I adjust short so I can lean in and
use the poles to push me up the grade like a second set of legs;
downhill, adjust long to allow me to get my center of gravity forward
and use the poles for braking and stability; wet ford, adjust poles
long, face upstream and keep my center of gravity upstream of my feet;
snow traverse, adjust the downhill pole long, uphill very short, you get
the picture.  I think that thoughtful length adjustment is the key to
success.  Those who use one piece ski poles as a cheap alternative don't
realize a fraction of the potential benefit of adjustable poles. 

I really enjoy involving my whole body in the hike, and trekking poles
allow me to do that.  What good is all that upper body strength if I
can't use it to help propel me along the trail?  BP(before poles) I
routinely experienced overuse symptoms in my knees and hips.  Since
then, I'm pain free.  Hope this helps.

Happy trails, Tom
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