Walking/Hiking sticks, useful or not ?

I’m in the not useful camp. I hike long distances pretty frequently and most of the people I see carrying them have them shoved in their packs.

Now if I were an old head I might think differently.

On hills, hell yeah

They are extremely useful for me in nasty soft bottom swamp.
I cut a good walking stick last year and left it in the camp.
Went to use it this year and it was gone. I was cussing whoever took it all the way to my stand as I wobbled and tripped.

I used to backpack a lot and there is no way I wouldnt carry them. but that was in the mountains with a load on my back. They become an extension of your arms and legs and after you get used to them. they really increase your speed and confidence going over sketchy terrain. They also take a major load off your knees when going downhill and allow you to use upper body going uphill

If you are clumsy and uncoordinated, then useful.
If you are coordinated, then not very useful.

I'm talking about using one with a backpack on. I don't know why anyone "needs" a walking stick if you aren't carrying anything that makes you top heavier than normal and you're a bit uncoordinated.


That being said, i always like having a walking stick when hiking. I'm not using it to walk/hike, but simply to have with me. If i'm on a fun walk/hike, then i'll find one to walk with. If i'm on a hunting hike with my backpack, then no i don't have one.

Useful.

I’ve found that they are helpful when going up the mountain, but they are critical when going down it.

Going up, you can use them to help “pull” you up the hill using your arm muscles, reducing the amount of strain on your leg muscles.

Going down the hill, the big difference I’ve noticed is the reduced impact on your knees and ankle joints. Without the poles, stepping off a big step, all the impact of the ground and your weight is all absorbed by your joints. However, if you’re using the poles, stepping down off a steep step can be controlled more by your arm muscles, thus lessening the impact in your leg joints with a softer landing on the ground.

The poles also help with balance if you trip on a root, if your sliding in mud/ice, or you could use them very quickly as a weapon in the case of a wild animal/human scallawag charges you suddenly.

I’m a big fan of trekking poles. Those plus some good mountaineering style boots have saved my arse from falls and twisted ankles while hiking in the Ozarks.

When used correctly in stride, the weight of one of your arms is being carried by a pole at all times, and you get a little push off with each step. Both help reduce fatigue in the back, knees, and feet on those very long hikes where you feel like one giant bruise at the end of the day.

But it requires constant use of the shoulders and arms / triceps in a way that is not customary, and those muscles may end up being the most sore, especially if you are picking up poles for the first time on the morning of your hike.

I find I spend more time looking at the ground instead of scenery when I use poles, having to find good terra firma for every foot step and every pole plant

I leave the baskets on mine so they look like ski poles, and more than once it saved me from what would have otherwise been a deep pole-plunge between rocks

I also endorse them for many of the reasons already stated, letting your upper body share in the work when changing elevation in either direction, balance, makeshift weapon, etc