Hiking poles Practice needed?

[2rocky]

Just bought my first pair of Hiking poles for out trek through the Wind river range next week.

Should I practice with them or just figure it out on the trail?

Tricks? tips? Warnings?

 

[Shrek]

First , I'm not an expert . Make sure you know how to use the straps. Reach up through then drop your hand down to the grips . The strap should come up through your hand to the pole so your weight is held by the strap and just a light grip on the pole handle. I haven't looked but I'm sure there are videos on youtube and vimeo with all the finer points. Thats the only point I'm positive about.

 

[rodney482]

Go to youtube and watch the how to videos

You want them longer going down hill, shorter going uphill.

Learn proper wrist strap usage

 

[Brock A]

I will say I looked like a monkey humpin' a football the first time I used mine. Got the hang of it in short order though.

 

[TRIPLE]

It's a piece of cake, just go out with them a few times before actually hunting and you'll have it down. All the other details have basically been covered above.

 

[thru-hunter]

I don't worry about the straps the same way I do when skiing. I tend to change my grip frequently from holding the handle to having the top of the pole in the center of my palm like an old-school cane.

Interesting to me was learning to not rely on them as much for balance crossing boulder fields. In many cases they help balance and it is hard to argue with keeping 3 points of contact crossing steep slopes and scree. That said I found that I would rely on the poles in the boulder moraine fields to much and if a pole slipped then I would wobble or stumble. Turns out that my natural ability to balance the shifting rocks led to less stumbles.

 

[rodney482]

Used properly they can really help when going uphill, almost like having 4x4..

When I hunt they are in my pack.

When I am hiking out in the dark, my bow is in the grabit and out come the trekking poles.