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In my youth, I was far too cool to use trekking poles. As many younger hikers do, I believed hiking poles were for the "older" crowd that was getting too weak to hike and needed canes in the form of hiking poles to make it a few kilometers along the trail. As my hiking experience grew, and with the wisdom of age, I soon learned the value of trekking poles and when to use them. It turns out that they are very useful in reducing fatigue and helping with balance on some of those difficult trails while carrying a 45lbs pack. I truly learned the value of poles in 2019 while completing the West Coast Trail. It is then I learned that there are some trails that would be impossible without poles!
We get a lot of questions about trekking poles. If you've never used trekking poles, renting them first to try them out is the way to go! But the truth is, if used incorrectly, hiking sticks can be cumbersome. Read on for best practices and common mistakes when using trekking poles. FYI, trekking poles are also referred to interchangeably as hiking sticks, walking sticks, or hiking poles.
Should I use trekking poles?
This is a common question that we receive from people that plan to hike in the national parks that surround us. The quick answer is, why not? If you're worried about the amount of hiking you have planned, or if you're carrying a heavy load on your back, then yes, you should use trekking poles. When used correctly, trekking poles unload some of the weight from your knees. Moreover, they help propel you forward when walking uphill or on flat surfaces and they help you apply the brakes when walking downhill.
Trails in the Southwest where you should use trekking poles
There are three instances in the American Southwest where you should strongly consider using hiking sticks.
Backpacking. You should definitely use trekking poles when backpacking. By default, backpacking means that you're carrying heavy loads on your back, since your backpack is full of camping gear and provisions. It doesn't matter if you go one mile or ten miles, trekking poles will help offload some of this weight from your knees.
Day hikes with significant elevation change. If you're day hiking, you should strongly consider using trekking poles when your hike involves a significant elevation change within a short distance. Specific to the Southwest, examples of hikes where you should use trekking poles include Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park and Navajo Loop in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Deep sand. Trekking poles, with basket attachment, also come in very handy in deep sand, as in Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
NAC NOTE: Although this article speaks of the locations in the American Southwest, you should carry trekking poles anytime you have alot of elevation to complete, when you're carrying a heavier pack, or when you're unsure of the difficulty of the terrain. Hiking poles are especially helpful on water crossings as well!
What is the proper way to use trekking poles?
If you try to use trekking poles without proper technique, your arms will get tired, your back will hurt, and your knees won't be saved. Of course, if you've never used trekking poles before, it might be tiring at first because your body has to get used to new movement. But once you get the rhythm of things, it can be very beneficial.
The proper way to use trekking poles is to first adjust them to your height and terrain, then use proper technique when going uphill or downhill.
Watch this great video that explains everything:
Here are a few takeaways for proper trekking poles use:
Do's - Best practices for trekking pole use
Begin by adjusting poles to your size on flat surface.
Instead of adjusting the length of the pole every minute as the terrain changes, you can simply adjust the positioning of your hand on the pole as needed.
If using the strap, always insert your hand through the strap from the bottom.
Aside from a few rare instances, trekking poles should always follow the natural rhythm of your arm swings: As left foot goes forward, right arm (with trekking pole) goes forward, and vice versa.
For trekking poles with twist-lock mechanism for length adjustments, make sure to only twist until it's finger-tight.
When hiking on sandstone slabs or any type of hard rock, use a rubber tip to prevent the trekking poles from sliding around. Remove the rubber tip and use the default metal tip of trekking poles on most other surfaces.
Don'ts - common mistakes when using trekking poles
DO NOT LEAN ON POLES with your entire body weight!!! We cannot stress this enough. Poles are meant to take off some of the weight from your knees but not all. They will fail with extended improper use. DO NOT use poles like crutches!
DO NOT insert your hand through the strap from the top. In case you trip and fall, improper use of the strap can cause you to break a wrist!
DO NOT pull poles past the line that says STOP - I can't believe I just had to write that!
DO NOT use force on your adjustable trekking poles. Especially for trekking poles with twist-lock mechanism, make sure to only twist until it's finger-tight. DO NOT hand tighten!
DO NOT use the metal tip of hiking poles on sandstone slabs in the American Southwest. Not only does it slip and slide on the rock, rendering it useless, it also leaves ugly markings on the rock.
Troubleshooting trekking poles: Loose locking mechanism
This is a common issue with collapsible trekking poles: The locking mechanism loosens over time due to vibrations from use and transport. What to do if your trekking pole collapses during a hike? Tighten the powerlock.
Here's a video about how to do that.
Trekking poles accessories: Rubber tip and basket attachments
By default, trekking poles feature a metal tip. In most situations, you would use a metal tip because it slightly sinks into the earth and helps propel you forward. There are only a couple of situations where you should use rubber tips or basket attachments.
REMOVABLE RUBBER TIPS
When you buy new trekking poles, they usually come with removable rubber tips. As mentioned above, most of the time you'll be using the metal tip. However, if you're walking on pavement or hard rock, such as the sandstone slabs in the American Southwest, you should use the rubber tip to protect both the metal and the rock. The metal tip on sandstone will not only slip and cause you more trouble than it's worth, but it will also leave ugly marks on the rock. If you need an example of this, check out the markings on Delicate Arch Trail in Arches National Park.
NAC NOTE: Rubber tips are easy to lose! When I am in an area that absolutely requires them, like Yosemite or the Canadian Shield, I always carry two pairs. I store them in a small ziplock in the brain of my pack so I can get to them quickly and put them away quickly.
Remember to remove the rubber tips when not using them on sandstone, otherwise they will rub away too quickly
BASKET ATTACHMENTS
Trekking poles usually also come with removable rubber baskets. These slide over and lock about 2 inches above the tip. Mostly designed for winter use, their function is to keep the pole from sinking into snow when you're snowshoeing. However, they are very useful in the American Southwest if you're doing any type of hikes through deep sand. To experience the difference for yourself, try hiking up Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park with and without these basket attachments.
NAC NOTE: I always keep my mud baskets on my poles. Hiking poles without baskets will sink into mud and sand like a spear through water, and provide no stability at all in those situations. If I know I am going into deep dry sand or very wet, deep mud, I will sometimes carry my larger snow baskets. I switch to my snow baskets during the snow shoeing season.
Written by the Basecamp Outdoor Gear Team and posted to The Basecamp Outdoor Gear Rental Blog on January 1, 2023N.A.C. NEWS
(Sunday, June 1, 2025)
Good Morning,
Today is June 1st, we are only 20 days away from the official start of Summer and only 7 days away from the deadline to REGISTER for our Franklin Island Sea Kayak adventure! Join us on July 10th, 2025 as we paddle out into the Georgian Bay to circumnavigate Franklin Island for three days and two nights. Enjoy the crystal clear waters and amazing scenery of the Georgian Bay and it's Islands while we paddle along the shore of Franklin Island. Our nights will be spent primitive camping on the Crown Land of Franklin Island. On our third day, we will paddle back to the main land, pack up our boats and head to a nearby Inn for showers, a hearty meal and a good nights sleep. Don't miss out on this incredible paddling adventure, REGISTER NOW!
May was a bit of a slow month for Niagara Adventure Club. Although we only hosted two events, they were great ones! First we held one of our Vertical Voyage Indoor Rock Climbing events where six individuals joined us for a night of incredible climbing and a whole lot of fun. Two weeks later we headed to Hamilton, Ontario for the Dundas Waterfalls Hike. This is a favorite hike of both NAC and many of it's regular participants. We had seven participants join us this time around and even a newcomer all the way from Chile! The Waterfalls along this route are a huge crowd pleaser and they did not disappoint. With the Spring water run off and the recent rain, the waterfalls were flowing strong and made for beautiful sites. View the photos from both of these events in the Photo Galleries of our Niagara Adventure Club Facebook page!
For the month of June we have three events planned, two day hikes in the Niagara Region and an evening of indoor rock climbing in Burlington, Ontario. We will first start with the Cave Springs Hike in Lincoln, Ontario. On this hike we will be visiting the Ball's Falls Conservation Area and continuing along the Bruce Trail to the Cave Springs Conservation Area where we will end our hike. A week later we will visit Climber's Rock in Burlington Ontario for a Vertical Voyage Indoor Rock Climbing event. This is always a fun night with a great group of people while we challenge ourselves and find new limits. And finally, in the last week of June, we will complete our Lake Moodie Hike. We will begin this hike in Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site and make our way to the Bruce Trail. We will then travel North on the trail through Brock University campus and then around Lake Moodie, a large man-made lake that feeds a small hydro dam that helps power Ontario. From there we will continue to DeCew Falls and finally finish our hike in Short Hills Provincial Park.
That's all the news for this week.
Remember, the adventure never ends, it's just a change of location!
Lenny Burch
Get your NAC Adventure Pass NOW!