How to Adjust and Use Trekking Poles Hiking poles are a useful tool for hikers, backpackers and walkers. With their sharp metal tips, they dig into uneven ground to give you more stability on the trail. They help to bear the weight burden of packing around a large backpack. In addition, there can be a snow basket so the pole won’t sink too deep in the snow and a mud basket to keep it from sinking in mud. In recent years, hiking poles have become popular in cities and on flat trails as well. GoBackTrail poles come with rubber tips to cover the sharp spikes at the bottom allowing you to use them on concrete or asphalt. Properly using hiking poles delivers an upper body workout and can take pressure off the knees and the back thus creating health benefits. Improperly adjusted poles can have an adverse effect, by causing muscle pain or soreness. This article will tell you how to properly adjust hiking poles. Unlock the top and bottom sections of the right pole by opening the camlock levers. Repeat with the left pole. To open a camlock you just lift up on the lever and to close it you push it down. In order to adjust the camlock tension, close the lever and then turn the clear round knob until it’s tight. The camlock should still close without too much force and the pole should not slide up and down. If the pole slides up and down tighten the clear knob some more. If the camlock lever takes too much force to close, loosen the knob.

Camlock Levers

Camlock Lever

Camlock Adjusting Knob

Set the top adjuster, near the handle, so the upper section is initially extended to around 115cm to 120cm and then lock the upper section. Before adjusting the lower section you will need to follow the next couple of steps to determine the proper height.

For each pole, put your hand up through the bottom of the strap loop and then pull the strap down by holding the grip. Adjust the length of the straps so that your fingers land where they fit properly on the grips,

For general use, set pole height so that when the tip is by your foot, your elbow makes a roughly 90-degree bend. Extend or retract the bottom section until you have achieved the desired 90-degree angle. If the correct length can’t be achieved then raise or lower the upper section as needed and then repeat setting the lower section.

Flip the camlock lever closed. Check the measurement of the lower section of the pole and adjust your other pole to be the same measurement. Hold the poles next to each other to ensure they are the same height. When walking with the poles, keep your elbows close to your sides. This will conserve energy and keep your poles on the path. Adjust the upper portion of your hiking poles under different terrain. Shorten them by a few inches when going uphill or if you are walking through rocks and plants. Lengthen them a few inches when going downhill. Aim to keep your arm and elbow at a 90-degree angle when hiking. Hold the grip loosely. You don’t even need to close your bottom three fingers tightly around the grip. If the wrist strap is attached properly your hand will stay in the proper position on the pole. Change how your fingers hold the grip as needed to prevent hand or wrist soreness.

There are Several Ways you can Move Your Poles.

Alternate Motion: Each pole goes forward when the opposite leg does. This maximizes balance and lets your arms swing the way they do naturally when walking.

Parallel Motion: Each pole goes forward when the same side leg does. This provides the most relief

to your legs to help minimize leg fatigue when needed. Double Motion: Both poles move forward at the same time. This is helpful when stepping down or

up.

There are Multiple Uses of Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are used primarily to increase endurance, provide better balance, reduce injuries, but they can serve many other functions:

Stabilizing yourself on snow or ice Checking for critters in high brush Moving poison oak/ivy, nettles, and other stuff you don’t want to touch Making a stand for camping equipment Poling a tarp or tarp tent Fending off snakes, and other unwelcome encounters Bluffing off an animal attack (swing poles over your head while yelling and jumping around) Defending yourself in an actual attack, animal or human Temporarily marking a trail Resting and stretching while standing Probing depth of water and mud Probing trail obstacles in the dark Stabilizing a camera Poking hiking companions, as needed (humor!)