The Pros and Cons of Hiking Poles

Should you use hiking poles and are they worth the investment? Whether you’re a daywalker, a backpacker or a seasoned trekker, we have more than a few reasons for you to consider a pair for your next adventure.

But before you start browsing the best hiking poles(/shop), let’s see if they’re worth the hype, and how they could help (or hinder) you on the trail.

The pros of hiking poles

• Increased stability Balance is one of the key benefits of hiking poles, as they essentially turn your hands into another pair of feet. Improved balance means you can walk faster and reduce your risk of injury.

• Improved posture Walking uphill often causes you to lean forward, putting more pressure on your back. Using poles to climb that hilly ascent can help you stand straighter, and reduce the impact on your back muscles.

• Reduced strain By spreading the work across different muscle groups, you’ll be taking stress off your knees and reducing overall fatigue while you’re at it.

• Full body workout Dangling your arms at your sides while you walk can lead to poor circulation, swollen hands and overworked feet. Hiking poles can prevent swelling since the upper body workout keeps your arms elevated, and the blood pumping throughout the body.

• Help keep your feet dry Hiking poles are handy for testing how deep a river, snow patch or even a muddy bog is before wading into it. Plus, they can provide leverage for leaping over puddles, or stablise you over rocky river crossings - win win!

The cons of hiking poles

• An extra thing to buy and pack It can be overwhelming to decide what to prioritise if you have limited cash or packing space. We recommend starting with the essentials - such as a quality rain jacket, boots, backpack and first aid kit – as those are the factors that will impact your enjoyment (and safety!) the most.

• Potentially cumbersome Not all trails require poles. For trails where you spend most of the time scrambling on your hands or squeezing through narrow spaces, it’s probably more convenient to leave your poles at home. But don't forget: most poles can easily be stored in a side pocket of your pack if need be.

• Additional weight The irony is that even though poles can help better distribute the weight of your pack when they're in use, they add extra weight to your pack if you're carrying them. For every trail, it’s important to consider whether the time spent using hiking poles outweighs the inconvenience of carrying them.

Conclusion

Here at Kathmandu, most of us are big fans of using poles to reduce joint strain on steeper terrain or multi-day hikes. However, some of us prefer the simplicity of only using our feet. At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference. If you’re still unsure, we recommend browsing reviews from previous customers on our hiking poles range(/shop) and seeing what others have to say!