How to Use Trekking Poles the Right Way

The benefits of hiking with trekking poles cannot be overstated. Most notably, they improve balance, reduce stress on your knees, and give your arms a workout to go along with all the hard work your legs are doing. However, not knowing how to use trekking poles properly can damage them and may cause more fatigue. Worst of all, improper use can lead to personal injury. 

How do you use trekking poles the right way? Here are a few quick tips:

• Adjust to the proper height
• Ensure trekking poles are securely locked
• Grip trekking poles properly
• Adjust trekking pole height accordingly on extended ascents/descents
• Use the right tip for the terrain

The use of trekking poles is a simple concept, but these tips might help improve your overall experience. Let’s dive into more detail for a better understanding of the science behind trekking poles.

Note: In this article, I am using the Hiking Hunger Trekking Poles, one of my recommendations for starting backpacking under $200.

Adjusting trekking pole height

For optimal comfort, trekking poles need to be adjusted to the correct height for you.  Proper height is at the point where your hands and forearms are parallel to the ground with your elbow bent at 90-degrees, as in the picture below.

When using a multi-sectioned trekking pole, such as common telescoping poles, have both the lower and middle section of the poles extended to the same length. This maximizes the stability of the pole as opposed to extending one section to its max and then dialing in the other section to your height. In other words, you are less likely to bend or break a pole when adjusting it this way.

Lock your trekking poles

Once the appropriate height for your trekking poles have been dialed in, secure each section of the poles using the locking mechanism they are equipped with. Trekking poles typically will be secured with lever locks or twist locks.

Lever locks are the most common locks used on trekking poles. To adjust the height of your trekking pole, pull the lever out and extend the section to the desired length. Push the lever back in to lock the section in place. There is also a tension screw you will have to loosen or tighten when you need to lock or unlock your poles. You may have to loosen this screw to push the lever to a locking position, and then tighten the screw back once the lever is down. This can be done by hand, so no tools are required.

Twist locks are a less common locking mechanism for trekking poles, yet not uncommon. The concept only involves twisting the lock to loosen or tighten the sections of your poles.

How to hold your trekking poles

The proper method for holding trekking poles is to slip your hand inside the wrist strap from the bottom. Then, with your open palm facing the grip, grip the pole. The strap should run across the back of your hand just above the wrist, around your thumb, and around the bottom of your hand (below your pinky finger). Note that there should be no twists in the strap. For reference, see the image below.

When the wrist straps are adjusted correctly, the above method will serve the purpose of supporting your hands while minimizing the risk of sprains, soreness, and fatigue. The straps should be tight enough to provide support for your hands, while not being too tight to cause discomfort.

Adjusting the wrist straps

To adjust the wrist straps, you will likely need to “unlock” them first. This is done differently based on the model of trekking pole you are using. Typically there is a plastic block that needs to be removed or pushed up, but check the manufacturer’s directions for your exact model of trekking pole.

Once the wrist straps have been unlocked, pull the looped end (upper strap) to loosen and the unlooped end (lower strap) to tighten. If you over tighten the strap, your hand will ride high on the trekking pole grip and should be noticeably uncomfortable or awkward. 

Rhythm and Stride

Now that your trekking poles are properly adjusted, let’s go over how to use them properly.

Your trekking poles should touch the ground with every step. When one foot goes down, the trekking pole in the hand opposite of your leading foot should go down as well. In other words, right foot forward, left trekking pole to ground, left foot forward, right trekking pole to ground.

It will feel awkward at first, but it will not take long to find your rhythm. Pretty soon, it will become second nature.

Tackling Hills

When you have your rhythm, keep it going, even when tackling ascents and descents. However, take smaller steps and keep your trekking poles close to your body.

During climbs, the idea is to push off. If you place your poles in front of your leading foot, you begin to pull yourself instead, which hastens fatigue.

For extended uphill battles, shortening your trekking pole height can be beneficial. This is because the ground ahead of you is elevated above where your feet stand. 

Going downhill, you should place your trekking pole just ahead of your feet. For this reason, extending the length of your poles is recommended, especially on long descents. And when taking big steps down, place your pole on the ground below you first, then gently place your foot from the same side alongside your pole.

Basket Types

Baskets are round discs that attach above the tips of your trekking poles and are designed to keep your poles from sinking too far into soft surfaces. There are two common types: mud baskets and snow baskets.

When hiking through muddy terrain, a mud basket will help prevent your trekking poles from getting stuck in the mud. Without them, you will have to exert more force to break your pole free, which will become a nuisance. I keep mud baskets on my trekking poles nearly at all times. However, there are a few occurrences when removing them would be beneficial, such as when they consistently catch on objects. 

Snow baskets serve the same purpose as mud baskets, except they are for use in deep snow. They have a larger diameter than mud baskets, helping to keep your trekking poles from being buried in snow.

Tip Types

The tips of your trekking poles are what contact the ground and allow them to grip a surface. 

Carbide tips are used most frequently due to their benefits amongst an array of surface types while also having excellent durability. They work great when trekking through dirt and ice because their sharpness allows them to bite into these surfaces. The only time I do not use these is during paved road walks.

For paved road walks, I recommend using rubber feet, which also work great on slippery rocks. These feet slip over the carbide tips and will absorb impact from harder surfaces better than metal tips.

Not to be confused with rubber feet, rubber tips are also a common option for hikes. Like rubber feet, rubber tips slip over carbide tips. These are best used when there is a need for minimum environmental impact (see the American Hiking Society’s recommendations), or as protection for your carbide tips on hard surfaces. These are also used as covers to keep the sharp tips from causing damage when stored away.

Conclusion

Now you should have a serviceable understanding of how to use your trekking poles. In review, we have learned:

• Proper height adjustment
• Proper grip
• How to hike with trekking poles, including tackling hills
• Tips and basket types

Using gear the wrong way can lead to premature fatigue or gear failure, but equipped with this information, you will be able to maximize your hiking efficiency and hopefully find more enjoyment in your next hiking venture.

Lastly, always remember the best way to figure out what works specifically for you is to get out there and do it.