hiking stick
Hikers – Do you recommend hiking / treking poles ?
I’m planning a return trip to Sedona & the Grand Canyon – I’d like to buy some sort of hiking pole. Last year during the same trip I used a single tree branch for a walking stick and that seemed to help. However, it was more casual hiking. In the future, i may hike down to Phantom Ranch so the hike will be longer. As such, my specific questions:
- Would you suggest 1 pole or 2 poles ?
- Should I get the poles with clamps or the twist kind ?
- Any suggestions for travelling with them ? (it sounds like it has to be checked and these dont often fit in luggage)
Thanks for any help !!!
As an experienced Grand Canyon hiker, I can tell you that you want to use two poles (light-weight ski-pole-like trekking poles, not big walking sticks) when doing inner-canyon hiking. Poles have the advantage that you can place some of your weight on them during steeper uphill and downhill portions and thus redistribute some of the effort and strain from your knees and legs to your arms. This can make a huge difference when carrying a pack (using trekking poles is like taking 10 pounds off your pack weight). I always use trekking poles when backpacking in the canyon and most of the other people that I see there using them have two as well.
While one pole may be fine for other places where you are only going up or down occasionally, you are almost constantly going either up or down in the canyon and that means you will be constantly using the poles. If you only have one, it will throw your rhythm off – you will either be using your pole to assist only one leg (thus putting more strain on the other) or you will be having to move your arm out of sync with your legs to try to use it with both legs. With two trekking poles, you can get into a nice rhythm moving each pole in sync with each leg like a cross-country skiier working a slope.
If you are hiking in Sedona and Oak Creek (such as West Fork), then you really only need one (if even that) as most trails will have plenty of long level stretches and fairly short ups and downs (although there are more steeper trails too). It is especially useful to have at least one trekking pole or walking stick in West Fork because much of the time you are in the creek.
I take it, that by clamping vs twisting you are referring to how you lock the collapsable pole sections in place? If so, I am not sure what the poster above is talking about ‘hurting your hand’ – you just twist and it locks – nothing painful or difficult about it. Clamping poles are a little less hassle (and seem to be a bit more reliable), but it also add a slight bit more weight and bulkiness. I have usually had twist-lock poles and have never had any problems.
Speaking of weight – that is the key thing with trekking poles – you want to get some that are sturdy, but also as lightweight as possible so they don’t become a burden themselves (ie: get a good pair, not a cheap heavy pair). I have Leki Makalu Ultralites which are made of titanium and only weigh a few ounces each. When collapsed, they are only 24-inches long – which means they can easily fit into a typical suitcase and even most smaller carry-on suitcases (if turned at an angle inside the suitcase). Whether or not they would be allowed in carry-on luggage from a security perspective is another question (probably best to check with an airport directly). But if you are going to be hiking down to Phantom Ranch, you will probably have enough gear that you will want to have some checked luggage anyways – I have taken mine on airplanes many times, but always packed in my checked luggage.
Making a 2 piece hiking/Shooting Stick (Prototype)
