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Originally Posted by 6o4__boi
^ interesting...i might pick one up for my longer hikes later on this summer.
any suggestions on good brands and what to look out for when getting trekking poles?
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I won't pretend to be an expert on it, but from my research, it seems to me that a correct pole height is essential, and it varies a bit depending on the type of terrain you are hiking. Because of this, I opted for a height adjustable pole instead of a fixed height pole.
There are at least a few companies that makes trekking poles, and they all seem pretty decent. Personally, I went with an aluminum Black Diamond pole because I prefer its snap latch type of height adjustment instead of the twist lock kind. But that may or may not be personal preference.
One very interesting aspect that I found is, it takes some practice to get used to having a hiking pole(s). If you don't get the technique right, it feels awkward using them, and you won't like them at all. But once you are used to it, they just feel like extensions to your arms and legs, and you walk / hike / trek with them like everything is second nature. In some ways, it's kind of like learning how to walk all over again. You can talk about gait, pole placement, moving matter, etc. for as long as you want, but ultimately, I'd say you just need to build up the motor program much like how people learn to walk. And then you just do it without thinking.