Trekking Poles on SJ?

[msugarpants]

As I make my first attempt on C2C Saturday, I was thinking of finally getting myself a pair of trekking poles. Does anyone use these on the mountain? Any recommendations? Im familiar with the brands, but some have more options than a mountain bike, geez!

[bcrowell]

[Oops -- ended up double-posting this. My intention had been to reply, but I ended up inadvertently starting a separate thread.]

The main purpose of trekking poles is to give the salesman at REI another thing to sell you. They can be useful for crossing creeks with high, fast water -- but there isn't anything like that on C2C, and picking up a stick takes care of that anyway. They can be used to hold up a tarp, but C2C is a day hike. Some people who have knee problems like poles when coming down extremely steep slopes, but C2C is basically all uphill. If you are doing serious snow travel and may need to self-arrest on an icy slope, the tool you want is an ice ax, not trekking poles. Trekking poles make you less efficient: Saunders MJ ; Hipp GR ; Wenos DL ; Deaton ML, "Trekking poles increase physiological responses to hiking without increased perceived exertion," J Strength Cond Res 2008 Sep; 22(5): 1468-74

[Ulysses]

I have met hundreds of PCT thru hikers on the San Jacintos section over the past 10 years. First timers, 3 timers, Triple Crowners, Yo-yo's, you name it, and I have not seen any that were not using hiking poles. I don't trust the salespeople at REI, but if someone has done the triple crown of long distance hiking I will give serious consideration to their judgement.

[Andy]

I don't use them on any technical stuff or cross country, but on a fast high-mileage trail where you aren't stopping a lot they do seem to help. I bought the cheapest REI ones I could find before a JMT trip and they've given me years of good service. I didn't like the cheap plastic handles they came with so I wrapped them with some of that road bike handlebar wrap...the cork type stuff and that worked great, especially when sweating. The biggest plus is that when I use the poles my fingers don't look like red sausages at the end of the day. I have the habit of swinging my arms like an orangutan when I walk...

[Andy]

Anyone ever use these crafty things?

http://www.chukgrips.com/

They kind of look like a giant bottle opener. Seems like that grip would be nice to put your weight on downhill.

[halhiker]

No need for poles on c2c. I use them on uneven rocky terrain and snow. C2C is a trail. All they'd do is make your arms tired.

[hawkbill666]

IMHO what is lacking here is thinking of C2C as a singular experience. There are parts of C2C that my hiking poles are dead weight. I would say more often than not. For instance that boring three miles from the tram to Wellmans (what I call the perfect cub scout trail because I did it as a cub scout) they are not needed. But early in the hike some narrow areas with rocks and a slight drop off, I love them as even with the slightest stumble I can plant one in the ground and catch myself. They are like having 4 legs. And coming down from the summit the "trail" at times has a series of angular rocks, I use them to plant and then swing my legs down gently, as opposed to having to sink deep into my knees (ouch) and thighs to let myself down.
The steep sections past Flatrock and above the traverse I shorten them and lean forward into them and drive up partially using my arms and they are just fantastic there.

So its a mixed bag. My hiking partner doesnt use them, I do, there you go

Scott

[madmxe]

I have not done C to C but I haul em up hill and use em downhill. They saved me a couple of times from maybe falling and it is easier on the knees.

[Sally]

I wouldn't dream of hiking a steep and rough trail without my poles. I use them to propel myself uphill (gives me a great upper body workout) and they really save my knees on the downhill. They also help keep me upright (my balance isn't as great as when I was younger).

I once accidently left my poles behind at the ticket booth to the Agnew Meadows shuttle before a week-long Sierra backpack trip. What a bummer that was!

For those of you who find poles to be bothersome or unnecessary, I can appreciate that. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks!

[bcrowell]

There seems to be a general phenomenon that people's bodies adjust to the way they're used, and then any change feels worse, can cause injuries, etc. For example, studies seem to show that stretching before running has negative effects in general (decreases performance without decreasing the probability of injury), but if you're already in the habit of stretching before running, not stretching makes you more likely to get injured. So people like me who don't use poles will probably feel worse with poles, while people who habitually use poles will feel worse without them. Of course, none of this changes the fact that poles are the work of the devil.