no

[bcrowell]

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

[zippetydude]

"Trekking poles increase physiological responses to hiking without increased perceived exertion"

If that's true, poles might be a good way to burn extra calories without feeling it. Unfortunately, I imagine the amount of increased energy expenditure is minimal. I wonder what the percentage is?

z

[bcrowell]

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

[Perry]

ok.....I thought you started a new thread to express how much you hate poles.

I like them for snowshoeing and alpine climbing that is steeper than a trail but not quite steep enough to use an ice axe.

[bluerail]

Hey zip....you have that extra axe of mine right?.....when's your birthday? It's brand new. It's yours.

[Andy]

Bluerail...you gave away your body spray?

[bluerail]

Yea....zip sweats more than I do.

[Andy]

[Zé]

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

I think most people use them for taking load of the knees on the downhill, which they can do.

In terms of energetic cost, they are higher, but I bet on steep, loose terrain, there might be benefit, if designed properly. I don't believe anyone has studied that.

[zippetydude]

bluerail: I really wasn't trying to steal it, I've just been caught up lately. I finally finished my Master's, so now I've got free time again. I'll be out of town the next couple of weeks, but I hope to hit some trails on the weekends after that. I've got a place in mind that I want to finish exploring...

Hey Ze, long time no post! I think you might have a good point there - when I go directly up the north face of San G when there's no snow, it's one step up and 7/8 step sliding back. I bet poles would offer some increase in efficiency. If you've ever hiked the Lava Cone at Mt. Lassen, it's the same way. I'll try it with my poles this summer.

z