Until recently I was one of those walkers who would turn their nose up whenever they saw someone with walking poles going along a trail. I never saw the use of them until just recently.
This week my wife and I completed the Tour du Mont Blanc. The 170km walk includes over 10,000 meters of both assent and decent. Before going on the walk I found some poles that my mother had left in our house and thought that this walk would be as good a time as any to see if they were useful.
And arn't I glad I took them along. On the uphils they help to take the strain off your legs by allowing you to use your arms for momentum. They also help with the stair climbing to reduce the strain in the knees. But the place I found them the most useful was on the downhills, especially those steep or wet decents.
On the downhill you can use them to support and stabalise yourself. This allows you to stay in a more upright position while walking and to feel much more comfortable and confident in all weather conditions.
For a walk like the Tour du Mont Blanc they are a must! I still do remain a little sceptical about their use on all trails but as with most things, they have a time and a place and when you get both right they will make your walking day so much better.
As with most things they come in a variety of shapes, forms and with lots of high tech options. Be sure to ask your local shop and to try them all out to find the one that suits you best.
Enjoy your walks.