I've never used one of theseAre they really that useful? Are they a real game changer?I see everyone using these but dunno... never felt the need
To me walking sticks are multitools. For example, it can be used as a sling staff to hurl rocks with much greater strength than a simple hand sling. You can also screw a 1/4-20 hanger bolt into the top to turn it into a handy camera monopod.
>>2719043On flat ground? Eh, some people like them. I don't find they make that much of a difference.On steep slopes and uneven or icy ground? Yeah, they're the fucking shit. Uphill or downhill, they're great. They're not essential by any stretch but if you're planning a long hike (say a week of 6+ hour days) then I'd suggest giving them a try.
>>2719043Pretty handy. I always carry at least one>move branches, bushes, cobwebs out of the way>use to check for snakes when I’m in the bush>pitch my tent>good for extra leverage going up and down bad terrain>swing it around for fun like a stick
>>2719043These are known as bitch sticks.
The people using them on regular walking trails are usually old or tourists, but they actually make a big difference on steep mountain trails
I like having something to do with my hands and they're good for stability on uneven terrain, great for uphill. Have done with and without and will pretty much always bring them.
>>2719043Why do you even make these threads man? Why waste your life that way?
>>2719043They genuinely help distribute the load but can feel unweildly sometimes. When they become useful is when your personal fitness level and/or the type of hiking you're doing makes it easier to use them than to not. Idk how to explain it better than that, it's all circumstantial and you'll only know when you try them.Personally I've only ever relied on them to do some steep winter hikes in deep snow. Otherwise they're more of a hassle and limit my natural gait more than they help.
>>2719047did posting this make you feel cool? faggot
>>2719080Pity him, his schizotypal mental health issues have made him both an /in/cell, and incapable of experiencing positive emotions.There is also a high chance he gets very upset over random rock piles, will probably be trying to have his own genitals cut off soon, and will likely not live long after.
I just use a tree branch that I cut and carved 30 years ago instead of spending hundreds of dollars on hollow chinese pot metal poles that bend if I put any amount of force on them.
>>2719080Yeah, I do feel pretty cool that I can walk like a normal human being without the aid of bitch sticks.
>>2719088Imagine being in your 40s (or even late 30s t b h) and still posting on 4chan. Grim.
>>2719093
>>2719089im proud of you for finally getting out of your mom's basement and being able to walk a couple laps around the mailbox but some of us actually hike on this board.>>2719088imagine if that thing could talk. thanks for the visualization anon
>>2719043They're the amerimutt filterAmericans hike on trails that are basically roads for other countries. When they don't, it's to go in either desertic or densely forested areas, two environments where poles are uselessThey never need poles because they don't have the trails that require them. Poles are amazing in rocky or muddy trails that are steep. The whole thing is to use the lanyards to move your weight around like it's a crutch (when going down) or to pull yourself up using your arms and back instead of having to take weird steps. They really help if you're carrying a larger pack, because they spread out the weight and let you always have 3 points on the ground which is great for balanceBasically they're useless if your hike is even ground, which leads to contempt from amerimutts who only do half day hikes on the nearest instagrammable trail they find
>>2719043>Enables a tripod arrangement for maximum stability>Allows arms to take part in propulsion and ascent>Lets you distribute your load a bit better, an unwieldy load may be more annoying to position over your center of gravity>Can be used to keep yourself steady or even catch yourself on uneven or insecure terrain without needing to take a tumble or risking your wrist or shoulder as a means of catching and steadying yourself >Gives you some better proprioception because your sticks are constantly engaging with the ground around you, so you've got a lot more information available for your reflexes to work off of>You can use them to test the stability of your next foothold>You can rest on them for a bit if needed>Even when not walking, you've got an adjustable length stick for something like pitching a tarpSure it's less useful on a standard dry path, but it gets significantly more useful in more adverse conditions and is almost indispensable in the winter when hauling or moving through deeper snow. There is some argument to be made for a longer single stick, since two sticks just require a constant back-and-forth shifting and rebalancing, but that's mostly personal preference.
>>2719043They're mostly useful if you're frail, old or fat.
>>2719116>Americans hike on trails that are basically roads for other countriesSo in other words, you've never hiked in the rugged mountains of the Northeast US and spent your time on tourist paths in the national parks
>>2719116All this seethe lmao
>>2719116Eurofag requires a crutch to walk around. "HA Ha , Mutts don't need crutches like I do."every time
i use them so I can zone out while stoned. You can walk pretty relaxed on some pretty uneven terrain without much thought.some guy in the army told me soldiers get 20% more ruck 'efficiency' while using them...no idea if its true...but the army studies everything.
>>2719116are you an actual person? i fell for the bait right?
>>2719043I shit you not, I was at the gym today and saw a fat boomer setting up a pair so he could walk around the indoor track. I despise the "silver sneakers" program
>>2719093I'm 35, have children, have a wife, and I still post here, don't forget, you're here forever.
>>2719080kek, found the bitch
>>2719233Cringe. Girls don't make eye contact with you do they?
>>2719222Solid tripsGetting to 29 in July, been there for 11 years at this point, marrying next year hopefully making a kid next, digits and OP gets an /out/ gfAlso trekking poles are based on long hikes, esp with large packs
>>2719094No one under 35 will get this.
>>2719045>I live where it is flat and only hike trailsI've been hiking all my life and have walked longer and further with more weight than you ever will.Poles aren't much use on flatland--in every other situation they significantly improve mobility and increase efficiency.
>>2719062Yet here you are posting.Interesting.
>>2719047Ask me how I know you aren't white.
>>2719043Never used that sort of pole myself, but I've seen plenty of broken ones along the trail, so I doubt they're that good.On a purely physical level, unlike some people claim, poles do not reduce the strain on your knees or back on flat ground. I'm too lazy to google for the studies right now, but it's been proven a few times with different measurement methodologies.Where poles are great is rough terrain, where you can use them to aid with balancing yourself (especially with a heavy pack). But for that, a longer pole where you can slide your hand up or down to match the slope is much more useful. For comparison, the one I'm using in the hills I'm living in (up to 150% incline, but mostly around 100%) is 2,1m long, and there have been times where I could have used an even longer pole.
>>2719261Unless you are using them for skiing there is no reason to ever buy a non-extendable pole and lots of reason's not to.It isn't uncommon where I'm at for a trail to gain over 1000 feet in elevation in a mile or less. I short the poles uphill and make them very long downhill. Two point adjusters are usually better than single point especially if you hike very steep terrain.
>>2719251I'm a zoomer and I got thisfaggot
>>2719097Some of you don't hike, as evidenced by your larp.
>>2719295>I'm not the LARPer!!11 You are!!111we know you don't go outside son.
>>2719043Speaking of which, can you guys recommend me a good brand of trekking poles? Preferably foldable or extendable ones. Thanks!
>>2719259White here, I also call them bitch sticks
>>2720143>t. Nigger
>>2719043Why do 95% of AT thruhikers use them? It can’t be because they’re weak, considering they hike ~15 miles a day for months on end. It’s not because of their shelter type, as the same source shows free standing shelters are by far the most common. It’s not a physical disability; most are in their early 20’s. It’s not “hurr they dumb, I’m smart”; figuring out what works and what doesn’t is extremely common, with people swapping out gear pretty often. They’re literally never off trail.
>>2720697Does that number of people using sticks include the 75% of hikers who drop out?>literuhhlyOh, nevermind, I didn't know you were retarded. My bad.
>>2720717Do you think there’s a connection between their use of trekking poles and them dropping out? Use your words.
>>2720719No, I think that saying 95% of people using the sticks doesn't really matter when 75% of the same group quit. Would you like me to draw you a chart? You can follow along with your crayons if you promise not to eat any of them.
>>2720722If this is what you think then why did you phrase it as a question? Why not just say it? This is some woman shit.
>>2720722Regardless, only 4% chose not to use trekking poles. You can’t only apply 75% of people dropping out to just those that used trekking poles because there isn’t any data that suggests that (as in, who’s to say that 100% of people that chose not to use trekking poles didn’t drop out?) in the end, the chart would stay the same regardless if a significant number of people dropped out or not unless you can prove that 100% of the 4% that didn’t use trekking poles made it the whole way through—and even then, the people that chose not to use trekking poles would still be a major minority
>>2720722>I think that saying 95% of people using the sticks doesn't really matter when 75% of the same group quit. I don’t follow. Why doesn’t it matter?
>>2720733because he's completely mentally retarded and having an unfounded autistic meltdown over people using trekking poles for their intended purpose
>>2720733Even more telling us the average distance hiked. I read somewhere (probably The Trek) that it’s over 1,400 miles including successful thruhikes. Im not sure how to do the math in this.25% are successful: 2,170 miles25% drop out very soon: 30 miles100% total average: 1,400 milesWhat’s the average of the remaining 50% who make I more than 30 miles but less than 2,170?
>>2720733>you should definitely consoom this product here because I also consoomed it>I only went /out/ one time, and I went home early, but consoom it anyway
>>2720739You didn’t answer the question, and just made assumptions.>consoom memeNo one recommended a brand or even a type. No on linked to REI. >do it because I do itNo, do it because people who are more experienced than you do it. We learn from others.>one timeI’ve been backpacking since my parents first took me when I was 3 months old, but I don’t think you’re referring to me specifically. Most people who drop out of an AT hike have more experience than you. You’re just some retarded child who should feel bad.
>>2720739you have to be 18 to post here
it's genuinely strange how many of these threads devolve simply because some posters refuse to accept that different people might have different preferences, bodies, injury history, levels of comfort etc. that wind up impacting their gear decisions.
>>2720765that's autism for you
>>2720697All this tells me is 95% of "muh throooo hikers" are pants-on-head retards who refuse to pick up a stick off the ground
>>2720773>3,000 people walking down the same trail>they can all find perfectly good walking sticksBro, that’s rare even on my seldom used local trails.
>>2720799Ah yes, because a stick will instantly disintegrate if you take it home with you to use later, thanks to nature's anti-theft system
>>2720773>use a stickWhat’s the advantage? Is it just a matter of being really, really poor?
>>2720864The advantage is you didn't spend money on something you could get for free>oh look, a stream>not gonna get water from it though; I'd rather buy waterA fool and his money are easily parted.
>>2720954A stick is not a trekking pole.I would explain why but you're obviously retarded and your parents didn't give you enough attention.
>>2720983>doesn't know how to use a stick>calls others retardedOkay
>>2720954>non-collapsible>no cork or even rubber handle>not adjustable>no snow basketsI seriously don’t see any advantage. Trekking poles aren’t expensive. “Didn’t spend money” is fucking stupid, unless you are exceedingly poor.
>>2720991>I must consooom because someone told me I had to have these features in a stickI have a bottle of water I can sell you, anon. 100 USD and it can be yours.
>>2719045Agreed. I was always dead set against them. After climbing down snow covered cliff faces, falling on 55 degree slopes packing elk out, i started carrying them in the steep stuff. I still see absolutely no need on flat country though
>>2721029Damn, you just can’t let go of this meme. No one told me I needed those things. I figured it out on my own. Why haven’t you figured it out yet?
>>2721029if you are too poor to spend 10 dollar on a hiking pole that beats a stick in all metrics, it might be you that is the fool
>>2721152>if you choose to not spend money on something you don't need it means you're poorI bet the marketing team at REI loves you
>>2721156Nah. He’s right, you’re wrong.
>>2721152The "hurr durr ur poor" mentality is the surest sign I don't need a thing
>>2721200Might be too poor for education too.
>>2721156technically there's very little you *need* to go on a thru-hike at all, but all the extra odds and ends make the experience a lot easier and more comfortable. that's what you're paying for
>>2719043I prefer to carve my own wizard staff
>>2719045Pretty much this. Going uphill is a "game changer", if you're fat, you'll still get tired, but if you are fit, you will see an improvement in stamina. Going downhill you will go a bit slower but you knees and ankles will suffer less. Since I have no joint problems I dont use them downhill, but I always carry them uphill. Also, they have save me once from a big storm. Had to put a tarp where there were no trees and I used them to set it up, didnt get wet that night
>>2720954A stick doesn't have the little metal stud on the end that sticks to rocks and roots like velcro. That little point is where 50 percent of their effectiveness comes from.
They're good for rocky, uneven water crossings and flat lands that are flooded/mucky. You can easily catch a toe or sink in the mud unevenly and the poles can prevent you from falling. A must have in mucky Alaska unless you enjoy being covered in mud or shredded by falling on stream rocks.
>>2719046One is the way to go, all the functionality none of the faggotry
>>2721200>doesn’t know if he wants them or notNewfag
>>2721248>They slow you down on the downhillyou're fucking highI'm easily 2x faster using poles on the downhill. It's like downhill skiing with more steps... way way faster.
Trekking polls help you not look homeless too, which is important in towns where you might deal with cops. No homeless or vagabond is gonna have 200 dollar carbon fiber poles. Which also helps hitchhiking, just keep them visible and people will know you're a hiker not a bum
>>2719046Only legitimate argument for them. Usually I see them being used by upper middle class midwits walking simple shit.
>>2719093You are retarded, age cooms fast.
>>2723749Shitpost bumpin
You use them to push yourself forward while you walk. The work of moving forward is normally 100% on your legs, but poles let you transfer some of that load to your arms instead. This enables you to hike longer distances before exhaustion or injury occur.So I suggest to use them for full day and multi day hikes.
>>2719093Retard The average age of a gamer in 2010 was 30. You know shit about shit if you think you children who dominate Reddit represent the rest of the Internet population. 4cgan went live in 2003 and you were probably still in diapers while I was shit posting here.