HIKING POLES

 WHY ARE POLES IMPORTANT WHEN HIKING?

Once you have learned to appreciate the advantages of modern trekking poles, you will not want to do without them again. It has been scientifically proven that walking poles relieve the muscles. So your body is more efficient. In addition to the muscles, the walking pole also reduces the load on the joints. Hip, knee and ankle joints are less stressed. Heavy backpacks often make for poor posture. Hiking poles relieve the back and shoulder area and thus ensure an upright posture. This also significantly improves breathing. In snow, mud, ice or scree, poles improve your surefootedness. A high-quality trekking pole can thus help to prevent accidents and keep the risk of injury on the trekking tour as low as possible.

CARBON OR ALUMINIUM?

Carbon poles are extremely light and robust at the same time. Ski poles made of aluminium are even more robust, but they bend a little faster and are also heavier. There are also ski poles with a material blend of carbon and aluminium.

WHICH GRIP SYSTEM IS THE RIGHT ONE?

The optimal grip ensures that the pole sits ideally in the hand when walking uphill and that there are no pressure points on the hands when walking downhill. Most of our walking poles are equipped with the Aergon. The edgeless grip head of the Aergon is ergonomically shaped and extremely comfortable. It also has an adjustable loop with safety release that can prevent injuries.

WHAT IS THE USE OF A GRIP EXTENSION?

A grip extension offers you the possibility to quickly change your grip in steep passages without having to adjust the pole length.

FOLDING POLE OR TELESCOPIC POLE?

Folding poles have a much smaller pack size (approx. 40 cm) than standard hiking poles. You can therefore easily stow them in your backpack for climbing passages. LEKI folding poles are extremely reliable and easy to use thanks to state-of-the-art technology. Three-section or telescopic poles are the classics among hiking poles. They are usually a little cheaper than the ultra-modern folding poles, but also have a slightly larger pack size.

HOW DO I FIND THE RIGHT POLE LENGTH?

A rule of thumb says that the pole is the right length when it is placed vertically on the ground and your upper and lower arm form a 90° angle. If you are still unsure or would like to have the length calculated exactly, we also have a pole length advisor on our website. Simply enter your height and select the type of sport and you will find out the optimum length.

HOW DO I SET MY VARIO POLE CORRECTLY?

As mentioned above, your upper and lower arm should form a 90° angle in flat terrain. When walking downhill, we recommend extending the pole by about 5 cm so that you can support yourself better. Uphill, on the other hand, the pole should be about 5 cm shorter. However, these are only guidelines and you should walk in the way you feel most comfortable.