[pct-l] Bringing up the use of hiking poles again

[Janet Grossman]

>>I just got '05 Lei Ultralite Ti Makalu poles on sale, after a lot of 
>>debate. Both times I've used them so far it was in snow and I did feel 
>>sure they kept me from falling a number of times. Yesterday involved some 
>>pretty steep climbing (up and down) through about 12 inches of snow, and I 
>>don't think I'd have made it without the poles. I accidentally left them 
>>in the car last weekend and I did fall on ice and skin a knee, and had a 
>>moment of thinking "am I seriously hurt, and if so, how am I going to get 
>>out of here," and believe if I'd had the poles I wouldn't have fallen. I 
>>did about half of the AT without any sort of stick, but picked up a birch 
>>branch to beat off feral dogs in NY, and used it the rest of the way. 
>>Previous to that I'd had knee and ankle trouble that slowed us to about 4 
>>miles a day for 2 weeks, and in retrospect, the stick may have been what 
>>prevented much more such pain. Anyway, with nearly-30-year-older knees, 
>>and strong recommendations by orthopedic MD and physical therapist, I'm 
>>trying hard to get used to having my hands unfree. I'm certainly aware 
>>that the poles keep my hands from swelling, and I will be taking them on 
>>this year's through-hike despite the negatives.
Janet
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 17
> Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2007 00:30:54 -0500
> From: Moynihan <mary.moynihan at gmail.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Bringing up the use of hiking poles again
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID:
> <a8feba670702012130n56255b04rf0c3fd9b598f32d4 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> All this cougar talk has sparked my indecision about whether to invest in
> hiking poles for this hike! I still have not had a chance to test drive
> some, I never used poles on my AT thru hike and then there is an extra 20%
> off these poles at REI for the next week. Seems like agreat deal.  Does
> anyone recommend them, good/ bad feedback.
> 05' Leki Ultralite Ti AirErgo Trekking Poles
> Here, still, is what is in the back of my mind.
> Pros:
> reduces fatigue on long ups and downs......but the PCT is mostly a gradual
> grade, right?
> defends against snakes and other animals. With all this cougar talk I 
> think
> they may very well come in handy.
> builds upper body
> aids in fording rivers and through the passes
> good/ better back posture, especially in the early weeks
> it seems every hiker but a few use poles, which obviously means something.
>
>
> Cons:
> requires my hands to be unavailable on the spot. shooting photos, grabbing
> my water bottle, slapping a pesty bug, etc., etc. This is worth 3X as much
> at least as the other pros/cons.
> extra weight on my back if I decide to not walk with them in hand, a whole
> pound.
> find them to be a distracting noise
> knowing me I will forget them somewhere and realize this twelve miles down
> the trail. Or I'll leave them in a car.
> $$$
> sweat buildup in my palms
>
> Perhaps I should construct a point system in which I will assign each pro
> and con a value. Hmmmmm....this may be getting a little too serious for 
> me.
>
> Does anyone use the old fashioned stick anymore?
>
> ~Spirit
>
>
>