[pct-l] Poles and pole locks
Don Billings
dbillings803 at yahoo.com
Fri Aug 27 09:40:49 CDT 2010
I had a similar experience, Jeff.
I love my poles for all the usual reasons including greater stability, but I
took a hard fall once & my one planted pole caused me to swing toward
the side which wasn't supported. It was near dark as I laid there on the
ground wondering if I had broken a bone or two since I had fallen on rocks,
I was spooked also. It happened so fast, I don't know if I put my hand out
or not. I think I pivoted.
But, on the other hand, I've slipped & my straps did what they are
marketed to do.... they supported my arms and stopped my fall. I've
had more slips that were stopped by my poles than any negative
experience.
----- Original Message ----
From: Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu>
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Sent: Thu, August 26, 2010 3:50:11 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Poles and pole locks
I started using poles three years ago. I have the twist-lock kind and
they have never failed when I've needed them.
However, I advise NEVER put the straps over your wrists when going down
anything dicey. This summer on a steep, cross-country descent into the
middle fork of the san joaquin river I slipped on some of last year's
leaves. I put my hand down to catch myself, and the pole thrust my
hand/arm/body out into space and I did a 180 down the little cliff,
landing on my back/pack. Without having the strap on I would have
stopped my slide and grunted a bit. As it was, I was miles from a
maintained trail and thought about what had happened. I was a bit
spooked. I keep the straps off now when hiking on anything steep, up
or down...
Jeffrey Olson
Martin, SD
On 8/26/2010 4:40 PM, ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com wrote:
> Hey, that brings up a subject that I've wanted to discuss since our
> video trip:
>
> Poles for balance and down-hills, and
> Pole locking design
>
> I've never been a fan of hiking with poles; I still don't like stuff
> in my hands when I hike. However, for backcountry skiing they are a
> must and, there, I'm used to them. On our video "hike" of the PCT from
> KM to the MTR in May, June, and July we used two different brands of
> poles for product testing, Black Diamond and Life-Link. One of them we
> are absolutely crazy about in all ways and the other, well we aren't
> too nuts about some aspects of their design. I would like the rest of
> you guys to add your comments regarding the following:
>
> Grips-- for the most part, they are all fine.
>
> Straps-- some come with a twist that creates a pressure point on my
> wrist. Attempts at re-threading the buckle to eliminate the twist
> doesn't seem to solve it adequately. Some of this may have had to do
> with whether you put your hand in the loop from the bottom or the top
> (I prefer the bottom as the strap, then, supports the wrist).
>
> Pole Material-- for the most part, they were all fine. Some were
> aluminum and some were something lighter and fancier. Both worked.
> Never bent or broke a pole.
>
> Pole Locking Designs-- Twist lock designs always failed. There was
> always the circumstance where we suddenly fell and needed to catch our
> balance with the pole and it collapsed! No matter how hard we twisted
> the locking mechanism, it always collapsed when we needed it most. We
> saw other hikers' poles where they had to dent the device to keep it
> from failing!
>
> Lever lock designs always worked. Fantastic. Dependable.
>
> Baskets-- Some came with big and small baskets that screwed on. In
> the snow, where we were most of the time (the reason we were there),
> the bigger baskets were selected and worked just fine on granite and
> trail, too. The small baskets were useless in the snow unless it was
> icy or crusty. Between the brands, some of the big baskets were soft
> and some were harder. The soft ones on rock would fold between rocks
> (and if this was under water while crossing a creek, it created a
> dangerous situation) and get wedged in there and not want to come out,
> sometimes even pulling your arm backwards. The hard baskets didn't get
> wedged and stuck by folding and were not a problem.
>
> Tips-- Never a problem as we were usually on snow.
>
> Anybody want to chime in on these design differences? We talked with
> many disgruntled hikers and saw lots of duct-taped poles!
>
>
>
> Ned Tibbits, Director
> Mountain Education
> 1106A Ski Run Blvd
> South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
> P: 888-996-8333
> F: 530-541-1456
> C: 530-721-1551
> http://www.mountaineducation.org
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeffrey Olson" <jolson at olc.edu>
> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 3:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Boots and Ankles
>
>
>> I stopped wearing leather boots in 1994. My feet grew on a long
>> section hike and I had NB 802s mailed to me at Diamond Lake. I sprained
>> my ankle often, once badly enough I had to leave the trail. The last
>> couple years I've played golf almost daily on a very hilly course that
>> is poorly maintained. I walk on hummocks, grassy tufts, snake holes,
>> etc. I wear tevas or NB running shoes.
>>
>> The consequence of an hour and a half a day of walking on uneven
>> surfaces is incredibly stronger ankles than ever before in my life.
>> This summer I fell off "those little rocks" that before would send me
>> rolling to the ground (I fell often enough to perfect falling into
>> rolling). It helps to use poles, but what before would have sent me to
>> the ground, was a minor irritant...
>>
>> Jeffrey Olson
>> Martin, SD
>>
>> On 8/26/2010 4:07 PM, ned at mountaineducation.org wrote:
>>> Although I've never considered myself having weak ankles, I've
>>> twisted one or two over the years unto major swelling and bruising.
>>> I have usually hiked in leather boots with stiff uppers to prevent
>>> accidental twists. Strangely enough, I have an unwitting tendency to
>>> find those little rocks which, if located under my boot in just the
>>> right location, my ankle rolls quickly laterally and if it wasn't
>>> for the leather upper to hold me together, I'd be recovering on the
>>> trail somewhere, soaking in a cold creek!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ned Tibbits, Director
>>> Mountain Education
>>> 1106A Ski Run Blvd
>>> South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
>>> P: 888-996-8333
>>> F: 530-541-1456
>>> C: 530-721-1551
>>> http://www.mountaineducation.org
>>> _______________________________________________
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