That's Fit

If you're planning on hiking this summer, add a set of trekking poles to your birthday wish list. I turned my nose up at them until I tried out a friend's and was immediately hooked. Here are a few benefits of these lightweight metal wonders, so unlike leaning upon a single traditional walking stick carved from wood.

• Hello muscles! Trekking poles bring your arms, chest and shoulders into the hiking equation, building muscle all the while. Why should your gluteus, hams, quads and calves realize most of the benefit?
• Take a load off your knees. Using poles takes significant pressure off the knee joint, distributing part of the load to the upper body. If you think trekking poles help you uphill, just wait until you try them on a pounding downhill, which can be killer on the knees. I relied heavily on trekking poles when hiking the first year after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Ten months post-surgery and on a nearly month-long mountaineering/camping honeymoon, I wouldn't have had near the confidence tromping around at high altitude on sketchy footing without poles.
• Safety. Break a tent pole? Twist a knee or ankle? Trekking poles can step in and be your best friend for life, acting like claws on snow and ice and preventing falls, especially when a heavy backpack has you suddenly off balance. I've found them tremendously helpful on high altitude snowfields. They've boosted my confidence on tricky moves along thin, precipitous trails -- exactly what I needed physically and psychologically to keep sure-footed and prevent a more serious fall.

If you're looking for ultra-cheap, just try out your ski poles to get a feel. Ultralight, anti-shock trekking poles are the ultimate and can cost $100 and up. I adore my LEKI poles. The ability to collapse them down is also a key feature -- you can adjust them for a perfect fit and lash them to your daypack/backpack when you need free hands for a scramble. Here's a good article expanding on the benefits of trekking poles, including helpful hints on technique.