Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Hiking poles, also called trekking poles, can add stability on rough trails, give your upper body a useful role in forward movement, and reduce some of the forces placed on your legs during certain types of hiking. They are especially useful on steep descents, loose terrain, long backpacking trips, and stream crossings. The biggest benefits, however, come from choosing the right poles, setting them to the correct length, and using them with a natural walking rhythm.
Quick Answer
Hiking poles can improve stability and provide extra support on climbs, descents, loose ground, and uneven trails. Start with your elbows near a 90-degree bend on level ground, plant the opposite pole with each step, keep your grip relaxed, and adjust pole length for steep terrain. Poles help most when technique and fit are correct.
Key Takeaways
- Hiking poles add extra points of contact with the ground and can improve stability on uneven or slippery terrain.
- A 90-degree elbow bend is a good starting position on level ground; shorten poles for sustained climbs and lengthen them for sustained descents.
- Use the opposite pole with the opposite foot and keep your grip relaxed rather than forcing each pole into the ground.
- Aluminum is generally durable and economical, while carbon poles are usually lighter and better at reducing vibration but can be more vulnerable to breaking under high stress.
- Research supports reduced lower-extremity loading in some downhill conditions, but poles do not guarantee a specific percentage of joint relief for every hiker.
- Clean and dry poles according to the manufacturer’s instructions and check locks, shafts, tips, baskets, and straps before important hikes.
At a Glance
| Time Required | About 5–10 minutes for initial fitting and basic practice |
| Difficulty | Beginner-friendly |
| Tools Needed | A properly sized pair of trekking poles or one hiking staff |
| Cost | Varies by pole material and features; no additional cost to use once purchased |
Benefits of Using Hiking Poles
One of the main advantages of hiking poles is the extra support they provide on uneven terrain. Instead of balancing only on two feet, you can create additional contact points with the trail. This can be useful on loose rocks, mud, roots, steep grades, snow, and other surfaces where footing is less predictable.
Poles can also shift some work to the arms, shoulders, and upper back. During descents, properly planted poles may reduce some of the forces acting on the lower extremities. This can make long downhill sections feel more controlled, especially when carrying a backpack.
Research supports this benefit in specific conditions. A small laboratory study of eight men walking down a 25-degree slope found that several measured knee forces were approximately 12% to 25% lower when hiking poles were used. That does not mean every hiker will experience a 25% reduction, but it provides evidence that correct pole use can change lower-extremity loading during steep descents. See the published downhill-walking study on PubMed.
In one small downhill study, measured knee forces differed by roughly 12% to 25% when participants used hiking poles—but the result applies to the tested downhill conditions, not every hike or every person.
Hiking poles can also encourage a steady rhythm during long walks. Because the arms participate in the movement, pole-assisted hiking can involve more of the body than ordinary walking. However, the claim that poles always increase calorie burn or endurance is too simple. Studies have produced different results depending on backpack load, terrain, walking speed, and technique.
Note: Treat hiking poles as useful trail equipment, not as medical treatment. Anyone recovering from surgery, dealing with significant balance problems, or using a prescribed mobility aid should follow advice from an appropriate health professional rather than replacing that device with trekking poles.
How to Choose the Right Hiking Poles for You
Selecting hiking poles starts with deciding how and where you will use them. Day hikers may value simple adjustment and comfortable grips, while backpackers and long-distance hikers may put greater emphasis on low weight, compact packed length, and reliable locking mechanisms.
Aluminum vs. Carbon Poles
Aluminum poles are generally the more economical and impact-tolerant option. Under heavy stress, an aluminum shaft may bend rather than break outright. Carbon or composite poles are typically lighter and can reduce vibration, but they may be more vulnerable to cracking or splintering when heavily stressed. Current REI trekking-pole guidance describes the same basic trade-off.
Neither material is automatically better. A hiker who regularly travels through rocky, remote terrain may value aluminum’s durability, while someone counting every ounce on a long-distance route may prefer carbon.
Grips, Straps, Locks, Baskets, and Tips
Grip material affects comfort. Cork can feel comfortable in warm conditions and tends to manage moisture well. Foam is soft and also handles sweat well. Rubber grips provide insulation in colder conditions but may feel less comfortable against sweaty hands during warm-weather hiking.
Adjustable poles also depend on secure locking mechanisms. External lever locks are easy to inspect and adjust, while twist locks and other systems may offer a clean, compact design. Regardless of the mechanism, check that each section is fully locked before putting significant weight on the pole.
Baskets help prevent tips from sinking deeply into snow, mud, and other soft surfaces. Small trekking baskets suit normal trail conditions, while wider snow baskets distribute pressure over a larger area. Carbide or metal tips work well on many natural surfaces, while appropriate rubber walking tips can be useful on pavement and some hard surfaces.
Should You Use One Pole or Two?
A pair of trekking poles is the normal choice for hiking because it allows alternating support on both sides of the body. A single hiking staff can still provide useful balance on relatively mild terrain and can leave one hand free. On steep or highly uneven ground, two poles usually provide more opportunities for stable placement.
Shock-Absorbing Poles
Some poles have an internal shock mechanism intended to soften impacts, particularly on descents. This feature can feel comfortable for some hikers, but it adds complexity and is not required for effective pole use. Standard poles still provide stability and support when properly fitted.
How to Set the Correct Hiking Pole Length
For normal hiking on level ground, stand upright with the pole tip resting near your foot. Adjust the pole until your elbow forms roughly a 90-degree angle. This is a widely used starting position recommended by major trekking-pole manufacturers and outdoor-equipment guides.
- Level ground: Start with about a 90-degree elbow bend.
- Long uphill sections: Shorten adjustable poles by roughly 5–10 cm (2–4 inches) so you can plant them without lifting your shoulders.
- Long downhill sections: Lengthen them by roughly 5–10 cm to help you remain more upright and reach lower terrain comfortably.
- Side-hill traverses: Shorten the uphill pole and lengthen the downhill pole as needed for a balanced posture.
Pro Tip: Do not obsess over an exact number. The 90-degree rule is a starting point. Fine-tune your poles so your shoulders stay relaxed and you do not have to reach awkwardly for each plant.
Proper Technique for Using Hiking Poles
The easiest pole technique is an alternating rhythm. When your right foot moves forward, plant the left pole. When your left foot moves forward, plant the right pole. This mirrors a natural arm swing and creates support on the opposite side of each step.
Do not reach far ahead and jab the pole vertically into the ground. On ordinary terrain, place the tip near your stride and let the pole angle slightly behind you as you move past it. Your arms should swing naturally instead of forcing every plant.
Use the Wrist Straps Correctly
For conventional trekking-pole straps, put your hand upward through the bottom of the strap and then bring it down over the strap to grasp the handle. Adjust the strap so it supports the heel of your hand without cutting into your wrist. This lets you maintain control without squeezing the grip tightly on every step.
Some poles have right- and left-specific straps or proprietary release systems, so always follow the instructions supplied with your particular model.
Keep a Relaxed Grip and Upright Posture
Your hands should rest comfortably on the grips. A constant white-knuckle grip wastes energy and can lead to hand or forearm fatigue. Keep your shoulders down, your back naturally upright, and your core engaged enough to remain stable without becoming stiff.
Practice on an easy trail before relying on poles on steep or technical terrain. Within a few minutes, the opposite-arm/opposite-leg rhythm should begin to feel natural.
Warning: A trekking pole can slip, collapse, bend, or break. Do not assume it will support your full body weight, and stow your poles when they interfere with secure handholds on ladders, exposed scrambling, or terrain where using your hands directly is safer.
Tips for Maintaining and Caring for Your Hiking Poles
| Maintenance Check | What to Do |
| Clean and Dry | Remove dirt after use and let wet pole sections, grips, and straps dry completely according to the manufacturer’s instructions. |
| Inspect for Damage | Look for cracked carbon, bent aluminum, damaged tips, worn straps, or loose hardware. |
| Check Adjustments | Test every locking mechanism before a hike and confirm that adjustable sections cannot slide under normal pressure. |
| Store Dry | Store poles in a dry location away from prolonged heat, moisture, and unnecessary UV exposure. |
| Replace Wear Parts | Replace worn tips, baskets, straps, or manufacturer-serviceable components before they fail on the trail. |
Proper maintenance helps hiking poles remain dependable. Inspect the tips and baskets because they receive repeated impacts and abrasion. Also check each shaft for bends, cracks, or unusual movement and make sure the locking system holds firmly at the desired length.
Wet telescoping poles deserve special attention because moisture can remain inside the shafts. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for disassembly and drying. For example, LEKI’s current pole-care instructions recommend separating telescoping segments after wet use so they can dry and specifically advise against applying lubricants, oils, or fats.
For that reason, do not automatically spray silicone, oil, grease, or another lubricant into adjustable pole joints. A product that is appropriate for one mechanism may interfere with another. Use only maintenance products specifically allowed by the pole manufacturer.
Using Hiking Poles to Improve Balance and Stability
Hiking poles can improve practical trail stability by giving you additional points of contact with the ground. On rocky paths, loose gravel, mud, or steep grades, you can test a spot with a pole before committing your full weight to the next step.
The poles also provide immediate tactile information about the terrain. A solid pole plant can confirm that a surface is supportive, while a slipping or sinking pole warns you to choose another placement. This is especially useful when visibility of the ground is poor or the trail surface changes quickly.
Poles do not eliminate the risk of falling. Continue to choose secure foot placements, slow down on unstable terrain, and avoid leaning so heavily on a pole that its failure would cause you to fall.
How Hiking Poles Can Help Reduce Strain on Joints
Reducing Stress During Descents
Downhill hiking places substantial braking demands on the legs. Planting trekking poles before or alongside a downward step allows the arms and upper body to share some of the work while also improving control.
Research supports lower forces in some downhill conditions. In the previously noted laboratory study, eight male participants walking down a 25-degree slope showed statistically significant differences in ground-reaction forces, knee moments, and tibiofemoral compression and shear forces when poles were used, with several measured differences falling in the 12%–25% range.
The finding is useful evidence for pole use on descents, but it should not be converted into a promise that poles reduce everyone’s knee load by exactly 25%.
Additional Support and Stability
Joint comfort is only one reason poles may make difficult terrain feel easier. Extra contact with the ground can improve confidence and allow a hiker to control the pace of a descent instead of taking large, abrupt steps.
That support can also be useful around ankles and hips because good pole technique encourages controlled movement through uneven terrain. The effect depends on pole placement, fit, terrain, footwear, backpack weight, and the individual hiker.
Joint Conditions and Injury Recovery
People with knee, hip, ankle, or balance problems sometimes find trekking poles useful, but a recreational trekking pole is not the same as a medical cane, walker, brace, or crutch. Anyone recovering from knee surgery or another significant injury should follow their rehabilitation plan and ask their clinician whether trekking poles are appropriate before relying on them for support.
Incorporating Hiking Poles into Your Fitness Routine
Using poles engages the arms, shoulders, and back in addition to the muscles already involved in walking. For people who normally walk or hike without poles, this can make the movement feel more like a full-body activity.
The effect on energy expenditure is not identical in every situation. A field study published in 2008 found greater physiological responses during hiking with trekking poles without a matching increase in perceived effort. However, a separate 2018 field study found that poles did not increase energy expenditure during unloaded walking in its test conditions, while backpack load changed the response. See the research on physiological responses to pole-assisted hiking and backpack load and energy expenditure.
Note: Hiking poles are not a guaranteed calorie-burning shortcut. Pace, terrain, incline, backpack weight, technique, fitness level, and the amount of force applied through the poles all influence the workout.
For fitness hikes, first become comfortable with normal alternating pole use. You can then vary pace, distance, and elevation just as you would during ordinary walking. Faster intervals followed by easier recovery periods can add intensity, but maintaining safe footing should remain more important than achieving a particular speed.
Advanced Techniques for Using Hiking Poles on Challenging Terrain
Steep Uphill Sections
Shorten the poles on long climbs and plant them where you can push backward rather than reaching high and pulling your shoulders upward. On very steep steps, some hikers plant both poles ahead and use them together for additional support, but avoid placing so much weight on the poles that losing a tip placement would cause a fall.
Steep Descents
Lengthen the poles slightly and plant them ahead of the downward step. The goal is controlled movement, not reaching as far down the slope as possible. Keep the tips within a comfortable range so your torso remains balanced over your feet.
Roots, Rocks, and Uneven Ground
On technical trails, place a pole before committing to questionable footing. Avoid wedging a pole deeply between rocks, where the shaft can become trapped as your body continues moving. When a section requires secure handholds, stow the poles rather than letting them interfere with your hands.
Side-Hill Traverses
On a long traverse, shorten the uphill pole and lengthen the downhill pole. This reduces the need to raise one shoulder or lean excessively toward the slope.
Stream Crossings
A trekking pole or sturdy hiking staff can provide another contact point during an appropriate stream crossing. The National Park Service’s stream-crossing guidance recommends that a solo hiker using a staff or trekking pole hold it upstream and move only one contact point at a time.
Warning: Trekking poles do not make dangerous moving water safe. If a stream is too high, cold, deep, or swift for your ability, turn around, wait for safer conditions, or use another route. Never let your itinerary pressure you into an unsafe crossing.
Common Hiking Pole Mistakes and Troubleshooting
The Pole Keeps Collapsing
Stop and inspect the locking mechanism rather than simply tightening it harder and continuing. Make sure each section is clean, correctly assembled, and within its marked adjustment range. Lever-lock tension may need adjustment according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A damaged lock should be repaired or replaced before the pole is trusted on difficult terrain.
Your Shoulders or Neck Become Sore
The poles may be too long, especially on climbs. Return to the 90-degree level-ground position and check whether your shoulders remain relaxed. Shorten the poles on extended uphill sections instead of lifting your shoulders with every plant.
Your Hands and Forearms Tire Quickly
Loosen your grip. Correctly adjusted wrist straps can carry some of the load at the heel of the hand, allowing the fingers to remain relatively relaxed instead of squeezing the grips continuously.
The Tips Keep Slipping
Change the pole angle and select a firmer placement rather than adding excessive downward force. Use the appropriate tip for the surface and replace badly worn tips. Rubber walking tips may be useful on pavement and certain hard surfaces, while carbide or metal tips are commonly used on natural trail surfaces.
The Pole Sinks Into Mud or Snow
Install an appropriately sized basket. Wider baskets distribute the load over a greater area and help prevent the shaft from plunging as deeply into soft ground.
Your Pole Rhythm Feels Awkward
Stop actively planting the poles for several steps and simply walk while carrying them. Once your natural arm swing returns, begin touching the opposite pole to the ground as each foot advances. Avoid overthinking every placement.
Hiking poles can be valuable tools for beginners and experienced hikers alike, but they are not mandatory equipment for every trail. Their greatest advantages are added stability, better control on difficult terrain, and the ability to share some trail work with the upper body. Correct sizing, secure locks, relaxed technique, and realistic expectations make a much bigger difference than simply carrying a pair of poles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hiking poles?
Hiking poles, also called trekking poles, are lightweight poles designed to provide extra contact with the ground while hiking, backpacking, trekking, or walking on uneven terrain. Most are sold as a pair and many have adjustable or folding shafts.
How do hiking poles help hikers?
They add extra points of contact with the ground, help hikers control movement on uneven terrain, involve the upper body, and may reduce some lower-extremity loading during downhill hiking when used correctly.
What are the main benefits of using hiking poles?
Common benefits include better stability on rough ground, more controlled climbs and descents, upper-body involvement, extra support while carrying a backpack, and another way to test uncertain footing before stepping on it.
How do hiking poles improve balance?
Poles provide additional contact points with the ground. A secure pole plant can help stabilize the body and provide information about the firmness or slipperiness of the next section of terrain before you move your full weight onto it.
Are hiking poles suitable for all types of hiking?
They can be useful for day hikes, backpacking, steep trails, loose terrain, snow, and many long-distance routes, but they are not necessary everywhere. Stow them when they interfere with secure handholds or make a technical obstacle harder to negotiate safely.
How should hiking poles be used?
On ordinary terrain, plant the left pole as the right foot moves forward and the right pole as the left foot moves forward. Maintain a relaxed grip and natural arm swing, and keep pole placements close enough that you do not have to reach or lean awkwardly.
How long should my hiking poles be?
On level ground, adjust them so your elbows are close to a 90-degree angle when the tips rest near your feet. For long climbs, shorten them by roughly 5–10 cm. For long descents, lengthen them by about the same amount and fine-tune for comfort.
Are hiking poles good for your knees?
They can reduce certain measured knee and lower-extremity forces during downhill hiking, but the effect varies by terrain and technique. Research should not be interpreted as guaranteeing a fixed percentage of knee relief for every person or every trail.
Sources
- PubMed — Knee Joint Forces During Downhill Walking With Hiking Poles — supports the discussion of downhill knee-force changes and the 12%–25% study range.
- PubMed — Trekking Poles Increase Physiological Responses to Hiking Without Increased Perceived Exertion — supports the discussion of physiological demand during pole-assisted hiking.
- PubMed — Effects of Backpack Load and Trekking Poles on Energy Expenditure — supports the qualification that energy expenditure varies with hiking conditions and load.
- REI Expert Advice — How to Choose Trekking Poles and Hiking Staffs — supports sizing, materials, grips, straps, locking systems, baskets, and tips.
- LEKI — Pole Care and Maintenance — supports drying and maintenance guidance and the warning against routine lubricants.
- National Park Service — Stream Crossing Safety — supports stream-crossing precautions and use of a pole or staff for additional contact.
