We are hiking the Canol Trail this summer.

The rigorous Canol Heritage Trail is one of the most challenging in North America, suitable only for experienced, well-equipped hikers. Built during World War II as a pipeline route through the mountains from Norman Wells to the Yukon, the Canol route is still dotted with abandoned equipment. It's long, remote, unmarked and frequently washed out. Disorienting box canyons can be difficult to navigate. No services are provided, emergency or otherwise. You must make arrangements for provisioning, drop-off and pickup in advance. Once on the Trail, you're on your own.

While doing research, some websites recommend trekking poles to help with the treacherous river crossings and to help save the knees on in general on such a long and difficult hike.

We have never used them before, however some people who have, swear by them. When we hiked Kindersley Summit (not my photo) and other trails in the Rockies this past summer, we only seen a few people and they all had trekking poles.

Are trekking these poles actually worth using or are they just the latest fad. I would appreciate any feedback from people here who have actually used these poles.

Thanks.

Well I always found it amusing to see people walking with two poles. But I confess that in the last couple of years I have started using one pole.

It helps with balance in tricky places - three legs are better than two - and it takes some of the pressure off my left knee at times. I had arthroscopic surgery and had about 60% of the meniscus removed from the knee about four years ago.

So I would suggest - go with one pole. I think two are overkill, unless you've got two bad knees. To give a bit of perspective, I am 57 and played rugby for 20 years. I hit the gym almost every day.

Well, I may look amusing to you, but I've been backpacking regularly for 35 years, most often on long, solo, off-trail trips in all sorts of conditions. I know what works, at least for me. But I'm certainly not concerned about being fashion conscious while doing it.

A two week trip often means starting with a heavy pack. I started using two poles about 10 years ago, progressing from a staff, to one pole, then two. They not only improve balance and markedly reduce the risks of potentially injurious falls, they also reduce the legs' workload and improve endurance. In addition, they do double duty as tarp poles.

"Two legs bad, four legs good" - George Orwell, Animal Farm

Jeff

When I was 40 I would have said they were just a waste of effort.
Now 12 years later I have 4 standing in the corner by the door to chose from.

I have a bad knee from a pretty serious injury 3 years ago, it gets sore away too easily.
So,yes I find hiking staffs handy, especially when going over rough or slippery ground.

Mine are all just a bit short for hiking in the wild woods but are fine for country walks.


One is a modern technical wonder by a company called Paws (that might be a pun).
It telescopes from cane length to about 5'9", has a rubber tip that can be removed to expose a pointy wicked sharp hardened carbon steel spike.

Then there is a 5' piece of 1.5" white oak dowel, nice and straight grained.

The next one is a bit odd.
It is a handle for a half sized garden shovel, 40" long in ash. I put a rubber crutch tip on the taper.
The nice thing about this is when I take the crutch tip off the taper fits a Cold Steel Bushman socket handled knife, or a Cold Steel "Spetznaz" shovel's socket, no screws needed. I take it when I am out collecting wild foods.

The fourth is a piece of beaverwood (please, no crude comments). Beaverwood is usually poplar but this piece is red alder.
Beaverwood is when the beavers cut it to length for you, clean all the bark off and then put it on top of their lodge to dry and cure for you until you can come by and pick it up.

For hiking that trail I would likely take the techno-wonder or the oak stave if I was taking one, but knowing me I likely would not take either one.
I would most likely expect the beavers to have prepared a few choice sticks knowing I would be by for them soon.
I might also hope to find a nice piece of diamond willow.

Said trekking poles also make nice rests for a firearm or a camera (some even have a camera adapter).

I decided to give them a try this year. At the start they where awkward to use but I got used to them quickly. I started using ham gear from summits last year so I can tell the difference. Hauling the equipment put a lot of strain to the knees especially on the downhill part. They make hiking much more comfortable especially when it goes uphill or downhill. I decided to get telescopic poles as they can be packed away more easily. I consider this as a big advantage on the parts where I have use both hands.
In conclusion I´d say they are worth using. Get them and get used to use them. It´s important to learn to use them properly.

BTW: With many people I see using them, I get the feeling that they are some kind of fashion item. On the bright side you do not stick out as much when you use them too.

My two cents:

First penny: Disclaimer - I do not use or own trekking poles. However, I did dream about them in a Holiday Inn once. Further disclaimer -- I am not afiliated with Holiday Inn in any way.

Second penny: I think the logic behind the "Animal Farm" quote is well worth considering. Even if you use only one, have a second as a backup or augmentation when needed.

Third cent (freebie): Poles are on my master "stuff" list.

Jeff

haha - I enjoyed your deserved putdown of my little comment. From your picture, you certainly don't look funny to me, and if you were to see what I generally wear, you'd know I'm not very fashion-conscious.

For the techno-record, we have three black diamond trekking poles. A matched pair and a sinlgle one, which also has the little screw thingie on top, to use it as a camera monopod.

They are very good poles, and I can find no performance difference between the shock absorbing ones and the non-shock absorbing single.

I still plan on only using one pole, and not two, at least for the foreseeable future.

I suppose trekking poles MIGHT be marginally useful. Marginally in the sense that they will make hiking seem a little easier for a while until your arms tire and that's about it. Somehow I just find them amazingly annoying as an increasingly popular fashion statement, though. Everyone seems to bring along a pair nowadays, even on really easy treks and EVEN in the cities! That, to me, is just plain ridiculous. I must also admit that I know not a single serious outdoorsman under the age of 50 who ever uses trekking poles to any extent.

YMMV but to me, trekking poles are pretty much unnecessary weight. I prefer to keep my hands free most of the time. Makes it easier to grab a rock or tree when negotiating difficult terrain. On longer treks I do like to cut down a straight hazel sapling, 5-6' or so. Just like folks used to do many, many years ago before the trekking pole fad cult took over.

If you genuinely need some extra support a long, sturdy wooden stick is a lot more practical IMO. Trekking poles are really too short if you have to negotiate steep slopes. With proper technique you can use a long stick much more effectively, either choke the grip or lengthen when necessary. You also get to keep one hand free and a long stick is a helluva deterrent against a hostile dog or some other form of vicious wildlife.

I just find it incredibly sad that a skill as basic, simple and universal as walking with a staff has been forgotten. Now the industry is pushing the Nordic walking fad to make a quick buck and most people simply follow the bandwagon.

Well, to each his own but I'll just stick (pun intended) to a hazel staff like my gramps, RIP, showed me a long time ago. When people still knew how to walk on their own feet and could whittle themselves a nice walking staff in a couple of minutes with a pocket knife...

I prefer them. I never used to use them, but, well, my knees are shot, and I'm only 38. That, and I use them as part of my shelter system when hiking. Personally, I dont hike without them (REAL hiking, not city walking). I absolutely needed them coming down mt. washington 2 years ago; my knees were giving out, and it took a LOT of stress off of them.