I'm no pro, but that looks kinda silly to me. I can think of so many hiking situations where it just wouldn't go very well, that it cancels out any possible functionality for me. Also, I can't help but think if the guy tumbles down a hill or something, those poles could jab into his back or something, which would really put him in a bad spot! It might be good for urban survival, like if you decide to walk out of a city or something.