I admit I used to be one who would always snicker to myself at the people using trekking poles, until I finally broke down and tried it for myself. It took me a while because I just didn't want to be one of "those people", you know the kind with brand new expensive North Face jacket while skiing on the bunny slopes. But just because other people don't use their gear properly doesn't mean you should discount the equipment. Are 4x4's useless just because everyone else is using SUV's as mall-cruisers? And it's true, a lot of people I see on the trails just aren't using the poles correctly or don't know how.

Just think of the poles as the modern day equivilent of a hiking staff. In almost all the pictures you see of old time mountain men, they always carried some sort of staff with them. IMO, one staff is good, two poles are better. I started out with one pole, and really didn't see much of a benefit. But for some reason I decided I would try two, and I've found it to be much better for some reason. Can't really explain why, other than you can get into a rhythm using two poles that you just can't get with one.

The harder the hike, the steeper the descent, and the heavier the pack, that's when you'll really start to appreciate having something to aid in balance. I can't even count the number of times it's saved me from taking a really bad fall, or twisting my ankle. About the only time they become a burden is when climbing/scrambling uphill on rocky areas, in which case most trekking poles can be collapsed and stowed away, not so easy with a wooden staff. Plus in many areas it's just not possible to find a suitable branch on the ground to use, and it's illegal to cut one off a tree.

There's a big difference between using the trekking poles for a Nordic walking workout, and using one for hiking. It does burn more calories overall, but it also lessens the load on your leg, so you actually can hike farther with less fatigue. Usually your arms aren't doing much anyway when you're hiking, might as well put them to use. If you're using them correctly, you're not really giving your arms much of a workout anyway. I would say 46% increase in calorie burning is quite extreme, the numbers I've read are more like a 10% increase, which isn't much.

I know quite a few people who had the same initial impressions as I did (especially other guys). They see hiking poles as unmanly, or something only yuppie hikers would buy. But just wait until they're exhausted coming down from a really long hike, they'll grudgingly accept the poles, and by the end they'll realize how much they help.

They're definitely not for everyone though, some people just don't like the feeling of holding something while hiking. If all your hikes are on flat land or well traveled trails, then poles are probably unneccessary. But I doubt trekking poles would be so popular for so long if it was only a fad and didn't have real benefits.