How to use your hiking poles correctly?

06 Sep. 2022

How do you properly adjust your poles? How do you correctly put on your wrist straps? How do you use your poles on steep slopes or side slopes? Here are all our tips for getting the most out of your hiking poles.

When hiking, using poles offers numerous advantages. In particular, they help relieve strain on your joints and back. They also ensure a better load distribution, especially backpack weight, and help engage the upper body muscles, reducing fatigue in your thighs and legs.
While many hikers use poles for improved stability and therefore enhanced safety by reducing the risk of slips or falls, hiking poles are also excellent for forward propulsion. They provide extra momentum and help you keep a steady pace for the same amount of effort. But all this only works if you use your poles correctly, which is not necessarily easy or intuitive at first. To help you master walking with poles, we have put together a quick user guide followed by an explanatory video from our Trail Ambassador, Florian Olivier.

Step 1: adjusting the length of your hiking poles

Hiking poles provide balance and propulsion, but to get the full benefit, setting them to the correct height is essential. When hiking, terrain is rarely uniform: it can be steep, off-camber, or scattered with obstacles. That is why you need to be able to adjust your pole length to match the terrain. This is where adjustable multi-section poles come in, whether they are telescopic or foldable.
To get the most out of your hiking poles, here are a few tips on how to adjust their length according to the terrain.

On flat terrain: with properly adjusted poles, your upper arm and forearm should form a 90° right angle at the elbow (give or take, depending on personal comfort and preference)

On climbs: if the incline is steep and/or long, you can adjust the length of your poles by shortening them
On descents: if the slope is steep and/or long, you can increase the length of your poles by extending them
On side slopes: you can adjust the length of each pole individually, for instance by shortening only the uphill pole

If you do not want to spend all your time adjusting pole length, you will not always have a perfect 90° angle, and that is completely fine. It is something you learn to manage through experience: you will naturally feel it and adjust your grip or your poles accordingly.

Step 2: putting on your hiking pole wrist straps

Hiking pole handles are fitted with adjustable straps, known as wrist straps. They come in two types: standard and padded for extra comfort, especially on longer outings. They provide better propulsion and relieve pressure on your hands and wrists, which also helps rest your forearms.

To put them on correctly, slide your hand in from underneath, then simply close your palm over the grip so the base of the strap sits between your thumb and index finger. This way, your wrist rests lightly on the strap, taking off the pressure so you do not have to grip the handle tightly.

Step 3: Walking with your hiking poles

Once your poles are adjusted to the right length, all you need to do is use them, which is straightforward. The technique is simple: for maximum propulsion, we recommend planting your poles behind your body. If you prefer keeping your poles in front to pull yourself forward, position them slightly to the sides so they never get in your way. Never plant them directly in front of your feet, as you could trip over them.
Depending on the terrain, here are some key walking tips to make sure you use your hiking poles properly.

On flat terrain: for a better rhythm, we recommend using your poles as an extension of your arms, alternating opposite arm and opposite leg.

On climbs: you can move forward in an alternating rhythm, matching your natural stride, or plant both poles simultaneously for double the push, especially on steep gradients. In this case, you can also shorten your poles.

On steep descents: poles no longer provide propulsion, but act as brakes to reduce the impact of the slope on your joints (especially knees) and thigh muscles (quadriceps). First, take your hands out of the wrist straps to avoid injury if you fall, then change your grip by holding the main handle directly or, even better, placing the palm of your hand over the top of the grip.
On descents, you can also use your poles alternately one by one, or plant them together in pairs.
On side slopes: just like on descents, take your hands out of the straps to adjust your grip on the uphill pole, holding it lower down on the sleeve. In this case, you do not need to adjust the pole length. If you prefer extra comfort, you can always shorten it by 10 to 15 centimetres.
Negotiating obstacles: you can place your poles over the obstacle and pull yourself up, but if you want forward propulsion, it is better to plant the poles just in front of the obstacle before stepping over. If the obstacle is on a descent, we recommend extending your poles, taking your hands out of the straps, resting your palm on top of the grip, and planting your poles below the obstacle.

What is the sleeve under the handle for?

On some poles, you will notice an extended grip below the main handle: this is the foam sleeve. As mentioned above, the sleeve is extremely useful on side slopes if you do not want to change your pole length, but also on steep sections or when negotiating obstacles, for the exact same reason.