Do I really need walking sticks ?

[allysonstonge7]

I will leave for my first camino on September 18th. I will start walking in Sarria and end in Santiago.
I've never used walking sticks and never walked such as long distance.
Do I really need sticks for that 5 day path ?

 

[MTtoCamino]

5 days for me no but I would miss them a great deal. Over time they keep your knees from getting sore & keep you from doing a face plant in the mud. If you had steep mountains I would also say yes but on that stretch you have 1 hill to climb starting out. My hills however may be a mountain to you.

 

[whariwharangi]

No you don't need walking sticks.

 

[SYates]

Unless you have already dodgy knees before you start - No! Buen Camino, SY

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

My opinion is, you don’t need them.
Wish you well, Peter.

 

[BonitaHolland]

If you do decide to take them please may I offer this tip-also buy fingerless cycling gloves with pads on the palms or you might get hand blisters.

 

[Purple Backpack]

They make pretty shoulder and back muscles...also useful for hanging laundry, jamming under door knobs in sketchy hotels, keeping pack off wet grass and tapping ground in snake territory. Maybe there should be a new thread on creative uses for hiking poles?

 

[allysonstonge7]

Thank you all for your comments and tips ! I can't wait to start my walk !

 

[SYates]

Buen Camino! SY

 

[james walter purdum iv]

i lost mine in the golfing ghost town of cirena...i certainly needed them before that but the "camino" with the help of a crazy hospitalero named pap de madre in the hostal of the virgin of guadeloupe locked the gate as i was showing a older lady the bus stop...but i was grateful to have surrendered them because i didn't need them anymore....lol...but from sarria you will be fine

 

[dougfitz]

Whether or not to use walking poles is a personal choice, but properly used, they will always be beneficial. It is not about terrain or any of the creative uses of the poles, or whether you have dodgy knees, but about the basic physics of reducing the weight carried on your lower joints. They need to be used properly to gain these benefits, and if you are not already using poles, learning on the way isn't optimal. You would be less likely to get the techniques right, and gain the benefits.

Do you really need them? Maybe not. Will you get benefits from using them properly, even for five days? Definitely.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Whether or not to use walking poles is a personal choice, but properly used, they will always be beneficial. It is not about terrain or any of the creative uses of the poles, or whether you have dodgy knees, but about the basic physics of reducing the weight carried on your lower joints. They need to be used properly to gain these benefits, and if you are not already using poles, learning on the way isn't optimal. You would be less likely to get the techniques right, and gain the benefits.

Do you really need them? Maybe not. Will you get benefits from using them properly, even for five days? Definitely.

Doug do you have a resource showing proper use? I see this a lot on the topic just have never seen the proper use explained. I personally have never taken a course on how to walk with a stick or sticks just seems natural...

 

[november_moon]

I used my poles a lot from Sarria to Santiago. It rained a bunch, so there were sections of the trail that were very muddy. Poles helped me navigate the muddy parts very well. Without them, I am sure I would have been face-first in the mud at least a couple times.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I used my poles a lot from Sarria to Santiago. It rained a bunch, so there were sections of the trail that were very muddy. Poles helped me navigate the muddy parts very well. Without them, I am sure I would have been face-first in the mud at least a couple times.

I can't resist.. Thank goodness that is a good face!
But I must add a Swedish fellow I walked with also had poles & he did fall. He also missed a boulder by centimeters. It is all a matter of luck. Or a group of souls helping in that moment...

 

[C clearly]

Do I really need sticks for that 5 day path ?

Whether you need them is hard to know - are you 17 or are you 77, and how are your knees? I would recommend them to almost anyone.

Are far as proper usage goes, it is not all that hard IF you make an effort to understand and pay attention to your technique until it is natural. Look at some YouTube, and make sure you are alternating pole with opposite foot. Or ask some knowledge walkers you meet, to comment on your style.

 

[Come2pappy]

Apart from keeping you stable while walking, you will no doubt avoid the dreaded "mickey mouse hands" syndrome. My hands swell up like a balloon when walking long distances without them...

 

[Hiawatha]

'' Mickey Mouse Hands '' , I like that ! I couldn't agree more .
I first came across telescopic poles almost fifteen years ago and at the time thought they were the height of affectation and pretentiousness. Then five years later I met a Tasmanian Park's ranger in an emergency shelter during a blizzard . She was using poles for the first time and couldn't praise them more highly . I have used them on every bush walk since and would never be without them . The first day or so of using them is awkward , after this they become second nature . They do stop swollen hands and give your arms something to do, which in turn helps you avoid neck pain from carrying a pack . Best is the obvious advantage of stability and with it the confidence it brings .

 

[dougfitz]

Doug do you have a resource showing proper use? I see this a lot on the topic just have never seen the proper use explained. I personally have never taken a course on how to walk with a stick or sticks just seems natural...

Generally the LEKI sponsored stuff on YouTube is good. Try

noting that there is some LEKI specific stuff in this that might not apply to other brands.

Another good resource is http://www.helinox.com.au/walking-poles/how-to-use-walking-poles, although that booklet now appears to be a mail-out rather than distribution as a pdf document.

A relatively quick YouTube guide is at

although I would not use the technique demonstrated in this video for going downhill. I lengthen my pole instead.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Generally the LEKI sponsored stuff on YouTube is good. Try

noting that there is some LEKI specific stuff in this that might not apply to other brands.

Another good resource is http://www.helinox.com.au/walking-poles/how-to-use-walking-poles, although that booklet now appears to be a mail-out rather than distribution as a pdf document.

A relatively quick YouTube guide is at

although I would not use the technique demonstrated in this video for going downhill. I lengthen my pole instead.

So now that I have watched these videos by the experts... The second one is identical to the geography I live in & the downhill method is exactly the same as how I use my poles, the reason for it is the constant uneven ground from rocks to blow down timber Using the top in your palm gives quick reaction time for placement if your feet slip. In elevations like this you can fall very far. The first video is more for geography like the Camino. My only critique is that some folks use the "proper use" as a tool to berate others. Simply put it is their sticks to use in any manner they seem fit. Even if it goes against what the self promoted experts publish.

IMHO

 

[MCFearnley]

I would never go without my poles. I also "suffer" from Mickey Mouse hands and it doesn't take long for me to feel the effects, 5km and my hands are bothering me. I also really like the stability they offer and the propelling action when going up a hill. To begin with I am such a tortoise that if I was going any slower up hills I would be going backwards . After watching the video, I realize that I have been doing exactly what he says quite naturally. I rented a pair some 13 years ago for a hike and a couple of days after I went and bought my own pair of Komperdell. Add a rubber nordic walking "shoe" to protect the points on them and you are set for walking on pavement. Love 'em. I even use them when I am doing my exercise walks around the neighbourhood. No more swollen hands and a nice workout for the arms. I have introduced friends to the use of poles and they have also become converts. If you 've done cross-country skiing, you will easily adapt to walking with poles (except that the stride is shorter).

 

[Ian T]

I have never used poles mind you I have not hiked for over 30 years so no comparisons to make really.

I quite like the thought of the pilgrim staff

Regards

Ian

 

[Gillean]

No you don't need poles. But they can be useful.....saving wear and tear on your joints and feet especially if you are injured or have a weakness already, stability on muddy trails, steep downhill, a bit of extra oomph in normal walking, stability going uphill on uneven terrain, stability walking in Spanish cities where there are actually many tripping hazards and the danger of the Camino "face plant" is ever present. Oh, and they provide a little bit of confidence in dealing with aggressive dogs should that ever be a problem. A couple of suggestions, don't have the straps really tight for normal walking. It has caused arm tingling and numbness, at least for me. If you are walking on the shoulder of a road or really anywhere that an unfavourable encounter with an automobile is possible I suggest you do not use the straps at all. That way you can ditch the poles quickly if you need to and minimize the chance of getting dragged or jerked around by the poles should one of them hang up on a car. Also many people find the tick, tick, tick sound of carbide tips striking pavement annoying so consider using rubber tips on the end of your poles to muffle that particular sound.

 

[Jakke]

They make pretty shoulder and back muscles...also useful for hanging laundry, jamming under door knobs in sketchy hotels, keeping pack off wet grass and tapping ground in snake territory. Maybe there should be a new thread on creative uses for hiking poles?

From reading this forum, they also serve as tent poles for your bivvy!

 

[t2andreo]

If you do decide to take them please may I offer this tip-also buy fingerless cycling gloves with pads on the palms or you might get hand blisters.

This is a VERY good suggestion. However, I have tried cycling gloves and "fishing" gloves. Cycling gloves are a less expensive alternative, but the added padding in the palms adds weight and reduces "feel."

Seriously, the fishing gloves are lightweight microfiber gloves without full fingers. They are intended to provide SPF to exposed hands while sitting on a boat in the hot sun. The palms have rubber grippy dots to aid in holding a fishing rod.

These gloves are ideal for using with hiking sticks / poles. They are lightweight, prevent blisters, keep your hands protected from the sun, wick perspiration, and aid in gripping the poles. I rinse mine out nightly and they dry in a matter of 30 minutes, but can easily be worn while damp.

Try an online supplier of fishing gear, like Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, LL Bean, etc. Search for "microfiber fishing gloves" or just "fishing gloves." Once you eliminate the type made from Kevlar (for scaling fish, resisting fish teeth and hooks) or insulated winter fishing gloves, the remaining types are what I advise.

I hope this helps.

 

[Larazet]

Some people look amazingly uncoordinated with their poles (my husband included, but he won't be able to read this thank the Lord!) You Tube very useful for those who have a have a problem with the synchronising of feet and tap tap of the poles!

 

[t2andreo]

Watch one or two You Tube videos to get the general idea. Once you adjust your poles properly (elbows at right angles, with forearm parallel to the ground), do try walking on level ground.

Once you get the cadence, and learn to lean on the poles to shift weight from your arms, shoulders, and loaded rucksack, you quickly learn two things:

1. You DO shift a significant portion of the weight on your back to the poles. I do not profess to fully understand it, but the manufacturers claim that up to 25 percent of the weight of the loaded rucksack can be transferred to your poles, when used correctly. This eases the strain on your shoulders and back, provides added traction when going uphill, added stability on slippery surfaces, extra braking force when walking down hills (important on the Camino), and makes improves balance, making walking easier generally.

2. The cadence of advancing the right pole with your left foot, left pole with right foot, etc., and repeat, becomes as automatic as swimming, bike riding, or ... (?) Once you learn it, you do not easily forget it...

Also, when not being used for walking, the poles can be easily wedged into most window openings to serve as clothes hanging places. I carry four, really long, heavy-duty rubber bands (trash can bin liner holder bands actually) and a number of lightweight metal "S" hooks to suspend my poles from curtain rods, or any other suitable thing (including the underside springs of the bunk above me in an albergue, to also use to hang wet clothes or my towel from. I can even make a nice privacy screen between adjacent bunks...

Yes, walking poles can be very useful indeed.

I hope this helps.

 

[MCFearnley]

The left foot, right arm cadence is the same natural movement you do when walking without poles. You right arm will move forward as your left foot moves forward naturally. You just do the same movement with the poles.
No rocket science involved

 

[vegoodrich]

I wouldn't use them unless you are already used to them before a trip. I think the problems people run into with shoes/equipment/injuries/etc is from trying new equipment!

As a walker with an exercise physiology and kinesiology background I'm surprised no one seems to mention that the same perceived effort with hiking poles actually results in a slightly higher heart rate and ventilation rate than without them. While they do decrease effort on the lower extremity, that comes with an increased work load overall. This is not 'bad', just something to know. It could be a great effect if you are exercising to loose weight; however, on an extended distance walk you are looking for overall efficiency. I highly recommend them to people with lower extremity injuries and/or any kinds of balance problems.

If you are a science nerd here is the study abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18714242

Buen Camino!

 

[t2andreo]

I did mention trying them on level ground beforehand, I believe... Before I tried them on my first Camino in 2013, I trained regularly with them, sans backpack, at home, on rolling terrain.

Then, about two weeks before flying to France, I loaded sacks of kitty litter into the rucksack to approximate my planned, laden weight and walked that way, with the poles. Easy Peasy... As Vegoodrich correctly states, you should use the poles and get used to using them, well before your planned Camino.

I did not know about the higher net heart rate, but that, in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing for an otherwise healthy person. Still, it is a very good piece of knowledge to have and hold. All knowledge is good.

On the other hand, when climbing a rocky, muddy trail, it is nice to have "four-paw drive." Having the extra two tungsten steel spikes to gain a firm grip on the soil ahead of your next step adds a HUGE amount of confidence to that next step. Breaking anything on the Camino is NOT a good thing. Bruises are no fun either.

That said, please DO obtain a pair of rubber tips to put over the tungsten steel tips when the extra traction is not needed. The "click-clack, click-clack" noise the pole tips make on paved surfaces is annoying generally. When passing through villages and towns it wakes people up and drives some dogs crazy. Your fellow pilgrims will thank you. Personally, my default setting is to use the rubber tips all the time. I only remove them for the 10-20 percent of the time I need the extra traction. The tips go in my pocket when not being used.

Replacement tips are readily available along the Camino and are MUCH cheaper than in the States. They are generic to MOST pole tip diameters (@ 12 mm ID).

I hope this clarification helps further...

 

[Peter J Martin]

I used my poles a lot from Sarria to Santiago. It rained a bunch, so there were sections of the trail that were very muddy. Poles helped me navigate the muddy parts very well. Without them, I am sure I would have been face-first in the mud at least a couple times.

I too walked the same section in May this year, I have to say I took one pole with me and found very useful on muddy sections and also on the hills, and it helped my 'dodgy' knees and back. But mostly I did not use the pole, only when I found it would help me, a 70 year old man on the way. I am now in the process of planning the full Camino next August and I will receive training in how to properly us the poles before then.

 

[Gareth Griffith]

If you do decide to take them please may I offer this tip-also buy fingerless cycling gloves with pads on the palms or you might get hand blisters.

I found that I was sticking the tape that I'd bought for my feet on my hands to prevent blisters. Good thinking Batwoman.

 

[Doogman]

Hello All: Is there any incremental benefit or detriment to user just one pole, as opposed to no poles? More out of habit than anything, I too use just one pole. I like having one hand free to grab my camera out of my pocket or whatever. Thanks for all of your advice on this and all threads!

 

[BrienC]

I love my poles, and I've read that we are something like 25% more efficient when we use them.

However, one long day during a very recent trek in the Sierra Nevada range of central California, I planned to camp by a lake near to 12,000 feet in elevation. This would be another 18-mile day, about a week into my trip. Late that afternoon I met an older gentleman (older than myself anyway) coming down the same trail I was headed up. We offered the usual greetings and he asked where I planned to camp that night. I told him and he asked if I had hiked this portion of the trail before. No, I had not, this was my first time. He stated that the next few miles were, “a b#$@!.” Hoping for a different reality, I told myself he was a negative type; the whole trail is hard if you look at it that way. WRONG. That section of just a few short miles is unusually rugged and was a whole lot of work on weary legs at the end of a long day.

As I neared my destination, the trail made a quick turn to the right along a dry streambed. I was looking around to see where the track led off to, got tripped up in my trekking poles and did a pounding face plant on the rocks. This all hurt so bad—you know, that traumatic shock to bodily systems—that I thought it possibly the end of my journey, right there and then.

Slowly, I recovered enough to do a self-assessment: what was truly an issue? Sprained fingers and a wrist; scraped knees; and, something quite askew with my face. (I’ll save your sensibilities by not including the pictures here I took of that facial injury. I didn’t have a mirror, but an iPhone selfie did suffice.) I rinsed everything and felt about to see how bad it might be, finding a hole with my tongue on the inside of my lip, and a hole with my finger on the outside. Did I have a hole through my lip? Then my first thought was, how am I going to blow up my air mattress with a hole in my lip? Fortunately, the hole did not go all the way through, the fall did not end my trip, and the damage did all eventually heal.

Buen Camino!!!

 

[AJ]

Whether or not to use walking poles is a personal choice, but properly used, they will always be beneficial. It is not about terrain or any of the creative uses of the poles, or whether you have dodgy knees, but about the basic physics of reducing the weight carried on your lower joints. They need to be used properly to gain these benefits, and if you are not already using poles, learning on the way isn't optimal. You would be less likely to get the techniques right, and gain the benefits.

Do you really need them? Maybe not. Will you get benefits from using them properly, even for five days? Definitely.

I have used poles for the first time this year. I decided to try Pacer Poles. I am completely convinced that if I had been using poles in the past, properly as Doug says, my knees would now be in much better shape than they are.

Old people pay for the mistakes of the young!

 

[Mark Lee]

Never found the need for trekking poles until my last Camino.
I got cocky, overdid it the first few days and trashed my already dodgy left knee (a man's got to know his limitations ). Fortunately found a set of trekking poles (24 euros) at a small shop in Puenta la Reina. Those poles and lots of naproxen got me to Santiago.
They do work quite well once you learn to use them. You get sort of a rhythm with them.
Knew I probably couldn't get them home in a carry-on, so I left them leaning against a wall in the plaza in Santiago. Certainly got 24 euros out of them and hopefully they assisted someone to Finisterre.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

I use my poles 100% of the time even on dead flat areas. I have no joint issues at all, but maybe it is because I always use poles!
I invested in good light weight carbon fibre ones. Poles feel natural to me as I cross country ski in the winter.
On the flats I am actually pushing down on them as I walk. It takes so much weight off your knees and hips. If I want to burn off a section of flat boring trail, I can if I want to go at a tremendous pace with little fatigue for hours at a time.
I am always surprised how many people I see with a good set of poles strapped to their back packs and they look brand new!

 

[Victoria65]

I will leave for my first camino on September 18th. I will start walking in Sarria and end in Santiago.
I've never used walking sticks and never walked such as long distance.
Do I really need sticks for that 5 day path ?

This is really a loaded question. Walking sticks or not, one pair of socks or two, hiking boots or tennis shoes, Vasaline or no? These questions don't have one answer. Listen to opinions, analyze and then do what works for you!! Me: Definately always use the poles, hiking boots, one thin pair of socks and never Vasaline. We are all so different (which is what makes this so fun!). Play around with sticks before you go, see if you feel comfortable using them, if not leave them at home.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

The left foot, right arm cadence is the same natural movement you do when walking without poles. You right arm will move forward as your left foot moves forward naturally. You just do the same movement with the poles.
No rocket science involved

I actually do a double pole plant ahead of me and then step up to the poles, especially good when on steep hills. Sounds awkward, but I have done it so long it is automatic. Probably use them this way as I cross country ski as well. Even use this technique on perfectly flat ground. I actually am pushing down on the poles as I do this. My poles are carbon fibre, so have a slight spring effect as I load them. When I want to, I can go at a tremendous pace almost skipping over the ground and can maintain pace this for miles with little fatigue. Someone would need to be jogging to keep up without poles.
This year in early April with the snow, streams, wet heavy clay, dead leaves and sheep manure on the trails from St Jean through to Zubri, I could not even imagine not having had poles. Certainly those without them looked to be really struggling.

 

[movinmaggie]

All things considered ,the question brought fewer responses than usual (wink!)

 

[SYates]

All things considered ,the question brought fewer responses than usual (wink!)

We can surely work on that!!! Buen Camino, SY

 

[Sixwheeler]

What Dougfitz said and the videos stuff and you will benefit. I see so many people in the UK who have NO IDEA how to use poles correctly. Correct use = benefit, incorrect use = waste of time and money.
Ultreïa

 

[MCFearnley]

I actually do a double pole plant ahead of me and then step up to the poles, especially good when on steep hills.

I do that on the downhills. I plant pole ahead of me and do two steps for each plant. It acts as a brake, without it I feel like I could careen down the hill (that would not be a pretty picture) On the flats and going up hills I do one plant per step. I have never shortened or lengthened my poles going up or down. If I did that in rolling hills, I would be forever stopping to readjust.
On the other hand, my husband can't get the hang of poles. I personally think he overthinks the mechanics of using them. It is quite a natural movement.

 

[naplesdon]

I need poles to walk from the bathroom to get my morning coffee, nuf said!

 

[domigee]

I need poles to walk from the bathroom to get my morning coffee, nuf said!

 

[Melensdad]

I never hike without poles. They are very useful. Help with stability on rough terrain, which is nearly nonexistent in the last 100km. Takes strain off your knees. Useful as a drying rack for laundry. Very helpful when descending hills. Very helpful when climbing hills. Can be used as a dog defense but I never had an issue with dogs in any foreign country I've hiked, including along our recently completed Camino.

But poles are a personal choice. Some don't like them. My daughter prefers 1 pole. I demand 2. My wife often twirls her poles on flat trails as if she were practicing a baton act for the talent competition at the Miss America contest

 

[Diane Kinney]

Do you need them? No. But are they helpful for stability, balance, reduction of strain and especially walking down hills, yes.
I did my first without and my second with a pair of walking sticks. With was easier and less strain. I have a friend who uses a staff and it works for her but I prefer the balance of two poles.
Buen Camino and enjoy.

 

[Martyduc]

Hello All: Is there any incremental benefit or detriment to user just one pole, as opposed to no poles? More out of habit than anything, I too use just one pole. I like having one hand free to grab my camera out of my pocket or whatever. Thanks for all of your advice on this and all threads![/Q
I agree ,,,,, I too

 

[Rod Murray]

I will leave for my first camino on September 18th. I will start walking in Sarria and end in Santiago.
I've never used walking sticks and never walked such as long distance.
Do I really need sticks for that 5 day path ?

You could certainly do without them on that section but they do save the wear and tear on muscles and particularly joints. I've read a number of articles in hiking magazines about their positive effects so I Googled "effect of hiking poles" and came up with a number of scientific research articles where their positive effects were studied, such as this one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17218900
You will also find numerous other Pros vs Cons articles too.
I used mine most days between Ponferrada and SdC, particularly on the wet days and on climbs. They nearly saved my life in Villafranca when I was able to catch myself from falling on a narrow set of stone stairs.
In the end, it'll be up to you.

 

[Kitsambler]

I've used my Pacer Poles for the past seven years (five years of Camino walking and all the training hikes year-round), and I wouldn't hike without them. My knees used to be painful - but no more! The way poles reduce the joint shock on the steep downhills might be their top benefit. How much do I value them? During my second year of walking in France, a German couple wanted to buy them off of me - name any price! - and I refused their offer.

 

[Rod Murray]

I will leave for my first camino on September 18th. I will start walking in Sarria and end in Santiago.
I've never used walking sticks and never walked such as long distance.
Do I really need sticks for that 5 day path ?

On another point, I was surprised to see so many people incorrectly using their poles. As a former X-C ski racer and instructor, one of the basic skills is how to put the pole straps on to gain the most effect. The hand is inserted up through the strap from below, and then, the strap and the pole are grasped together. You will know that you have put them on correctly if you can let go of the pole handle and the pole will swing by the strap and then back into your hand. This allows you to push the poles far behind you, such as in a steep climb, without grasping the pole, using only the strap.
See the link and instructions here: http://www.skixc.com/survival-1-2.html

 

[Melensdad]

... I was surprised to see so many people incorrectly using their poles....

See the link and instructions here: http://www.skixc.com/survival-1-2.html

Yup. Great point.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

I used my poles a lot from Sarria to Santiago. It rained a bunch, so there were sections of the trail that were very muddy. Poles helped me navigate the muddy parts very well. Without them, I am sure I would have been face-first in the mud at least a couple times.

Over the communal dinner in Estella we were discussing the snow and torrential rain we'd all been experiencing. An Italian comedian (really, said it was his day job...also made great pasta for our meal) told how he'd walked a stretch of road single file through deep and deeper patches of mud, ahead of a girl who was driving him crazy the whole way. He mimicked her telling him she led hikes, luckily she knew how to navigate through this, he was holding his poles wrong, etc. Then she fell suddenly silent. He turned around to see her face down in the mud. He silently said a prayer of thanks and continued on.

 

[Gareth Griffith]

Hello All: Is there any incremental benefit or detriment to user just one pole, as opposed to no poles? More out of habit than anything, I too use just one pole. I like having one hand free to grab my camera out of my pocket or whatever. Thanks for all of your advice on this and all threads!

See my post, it might give you a hint
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/posts/443023/