Hiking poles (please bear with me) need honest advice.

Madeleine Jacobs said:

If you are considering poles and possibly Pacer Poles, the very best reference comes from another recent post, that asked whether anyone was willing to trade his or her pre-owner Pacer Poles? What you see is that there have been ZERO reactions to the thread.

My knees are rusty and I would not part with my Pacer Poles for the world. They are the difference between walking and not walking the Camino for me. Once Iberia at Madrid airport did not return them in the odd bagage (they told me to go to my Madrid hotel (huh, I only have a midnight Alsa bus to Burgos?) and wait, but instead I camped with my backpack right next to the customer desk and insisted that I would not leave until they retrieved them, which ultimately happened hours later into the night. Ever since, I check my backpack with the poles folded in it.

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Arbey48 said:

And it was my post that received ZERO responses. But I continue searching because the inventor/retailer of these very effective poles is a small concern based in the Lake District, UK. The poles are now manufactured in Taiwan, and as a result of the post-Covid supply chain interruptions & materials shortage, her business is regarded as a 'minnow' and falls to the bottom of the manufacturer's list of customers! I know Heather Rhodes is still committed to retailing her invention but she needs help here on this issue. This is not my area of expertise but if there's anybody within the Camino network who could help Heather, and ultimately the rest of us , then here's an opportunity for some altruistic community action.

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Arbey48 said:

And it was my post that received ZERO responses. But I continue searching because the inventor/retailer of these very effective poles is a small concern based in the Lake District, UK. The poles are now manufactured in Taiwan, and as a result of the post-Covid supply chain interruptions & materials shortage, her business is regarded as a 'minnow' and falls to the bottom of the manufacturer's list of customers! I know Heather Rhodes is still committed to retailing her invention but she needs help here on this issue. This is not my area of expertise but if there's anybody within the Camino network who could help Heather, and ultimately the rest of us , then here's an opportunity for some altruistic community action.

Click to expand...

Arbey48 said:

And it was my post that received ZERO responses. But I continue searching because the inventor/retailer of these very effective poles is a small concern based in the Lake District, UK. The poles are now manufactured in Taiwan, and as a result of the post-Covid supply chain interruptions & materials shortage, her business is regarded as a 'minnow' and falls to the bottom of the manufacturer's list of customers! I know Heather Rhodes is still committed to retailing her invention but she needs help here on this issue. This is not my area of expertise but if there's anybody within the Camino network who could help Heather, and ultimately the rest of us , then here's an opportunity for some altruistic community action.

Click to expand...

Kitkat1066 said:

I have never walked with poles before and to be honest I have never really thought about using them, except that people say they have helped when it comes to your fingers swelling, which mine can do. I am interested to hear from other pilgrims who have completed walks/pilgrimages or just walked long distances without poles. Do you wish you had bought them or were you okay without them? Any tricks to help with the swelling of the hands and fingers also greatly appreciated?

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trecile said:

Using poles does help eliminate hand swelling. This article explains how and why.

Why your hands swell while hiking: the real reason - Because it's there

The myths of why hands swell while hiking You're five miles into a hike with a group of friends. You've never been hiking before and it sounded adventurous

graysoncobb.com

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Kitkat1066 said:

I have never walked with poles before and to be honest I have never really thought about using them, except that people say they have helped when it comes to your fingers swelling, which mine can do. I am interested to hear from other pilgrims who have completed walks/pilgrimages or just walked long distances without poles. Do you wish you had bought them or were you okay without them? Any tricks to help with the swelling of the hands and fingers also greatly appreciated?

Click to expand...