Hiking poles

How to choose the right trekking poles?

Often neglected, trekking poles are in fact an essential piece of hiking equipment. Indeed, they help you in difficult sections, reduce the risk of injury by offering support and balance. From this point of view, a proper pair of poles makes a lot of sense. They are not mandatory but, are nonetheless very useful. They even can relieve your joints, both in the ascents and descents, and give a bit more comfort when you are carrying a heavy load on your back. However, picking the right equipment is crucial. Different types of trekking poles are available, fixed or collapsible in 2 or 3 sections. For leisure walks and on flat terrain, a one piece pole is appropriate. Be careful to choose the right size for fixed poles as a pole that is too short or too long will induce bad postures leading to pain. For long hikes, when tackling hills and elevation gains, for long treks, it is interesting to have an adjustable pole, meaning telescopic, as it allows to adapt the length to the slope. Now that the topic has been discussed, you can choose your trekking poles among the models below, selected from the best brands such as Black Diamond, Ferrino, Komperdell, Lacal, Lafuma, Leki, TSL. Just a reminder, if you are looking for trail running or Nordic walking poles, check out our section dedicated to these disciplines!