Trekking poles

Ten years ago hardly anyone used trekking poles, but now its rare to see someone on an adventure without them. Trekking poles help improve balance on uneven ground and save energy going up and down steep trails. Studies have shown that trekking poles can reduce the force of impact on your knees by up to 40% — that is a quality a backpacker or hiker of any age can appreciate.

Trekking poles are an essential tool for hiking and mountaineering: like ski poles, they allow your arms to help propel you forward and upward. Whether walking on flat ground or up steep hills, poles will help increase your average speed. They also reduce the impact on your legs, knees, ankles, and feet; this can be felt when going downhill. Walking with poles can help you establish and maintain a consistent rhythm, thus increasing your speed. This is especially true on flatter, non-technical terrain. Additionally, the two extra points of contact that your trekking poles provide significantly increase your traction on slippery surfaces like mud, snow, and loose rocks as well as help you maintain balance on difficult terrain such as river crossings, tree root-strewn trails and slippery bog bridges. Staying balanced in turn makes your movements faster and easier. Trekking poles can be also used for purposes other than trekking, for example, they save the weight of bringing specific tent poles: trekking poles are much stronger and more rigid than tent poles, so they're less likely to break in high winds.

See the best Komperdell, Pinguin, Petzl and Lafuma trekking poles in "Gandrs" stores and make your hikes unforgettable!