登山杖

Pole Tips

EQUIPMENT:
Pole racks can be confusing.  
What separates one style pole from another is FEATURES.
Poles have different: grips, straps, tips, weights and some are anti-shock.

Features:
The Pole currently on the market that has the features we like best is made by a company called Leki.
The model we like best is the Ultra-lite Ti Ergometric- A/S (anti-shock)
For people with larger hands, we like the Super Makulu Ergometric A/S
Features we like:

      P/A - Positive Angle Grip – more ergonomically comfortable, 2006 models are 10 degree vs. 15 degree.  New poles are called "ergometric."   This allows middle shaft to collapse into the grip, resulting in a shorter pole when closed.

      A/S - Anti-Shock - improves comfort

      Smaller Strap (lined with wicking material) – if you want to hike without gloves this is the only strap we found both comfortable and small enough.

      Carbide flex tip – the concave shape of this hard tip seems to grip the ground better than other styles.

2006 expander system is more coarsely threaded and easier to use.  
2005:  The Leki expander system seems tricky (especially at first).  It requires more turns to adjust (and we adjust frequently). There are some tricks to using it – we include many in the our DVD and some on this website.
From Leki - Info on Easy Lock & Soft Anti-shock features

Other poles have some of the features we like, some have easier expander systems, but overall, we prefer this type of pole.

- Customer question:  Carbon Lite poles – what do you think of these?
Manufacturer answer:  "NO! Don’t show it or use it. It is not unlike any of our competitors’ Carbon poles in that they nick/splinter/crack.  For  a few ounces more, the Ultralite is a better pole."

Cost of poles:
If you think that $129- $149 retail is a lot to spend on a pair of poles, then weigh your comfort against a few extra dollars.  What you get by spending more money is more features.

Now, if you intend to lose your poles frequently, then we agree that $149 is expensive... But cared-for gear should last years and years.   

We used our super makulus for 6 years before upgrading to the new ultra-lites.  The super makulus still  looked and performed like brand new, but we opted for the slightly smaller grip, smaller strap and lighter weight.
Prevent one injury and you’ve more than paid for both the video and the best poles available!

POLE CARE
Hiking in the Rain – Looking for Newts – What Fun!

·         Do not close poles when they’re damp -  extend and dry the shafts.

·         If poles get really wet, take them apart and dry them.  
    Leave them apart overnight to make sure the inside of the shafts dry completely.

·         Put poles back together carefully so you don’t pinch your fingers.  You may have to loosen
    expander to fit sections back together.  If difficult to re-assemble, hold larger section with
    one hand, try twisting smaller section as if loosening while you push smaller section
    gently into larger section.

·         Wipe poles down after hiking, especially if it’s dusty.

·         Never lubricate your poles (if they’re sticky, they’re dirty)

·         Clean poison oak residue with either soap & water (be sure to rinse thoroughly)  
    or rubbing alcohol (enough alcohol to cut the oil, not just move it around)

If your poles get sticky and you cannot get them clean by washing them, perhaps there’s residue on the inside of the shafts.  You can get an inexpensive gun cleaning kit from your local sporting goods store to clean the inside of the shafts.  Make sure the wire brush you get is not too large.  The brush should slide into the shaft easily.  After reaming out the shaft, tap the shaft to remove any residue.  Some manufacturers have special pole cleaning kits.  

I’ve never had to use a pole cleaning kit because I keep a rag in my car and wipe my poles down after hiking and take them apart after hiking in the rain.

TECHNIQUES (continued from DVD)
2FS - Not much more to add here, just practice!
Swing Assist (a hybrid for gentle slopes) - really good description on DVD; to perfect try the quick step (in tips section) with the downhill SA technique.
Plant Push - once you get grooving on this and tune into your triceps and lats, add a little shoulder, straighten your arms just a tad and bring the obliques into it with a very small upper body twist.
Check Step - do I plant alternating or same side is the question I always get and the answer is YES!  Once you get the feel of the poles in front of you, see if you can lock your forearms into your hips (this brings more rectus abdominus into the movement).  
Cruising Mode - I use this alot when on flat and on up.  Try in tall grass or on overgrown trails, just modify a bit by externally rotating hands (from shoulders) so pole tips come together a bit behind you.

FAQ’s:

Poles Section Won’t Tighten?

It’s a simple fix. What’s happened is the section that won’t tighten has come loose from its expander or you've over loosened the section.
Push the section that won’t tighten all the way closed.
Push while you twist, keep doing this until it catches.
You can then loosen enough to adjust the length, tighten and go.

With the new Leki expander system, loosen just enough for the pole shaft to move easily, then adjust and tighten just slightly more beyond where you feel it start to tighten.  If you are overly ambitious in your loosening, you will have to do the “catch the expander” routine.  If this still does not work, take sections apart, twist expander with your fingers to loosen (expand), then push section in, push and twist until it "catches."   

Pole Length?   

EXPERIMENT with different combinations and length.
Get used to changing length frequently and easily.
You don’t have to take your hand out of the strap to adjust pole length, just let one pole dangle while you adjust the other.   
Try twisting the middle section (overhand) just enough to loosen.  
Over loosening may cause the expander to come lose.  
The faster and easier you can do this, the more you will have the best length for the terrain you’re on.

When walking on a steep hillside, shorten the uphill pole to your shortest uphill length and find a comfortable downhill length for the downhill slope side (sometimes quite long) and see how this increases your stability on small hillside trails.

How long do I adjust my poles on downhill?  This is by far the most frequent question I get when teaching check step.   The answer is long enough so you don't have to shift your weight forward in order to get the poles out in front of you.  Learn to get a feel for this instead of focusing on numbers.