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The secret to easier hikes is not really a secret. This one key piece of equipment has been around since the beginning of time (or almost). We’re talking poles. Hiking poles, trekking poles or the old fashioned walking stick.

Many hikers do not understand how easy their lives would be if they took hiking poles with them. Now that is just using the poles in general, let alone using hiking poles that are optimized solely for you.

Here we will be outlining the key decisions to make about choosing the right hiking poles for you. The right poles will truly make your hiking experience easier and smoother than ever before.

One of the first things that you should choose is whether you want one pole or double poles. It all really depends from person to person and it often tends to be personal preference. Personally, we feel that using two hiking poles is the way to go, especially for longer hikes.

After you choose to use either one or two poles, the next important step is to select the proper length of the pole. Ideally you are going to want to purchase a pole that will have your arm at 90 degrees when the tip of the pole is on the ground. This is simply a rule of thumb, but some hiking poles are actually adjustable. Not only does this allow you to change the length of the pole for you, but it allows the pole to be used by multiple people as well.

Once you have found the general length of a hiking pole that feels best for you, this is when it gets down into the details of the poles. There are many different options such as adjustability, shock absorption, weight, and much more.

When looking at these features it may come down to personal preference, but for the most part we suggest asking yourself what you intend to use the poles for. If you are going on a backpacking trip you may want poles that can fold and are also lightweight. On the other hand, if you are only using them for day trips you may care about shock absorption more than anything else. So when looking into these features we highly suggest sitting down and asking yourself what you plan to use these poles for.

One of the more minute features is the actual grip of the pole itself. There are a few different popular options to include: rubber, foam, and cork. Rubber is often the most popular grip above all else and it tends to be the best for cold weather hiking. On another note, the cork grips tend to do better in warm weather because they tend to resist the moisture from your hands.

Another thing that we like personally on our hiking poles is having wrist straps. There have been plenty of times that wrist straps have saved us from losing the poles altogether! The main purpose of the strap is that they release tension from your body.

Why not use them? You really cannot go wrong when using hiking poles. Do you use poles? Share with us your favorites and why you love them!

Shop poles here.