In my early days of thru-hiking, I was vehemently against carrying trekking poles. I saw them as unnecessary, something that my parents or grandparents would use. In short, I regarded them as fancy-looking walking sticks.
I was wrong, of course. Trekking poles are extremely useful for many backcountry adventures, and even if you’re not worried about balance, they reduce the stress on your legs and knees by around 30 percent. When you’re wearing a heavy backpack all the time, that equates to a lot. I particularly value trekking poles for steep descents over loose shale or slippery ground, but they’re also handy for building momentum marching uphill. If your route includes river crossings, or boggy land, carrying a pole or a pair of poles will help to stabilize you and give you an implement to test the ground before finding your footing.
