WALKING | 5 Good Reasons To Use Walking Poles
As national walking month comes to a close, if you’ve been inspired to pull on your walking boots and get out there, read on for 5 good reasons to use walking poles.
The first proper Lake District walk I went on, I headed to my nearest outdoor shop and in a panic, bought a bunch of things. As well as a decent pair of walking socks, on a whim (so I’d look like I knew what I was doing), I also picked up some walking poles, and boy was I glad to have them as we ascended Fleetwith Pike!
As we picked our way up on challenging terrain, scrambling over boulders and hauling myself ever upwards, those walking poles were an absolute revelation, and I really don’t think I could have managed without them! Since them we’ve walked up mountains in Scotland, and done numerous hill walks including Bickerton Hill, The Roaches and more recently, Kinder Scout, and every time, my poles have proved invaluable.
Leading trekking pole manufacturer Leki make high quality walking poles, and they’ve come up with 5 great reasons to use walking poles, so I thought I’d share them with you, and add some of my own experiences below.
1. Walk for longer
When you use poles, they effectively distribute the weight between the upper and lower body muscles, allowing you to walk for prolonged periods of time.
2. Walk faster
Walking to a rhythm increases your pace and can help you to effectively maintain your speed, especially when walking on tough terrain. Use of poles also makes descents that bit quicker, as I find they make me much more sure footed when heading back down-hill.
3. Inject power into your walking
Poles are like a 4-wheel drive for humans, seriously. When I walk with poles I walk faster and am more confident.
4. Walk tall
When using poles, they aid an upright posture, especially if wearing a backpack when the tendency can be to stoop forward. An upright silhouette also helps open the lungs and improves breathing.
5. A handy companion
Trekking poles have other uses too – use them to swipe away stinging nettles and brambles. My personal favourite use is for testing the depth of puddles and to gauge the firmness of boggy ground before ploughing on through…and avoiding sinking ankle deep!
So there you have it, 5 great reasons to invest in some walking poles. If you want to see just what a difference they make, why not check out the Leki walking pole range.
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