How To Set Trekking Pole Height

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A guide to adjusting your poles for flat and uneven ground

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Hiking poles are very useful for hikers and backpackers, as they aid to bear the weight of a large haversack. They also give you lot more than stability on the trail, provide an upper torso conditioning, and take force per unit area off the knees and dorsum. Still, improperly adapted poles can cause muscle pain or soreness, so information technology is important to know how to adjust your poles before hiking with them.

1. 1

   Make clean the poles if they are dingy. Simply utilise a damp rag or paper towel over the surfaces of the pole, and then permit it to dry. They may exist harder to twist and move if there is a lot of dirt or dust between the different pieces. ^[1]

   • Clay and moisture tin ruin the expander pieces in your poles over fourth dimension, so it's a practiced idea in general to the poles clean, or even disassemble them subsequently each use.
   • Exercise not use lubricants such as WD40 to clean your hiking poles. This could bear upon the office of the adjusting pieces.

2. 2

   Unlock each pole. There are typically two options for adjusting the sections of your hiking poles. The showtime, and perhaps near mutual, is to twist the poles to loosen and tighten them. The second pick is a small lever which would you picture show open with your thumb and then pic closed one time you accept adjusted the pole length. ^[2]

   • Most hiking poles twist to the left to unlock, and to the correct to lock. In that location should exist arrows to prove you which way to twist.

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3. 3

   Suit the right pole so that your arm forms a 90 degree angle. Take the right manus pole and concord it out in front of you. Relax your shoulders, keep your elbows close to your side, and make certain that the pole is touching the ground. ^[iii]

   • If your pole has multiple adjustable sections, start with the lowest part. Extend information technology equally necessary until it has reached maximum length, then movement onto the next part if you yet desire it to be longer. This way, if you need to conform your poles while walking, it is easier to just accommodate the top part.
   • Although the poles expect very similar, almost pole sets take a correct and left hand pole where the grip is slightly dissimilar to adjust to your hands' shape.^[four]

4. 4

   Adjust your left pole to be the same length as the right. Agree them next to each other to ensure they are the same height.^[five]

   • Place your poles on a flat surface and then that it is easier to compare lengths.

5. v

   Lock both poles. Either tighten them or flip the lever closed. Make sure they are fully tightened then that the poles will not arrange as you are walking. ^[half-dozen]

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1. 1

   Lengthen your poles to chest height when hiking downhill. This is especially important for steep descents, every bit information technology takes some of the force per unit area off of your knees.

   • Unlock the upper portion of your each pole and extend it until you can walk comfortably. Stand directly and keep your shoulders relaxed to ensure right use of the poles. ^[7]

2. 2

   Shorten your poles to thigh height when hiking uphill. If yous feel like you are reaching your arms out too far in guild to plant your poles, they need to be shorter. You should feel like you are walking naturally. ^[8]

   • Remember that it is easier to adjust the lower section of the pole for flat ground and conform the top part for going up and downward hills.^[9]

3. 3

   Accommodate the poles to different lengths for contouring. If y'all are on the side of a colina, use a longer pole for the downhill side and a shorter pole for the uphill side to maintain your balance. ^[10]

   • The corporeality that you will conform the poles partially depends on the terrain and steepness of the hill, but a proficient general rule is to proceed the uphill pole at thigh height and the downhill pole at chest-elevation.
   • If anything feels painful or bad-mannered, you should stop to readjust. The goal of hiking poles is to provide boosted stability, and then y'all shouldn't experience uncomfortable when using them.

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• Question

  Can my hiking pole exist fixed if 1 section no longer grabs or locks when twisted?

  

  Not probable. Side by side time purchase a pole that uses camlocks and yous won't take this problem in the time to come.

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• You tin can marking your adjustments with a permanent marker if you'd like, making it easier to adjust in the time to come.

• Grip the poles loosely to reduce the risk of hand and wrist soreness.

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