Look, I’m sorry, but people who use frigging ski poles to walk look like idiots. You’re not mounting a climb of K2, lady, you’re just walking up Nondescript Avenue.
This page presented as an example to make fun of, not a business I have any association with:
The proprietor of the business is called “The Pole Lady.” Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
This sentence:
What the fuck was that? It started out as talking about how the poles were adjustable. But somewhere in the middle came something about driving and aggression and where were we, again?
If you click on some of the links there’s a guide on how to use walking poles. Somehow I was hoping a long stick would be sort of an intuitive device. You know, I gotta think that if you can’t figure out how to stick the goddamn things down on the round as you walk, perhaps you should not be walking anywhere.
I guess this is pretty weak. But I just don’t like them. So, you know. Fuck walking poles.
My mom is learning how to use a walking pole. Although she calls it a cane, and it’s because she’s going blind. I can’t really understand why sighted people with no mobility issues feel the need to walk with sticks in their hands, but whatever lifts their luggage.
Walker here. Sticks provide balance, safety, and security. A tripod is more stable than a bipod.
And, once, I used mine as a pole-vault and leaped right over a big tarantula that was in the trail ahead of me. (Hey, arachnophobe.)
(Oh, and, once, I used mine to fish my hat out of a stream. C’mon, anybody can be accident-prone.)
Seriously, a good walking stick allows you to transfer energy from your upper body to your walking pace. I meet a lot of people who use two, but I tend to use only one.
I thought about getting a pair before a long hike a couple years ago. I didn’t, but afterwards I kind wished I had. I imagine it would have taken some of the weight off my legs, especially on the downhill portion of the trek.
Don’t laugh. When you’ve got bad knees a real hiking stick with a bit of spring to it can be a godsend, especially on steep downslopes. A good sharp tip helps with stability too, and the padded grips are easy on arthritic fingers.
Getting old sucks, taking advantage of things that let you still do stuff makes it suck a bit less…
Get into cross country skiing. Then try walking poles in the summer. When walking at a fast pace they work out the upper body similar to skiing. Look at it as skate skiing or five wheel roller blading on terrain that is not amenable for wheels.
I always thought people with walking sticks were a bit WTF?
Then, recently, twice in a one week period I was attacked by a pack of dogs (different packs even).
I ride a bike, not walk. But I now have a long steel pipe and mace. Beating them off the first two times worked (barely) with a cheap assed styrofoam bike helmet but lets face it…its not exactly a lethal weapon.
Next time somebody is going down. Especially that nasty little fucking chiwawa that leads the pack.
But yes. I got attacked by one. The same one twice. The first time was at night in my own driveway (he lives a few blocks away). I got a few kicks in before I got the water hose out and sprayed him away.
The second time he lead the attack it was him, two large labs, and a fourth I dunno what kinda dog that was the size of big lab. Since he was attacking the rest of the pack jumped in. I got some good hits on the big bastards but missed that little shit unfortunately.
I have a friend who was told to use two of those sticks while her sprained knee heals. She said she was surprised at how much better she feels using them as opposed to a cane or crutch.
Don’t know what all the fuss is about. I have used a stick for many years when hiking, especially off the beaten track or where the terrain is steep. It simply feels comfortable.
Admittedly when I first saw German travellers using two sticks and moving like mountain goats, that seemed a tad obsessive. Eventually someone said there was research showing that using two sticks transferred 1 tonne of weight from the legs to the arms over an 8 hour walk. True or not, now that my youthful bounce has left me 2 sticks looks sensible.
And honestly - who cares? A hiker using 1 -2 - or no sticks should be celebrated for simply being ambulatory rather than a coach potato.
