Trekking Poles

[Tilly]

Hi

Can anyone give me the heads up on whether to take one or two poles. From having a look at photos and footage, it seems the concensus is one. Would be interested in feedback from other trekkers that have been.

Cheers

Tilly

[justinpeters]

Hi Tilly,
I completed the trek in november (TREK 354). All you need is the trekking stick provided by KTL trekking. If you are going with a company who does not provide this then prepare to be stuck with a couple hundred dollars for a top of the range trek pole (each).

Belive it or not, i took 2 trekking poles. But i did not use them at all, not even once! The trekking stick was more then enough and i belive better because you will put alot of your weight on it especially going down hill. By the end my knees were very very weak and some of the decents got very tiring and negotiating the slope required the skilled use of my stick. I say it is important to have, as i my knees were really weak by the finish (and i am a 21).

In summary, having a pole is very important. Use KTL trekking and the stick they provide is strong and all you need!

kind regards,

jp

[phantom]

Hi,
Just my two cents worth. The KTL sticks will get you by no problems. They are much better than not having one but I believe that the proper poles are worth their weight in gold, especially going down hills. They save your knees like you wouldn't believe. I have hiked all over the world and didn't use them, fool me.

[Tilly]

Thanks JP & Phantom

Thanks for the insight. I think I am going to go with purchasing two poles but will have to research into which ones. Any feedback will be great. I haven't done alot of this sort of trekking before (mainly bush walking) so i really want to look after my 40 year old knees. Whatever ones I get I will have the chance to try them out on Hinchinbrook Is. before I go over to PNG.

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated

Tilly

[phantom]

Hi,
Take a look at the Leki Super Makalu or the Black Diamonds. They are expensive but occassionally come up on e bay. They are top end and won't break on you at a vital moment like some of the cheap ones. Thorsburne Trail on Hinchinbrook is fantastic but not any where near as rugged as Kokoda. The hardest thing with two poles is getting used to them. I like using one and having the other hand free to grab onto trees etc. Best of luck.

[justinpeters]

I agree, always go the best with these things.

[jimbo1976]

Hi,

I picked up a pair of Black Diamond Switchback poles from Anaconda (Mountain Design have them as well) after they topped the list of poles reviewed in Choice magazine. The pair cost me $125.
I'm doing the track in June/July and have heard MANY opinions about one pole or two. I've bought two, training with two, and taking two over.. better to be safe than sorry ! If it turns out I really only need one, then I'll give the other one away or leave it strapped to my pack..

[walkerman07]

Hi Tilly

Walking poles are very much a personal choice based on a couple of factors , what may be right for one person may not suit another.

The pole supplied by ktl is a great keep sake and will definitely get you over the trail but you will not be able to practice with it until you get there. it is also heavier then a modern walking pole.

Things to keep in mind when looking at walking poles are the ease at which they extend or contract, when you walk up hill you need a shorter pole than going down hill. Look for a non slip tip on the pole so it will grab on slippery rocks and smooth surfaces. Ideally you want to be able to set the pole at an optimum length for your height so it will require minimal length adjustment when you are on the trail.

Look very closely at the ergonomics of the handle, the reputable and experienced manufacturers put a lot of time into designing a handle that will adapt for every wrist position depending on how you need to grip the pole for the particular obstacle you need to get over.

Your wrist is going to be doing all the work with the pole, having a handle that is designed to help pull up a hill but can also quickly adapt to bracing you when going down a hill is a tremendous advantage.

I have a pretty basic leki pole that I have had for years But I bought my wile the Leki makalu that "phantom" mentoned in his post and she swear by it for all of the above reasons. We are both experienced walkers and have done Kokoda twice.

We both only use one pole but as I said before it is a personal choice. Start with one and see how you go.

Also a tip – you can use the pole to steady your camera when the light levels are low.

Good luck
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[jckresq]

I took two poles and used both all the time. I found they gave me extra stability and when I did my trek last year in Oct 07 the weather was pretty wet so the track was mighty slippery.

I took some cheap Rays Tent City $49 jobs and they worked well. I also wasn't too fussed if they died, although I would still carry them out as rubbish. All 41 trekkers in our group ended up with poles, most with one but that was because they asked porters to make them for them.

My best suggestion is to test some out before you go on some serious inclines with lots of steps both up and downhill to set your height for both ways and practice with them. Also wear your pack fully packed to see why they help.

As people have said before, it is a personal preference thing but I highly recommend one, and two if you find that gives you extra stability. Have fun!!

[Waza]

Hi Tilly

As per another Post question and receive different responses and again all I can suggest is that you train with both types and take what is most comfortable for you. I trained on Middle Brother Mountain on the NSW Mid North Coast and picked up good Australian hardwood branches and used those and went through about 15 before I got the right one, a stout pole, up to about my shoulders and about 1.25" in diameter. I sanded it back and gave it two good coats of clear varnish, drilled a hole and put a shoelace through it and then put a Squash grip on it and it served me perfectly, both up and down and you can use two hands on the pole for extra leverage. It holds pride and place in my Kokoda collection but I had to sweet talk my way back through Customs. I was 61 when I did my Kokoda Track Trek.

Cheers

Waza

[mikmac1959]

I trekked in july 2007 with my brother in law, we both
trained with and used 2 walking poles. they were perfect
because you always have one on the ground at
all times which helps with balance. the poles cost $5.00
a pair at the reject shop and never looked like failing.
we gave one each to our share porter to take back
to his elderly mother and father.
so i would recommend walking poles but again it
comes down to what you train with and what you
are comfortable with
cheers
mikmac

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