I will answer the question here, but if anyone wants some follow-up info, please contact me off list. My email addi is at the end of each of my messages. The trekking poles I use are off-the-shelf poles used by hikers and back-packers all over the world. They are made by Leki, www.leki.com The poles I use are called Super Makalu COR-TEC. These are not the lightest poles out there, and are significantly heavier than a cane. On the other hand, I can lean all of my weight, plus the weight of my pack, down on one pole and not worry about it breaking or flexing.
They are three section telescoping poles. They have a twist lock cam system that I have never had slip on me. They have an anti-shock system that you can adjust to two different levels of stiffness, plus a full rigid lock. This just allows the poles to compress a bit, it is a personal comfort issue. They have cork grips that are very slightly angled forward which actually makes a big difference in wrist fatigue. They have leather loops at the top of the grips that you can use to help move some of the strain of the load to your forearms instead of all hand grip. Although, I rarely use the straps since it makes the poles hard to throw away if you start to fall. I don't think I would recommend one of these as a cane substitute, but if you do any hiking or off-roading, these poles make a huge difference. I see more people using them now, here in the states, but when I am over seas, most people are using them while hiking. I find them useful in both up and down hill climbing, but they definitely take the load off your knees on the down-hill sections. I also find them useful in helping to keep my hands elevated while hiking. A lot of hikers find that their hands get very swollen and uncomfortable because their hands just hang at their sides all day. When using poles, it keeps your hands up nearer to the level of your heart and the blood doesn't have the same tendency to pool in your hands. It also tends to work your hand muscles which I have found helps to keep my hands warm in cold weather. Back in February I was backpacking and stupidly let my gloves get soaking wet. They froze overnight and were still mostly frozen when I put them on in the morning. However, within about 20 minutes of hiking, my hands were warm again, wet, but warm. Lastly, as a blind person, I find that using the poles, (they come in sets), has helped my stability on the trail immensely. I can move faster because I am not worried about stumbling anymore. I don't have to pick each step with such care, trying to avoid all the rocks. I can use the poles to keep me on my feet even if I am off-balance. it is a lot like having four legs instead of two. If you couldn't tell, I am a big advocate of poles. *GRIN* Now back to your regularly scheduled programming. -- Blue skies. Dan Rossi Carnegie Mellon University. E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (412) 268-9081
