How to use your trekking pole strap

[Franco Darioli]

Some think straps are useless , others think they are dangerous, so I shot a quick video just to show how and why I use them.
Some quick tips there for novices and a bit of a Black Diamond commercial..
(well : why I like the Flick Lock)
Here it is :
Tips on using trekking poles

[J Mag]

I actually find it really surprising people say they cut them off.

I tried trekking poles for the first time 2 weeks ago and can't imagine using them without a strap. I think the only time I actually gripped the poles was palming them on some downhills.

To be fair, one of the pairs I tried out (black diamonds, ironically, although I loved the rest of the poles) had very uncomfortable straps to me.

[Franco Darioli]

Hi,
yes, not all straps are created equal, even within the same brand.
The ones in that video are the most comfortable for me
I have another two types in BD that are not great but still they work OK.

[peter vacco]

Frank's way is pretty close the the peter way. in that i only put the four fingers thru the strap. never the thumb.
because if the pole gets jammed in a crack, and you are moving forward with the thumb in the grip, it's too slow to disconnect (and you are going to crash or break a pole). but if you just have 4 fingers thru the strap, you simply let your arm tail backwards and the pole with auto-disconnect.
it looks that Frank is doing a similar thing, not sure. (looked hard, but could not see clearly)
at least for peter, the ticket is 4 fingers only.
same thing with PacerPoles.

pole length can be fine tuned if that when you are tired on an uphill, if the poles want to splay outwards too easily, consider shortening them in 1/2" steps.

the longer people use poles, it seems they trend to running them on the short side, rather than longer.

happy motoring.
v.

[bjc]

Cutting the straps off is not so surprising for some of us. I can't stand the straps. I find them uncomfortable in almost every circumstance. Maybe the result of using a single staff for years. After two long trips and trying to use the straps as you should I finally took them off. For me that made the poles useable. The jury is still out on longer term use of trekking poles, with or without straps! I do find them useful for some stream crossings, rough ground and steep downhills, but I tend to grip them lightly between thumb and fingers or palming the tops on downhills. For me it simply is more comfortable than straps.

[Ian]

"For me it simply is more comfortable than straps."

+1. The straps worked alright for me but within the first year I removed them off of the poles I primarily take hiking with me. I have a second pair I left intact for snowshoeing.

[David Ure]

Yup – I am a cutter. Could not stand the straps. BD Alpine Cork poles.

[Mitchell Ebbott]

I've found that I use the straps when I'm on a steady uphill slog, but when I'm on flat ground, varied terrain, or descending, I prefer to hold the poles without the straps. I like to hold the straps against the handle, all as one big bundle, since my hands are pretty big. This way I can easily change my grip to accommodate the terrain.

[Dale Wambaugh]

I use the straps as Franco showed, but I do grip the handle fully— not tight at all, but with my fingers around it. It's the same technique used in cross country skiing.

That allows my weigh to be supported in the fat of my hand, not by my grip. When walking easily with the poles, it's more a process of flicking the pole forward and just walking up to it. If I'm going up or down big steps, rocks or roots, then I'm gripping a bit more, but most of my weight and effort is through the strap in the palm of my hand.

I've never had a problem with the pole hung up and not being able to let it go slack to get it loose.

[Rick Reno]

They're uncomfortable (all the time); inconvenient (when the tip gets stuck in the mud or under a rock): and maybe even dangerous (when you stumble or need a hand to actually grab something); and of course they weigh a precious gram or two (I've heard htere are people here who actually pay attention to grams).

On the flip side, what's the argument in their favor? I used straps for the firs tyear or so I used poles, years ago, and really don't remember any situation when they actually helped. Nobody in this thread has actually mentioned why they prefer to use them.

HYOH, I guess, eh>

[Mitchell Ebbott]

"Nobody in this thread has actually mentioned why they prefer to use them."

They make pole usage less fatiguing on my forearms. When I'm putting a lot of weight on my poles, it gets tiring to grip them tightly enough.

[Michael Gunderloy]

Pacerpole makes the anti-strap argument at http://pacerpoles.com/faq/why-use-poles . I'm happy with their poles and find they don't require a tight grip at all; just enough to hang on to. The wide shelf takes the impact force quite well with no strap.

[Rick Reno]

Mitchell- good point. Hadn't thought of that, though I suppose me wrists do get a little tired at the end of a long day.

Michael- thanks for sharing te Pacer Pole link. I've seen them before and was thinking about them. You adjust them quite a bit shorter tha. Traditional poles, eh? How do the do on rugged terrain? Anybody sell them in The States, or do you know how long it takes to get them here?

Thanks again!

[Art …]

I am generally not a pole user but tried them for several days on the JMT last summer.
I used the strap with the 4 finger method and gripped the handle.

granted I was a pole beginner, but I found myself using the poles as a crutch and felt I was more fatigued and slower for having used them.

maybe I will cut the straps off and give my poles a second chance.

[David Ure]

I would also argue that should you catch the pole tip between two large rocks while falling to the ground, a strap prevents you from releasing the pole, possibly causing a wrist sprain or breakage.

Fors those of us that are clumsy.

[Ken Larson]

When using straps as a XC skier would and I would second what Michael in his above statement communicated, "pole usage less fatiguing on my forearms. When I'm putting a lot of weight on my poles, it gets tiring to grip them tightly enough." This is the reason why I have used straps for the many years of my adventuring and XC skiing.

A CAUTION I WOULD ADD……The straps during cold weather with or without "hand gear" will reduce the blood flow from the Radial and Ulnar arteries to the hand and, you hands will feel colder than those who do NOT use straps.

[David Ure]

Forearm fatigue?

I would suggest not using the straps to build up the endurance of the forearm muscles, thereby not requiring artificial assistance for weak forearms.

Maybe we should use rollerblades on the trail. It would reduce calf and quadricep fatigue.

[Michael Gunderloy]

Richard – Not much of Indiana qualifies as "rugged" terrain, but Pacerpoles have been fine for me scrambling up and down hills in places. I've got the carbon ones and they've survived getting the tips caught between rocks and such. (Better than I have; nursing a sprained hand from a fall last week at the moment).

I picked them up a couple of years ago. Don't think you can buy them except direct; as I recall shipping from the UK was under 3 weeks. I'm looking at their mitts for next winter, after my better half forgets how much I spent on gear this past winter.

[Kent McLemore]

I grew up using strapped poles for downhill and XC skiing. In the 70's we used our downhill poles, with straps, for dry-land training in the summer. We soon recognized the value of poles for hiking in the mountains and started using them for backpacking too. This was long before anyone made "trekking poles." Straps enable me to change my grip, relieving monotony and fatigue associated with never changing hand positions. Counting the "palm the top" method and two or three ways to grip the poles using straps, I alternate between several grips during a hike. Kind of like on-the-trail readjusting of shoulder straps, lift loaders and hip belt on a backpack while seeking that comfy feel. I don't like tall poles. I'm 5'10" and set my poles at 41" so that my elbow angle is greater than 90 deg. I have used straps for hiking on and off trail for 35 years. While my poles have wedged between rocks and gotten stuck in mud, this has never caused me to fall or suffer injury. I can understand why some don't, but I like straps.

[Ryan Smith]

"I would suggest not using the straps to build up the endurance of the forearm muscles, thereby not requiring artificial assistance for weak forearms. "

LOL. The forearm fatigue part of the strap argument always bewildered me also.

I cut my straps off. Seem to always be in the way with no measurable benefit for me. If others can find benefit in them, that is awesome.

Ryan

[Steve M]

Nice video Franco. Count me as a fellow strap user.

I've shown a few friends the benefits of straps also….that they didn't need to have a 'death grip' (strapless) hold on their poles. Most seam to prefer the straps–once shown the correct technique.

But as always…HYOH

[Mitchell Ebbott]

"Forearm fatigue?

I would suggest not using the straps to build up the endurance of the forearm muscles, thereby not requiring artificial assistance for weak forearms.

Maybe we should use rollerblades on the trail. It would reduce calf and quadricep fatigue."

If you're going down that road, why not suggest ditching the poles altogether in order to build up legs and reduce muscle fatigue there? Heck, we should carry 50 lb packs while we're at it for that same reason!

A little mechanical advantage never hurt anyone.

[peter vacco]

" On the flip side, what's the argument in their favor? "

ok, we're tally Ho on this one.
the straps let us "not hang on". which equates to a substantial savings of effort (energy).
as pertains to my very sweet PacerPoles, of which i own two sets, the Not Hanging On reaches absurd levels, of simply lifting an arm and having the pole happily zoot out in front of me all on it's own.
for those not yet familiar with Pacer Poles, unlike old style poles, the strap attaches Below the grip, and Lifts the pole and is not used to support the wrist. in practice, this equates to a considerable reduction in wrist strain, and the pain associated with it.

using a conventional strap design, the strap is what takes the majority of the load, not the hand. no strap … and you are faced with needing to use grip (energy) to shove any real force thru the pole. for some of us apparently, that works ok.
but i got pretty strong arms from years of using poles, and eventually you get to where you can push hard enough to collapse the cheaper pole adjusters, extend creek crossing jumps, arrest falls and keep moving, and cause nerve damage to the wrist joint.

old style straps pay big on steep uphills, where you can hang on them.
with conventional poles, wrist pain may be more an issue for those running elevated weights over noxious terrain than for users on designated trails.

but obviously, there's going to be no right/wrong way to do this subject.

just my op.
v.

[David Ure]

"If you're going down that road, why not suggest ditching the poles altogether in order to build up legs and reduce muscle fatigue there? Heck, we should carry 50 lb packs while we're at it for that same reason!"

If you are packing light enough, then yes, I would agree. Most of the time my poles stay attached to my pack. They come out for the odd significant up or down or for river crossings. Oh and to set up my shelter.

What does carrying 50 pound packs have to do with using straps?

Methinks if you rely on the perceived mechanical advantage from straps on a trekking pole, then you are relying too much on the poles themselves and are either packing too heavy, or relying on a questionable panacea for your own lack of fitness.

Get in shape people and drop the straps. Or at least do wrist curls.

[Mitchell Ebbott]

My point with the 50 pound pack thing was that adding effort for the sake of adding effort is silly. I understand that for some people, using straps doesn't really save much energy. I've found that for me it does. It sounds like your argument is something along the lines of "buck up, wimp, I can do it and so can you." And I suppose that's true. But just because I can doesn't mean I should.

My grip strength is fine, thankyouvermuch, but I find that I like to put a lot of weight on my poles when I'm on a steep, sustained uphill. It's easier to do that with straps. That's true even when I'm out for a day trip, it has nothing to do with how much weight I'm carrying. Part of it could be that I have pretty big hands, and no pole I've found has grips big enough to keep my hands from slipping down on steady uphills. Whatever the reason, I don't see a downside to keeping the straps on the poles, even if I don't always use them.

BTW, why do you even bring poles? I don't see the point if you're not going to use them to bear much weight. My own rule is that my shoulders should end up as tired as my thighs, otherwise I'm using my muscles inefficiently.

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