How to use your trekking pole strap

I apologize for offending anyone by asking about the upside of straps, but my question is still unanswered.

When I used straps on my poles it wasn’t really a conscious decision; it was more like climbing Everest- because they were there. When I cut them off it was because they seemed to get in the way more than help. After I cut them off I didn't notice any downside at all… wrist fatigue, less stability, forgetting them when I stopped to take a picture. Since I didn’t see any downside to removing them, doesn’t’ that mean that for me at least there wasn’t any upside to using them?

I wonder if anybody who’s pro-straps has gotten rid of them, and then decided to put them back on.

Also surprised the weight issue hasn’t’ come up.

Also going to order some of those swanky pacer poles. If you don't see them in the Gear Swap section in a couple months, you’ll know where I stand!

HYOH.

I use wrist straps while hiking because, like others have said, the big fleshy palms of my hand take all of the weight spread over a decent sized area (the strap) as opposed to using my grip strength to have to support my weight instead. I agree that it incurs less energy expenditure and I hike UL to enjoy myself, not get fit. That's what the gym is for. HYOH as they say.

I also deadlift over 400 lbs easily (with no straps), bench over 300 lbs, and squat around 360 last time I checked (recent knee injury).

But I am going to have to look into these "wrist curls" Dave U has recommended. Those might be what my routine is missing. If Dave is as strong as he appears in his profile picture I could definitely learn a thing or two :P

Franco, thanks for the video. I've just forwarded it to my MIL who I gifted some Black Diamond poles (after catching her a few times on slippery Hawaiian trails last week. I love that you demonstrate how to correctly use the straps – I am forever doing that on the ski slopes and hiking trails. So many people use the straps only for retention, not for propulsion.

Another strap use (this is really handy when leading larger groups in which you have a range of abilities): pass each pole tip through the OTHER pole's strap, at the same time. This creates a square knot from the straps (easily separated later) and a more-than-double-length pole (due to the double strap length in the middle). Now for a tricky stream or log crossing, a more-capable hiker goes first. They hold one end of the double-length pole and lean back against it as someone big on the original side does the same thing. Now, all but the first and last person has a "handrail" to use as they pick their way across the stream. Once you get the routine down, it speeds up the stream crossings, damages the meadow less (because people aren't hunting all over for a slightly better crossing spot) and you end up with fewer wet butts in the group. Then you separate the poles until the next stream crossing.

"I also deadlift over 400 lbs easily (with no straps), bench over 300 lbs, and squat around 360 last time I checked (recent knee injury)."

Over / under grip on the deads? Low bar or high bar on the squats? KGs or Lbs?

;)

I am being reasonably facetious here, folks. Use the straps if you would like but I honestly find any of the benefit to be so minimal as to be unworthy of a discussion. Sorry Franco!

If one is relying on the straps from a trekking pole to relieve muscle strain, then there are bigger issues at work here. If you percieve it to be more comfortable, then good stuff. Just don't tell me you do it to reduce muscle strain or I will tell you to lift, Bro…..

"If Dave is as strong as he appears in his profile picture I could definitely learn a thing or two :P"

Not quite but similarly hairy.

The plus side of straps:

Straps work better at higher speed. This is very noticeable when cross country skiing and your arm motion is more exaggerated. It is less so when walking, but still an aid.

I can support my weight with less stress on tendons and muscles and feels more stable overall.

I angle my wrists less when using straps and I'm able to flick the poles ahead rather than using small muscles and wrist tendons to to that: it is just less effort overall.

In conjunction with the above, I lessen repetitive stress issues as I have a lighter grip.

My hands won't slip off if I exceed my grip strength, wet grips, etc.

Straps eliminate dropping my poles down a cliff or snowbank, or watch them go downstream in a river crossing.

If I stop for a drink, etc, the straps can just dangle from my wrists rather than resting on my side or falling over in the mud.

I can use the straps for rigging tarp lines.

I use the straps for hanging storage too.

I have made and used poles without grips and didn't like them as much. Certainly we have used sticks as staffs since day one and gotten along just fine. Straps are a refinement. I do have the option of NOT using the straps when it suits me.

Over/ Under, High bar ATG, lbs of course.

And Dale has pretty much summed up the "for" side of the argument as best as it can be done.

I think it is down to personal preference at this point.

Last summer, the strap came off one of my poles (user error) early in a week-long trip. I continued with one pole strapless. At first it seemed more tiring using the pole without the strap, but after about a day, I stopped noticing any difference.
Re Dale's comments, though, I never got used to not being able to just let go of the pole when I wanted to take a photo, grab a drink etc.

A couple years ago I had my first real face-to-face encounter with a big grizzly on a GNP trail. It seemed to take several seconds to get my hands out of the straps of my beloved BPL Stix so I could better handle the bear spray. After the incident, I decided to cut the straps off (I couldn't figure out how to remove them without cutting them). I haven't missed those straps one bit. Also, since I use poles to support my Contrail and GoLite SL-1, I no longer brush my face against dangling pole straps when I get in/out of the tents.

I recently bit on a pair of Black Diamond Z-poles on sale. I like how the straps can easily be removed/replaced. That's maybe the best of both worlds–I can choose to use the straps, or not.

the more the poles are used for propulsion, the most benefit from strap use. While hiking I usually skip the straps, when skiing uphill I use them all the time, just as the video shows. I put a lot of weight on the poles, far more than when hiking. It would be tiring, uncomfortable and eventually painful to be holding the handles (I've tried)

What Dale W said. And Inaki.

I'll add my speculation that folks who don't find the straps beneficial are probably not getting much benefit out of their poles. My straps take a LOT of weight, especially going downhill. That's weight my knees, ankles, and feet don't have to bear 25,000 times per day. Even if I were Popeye, my grip couldn't maintain the loading my straps take.

Some people seem to use their poles mostly as feelers; I can understand why they would find little benefit in the straps.

When I go down hills, assuming they are steep enough, I palm the grip. I couldn't do that if I used straps.

"I'll add my speculation that folks who don't find the straps beneficial are probably not getting much benefit out of their poles. My straps take a LOT of weight, especially going downhill. That's weight my knees, ankles, and feet don't have to bear 25,000 times per day. Even if I were Popeye, my grip couldn't maintain the loading my straps take."

In at least one case, namely me, you'd be wrong. I don't use straps, preferring to cup the butt of the handle going both up and down, and I am definitely not Popeye. And I most definitely get a lot of benefit from my poles. If you look at the anatomy of the wrist, specifically how it is designed to flex, gripping the handle or even using a strap causes the wrist to flex side to side instead of up and down, the natural direction. By cupping the butt of the handle, one has a universal joint that allows moving the pole in almost any direction with a high degree of precision using only slight pressure from either the thumb or ring finger. I can go all day this way with no forearm fatigue at all, nor the wrist rash/abrasion associated with a broad strap. As for going uphill, the mechanical advantage is similar to a spear throwing stick as the triceps and lats engage. It does require a modicum of fitness, but nothing unattainable if you work out at all, although it may not be for those with tender hands. I do use a 2 mil Perlon retaining wrist loop/cord attached to the pole just below the handle to avoid losing control of the pole for all the possible reasons that can happen.

"Some people seem to use their poles mostly as feelers; I can understand why they would find little benefit in the straps."

Cupping is very well suited for this ability, and I consider it to be almost like having antennae in probing ahead to determine terrain texture, presence of snakes in thick brush or under overhangs, among other things, especially at dusk, dawn, and night.

Not trying to start an argument here, but merely to give my perspective on a technique that has only been mentioned in passing so far. As always, HYOH.

Edited for content.

I already commented on this but just want to ditto what Dave and Tom said above. When I first bought the Carbon Corks a year ago, I found the straps to be tremendously helpful and used them all the time. I'm not really sure what happened but after using them for a couple months, they quickly became more of an annoyance than an asset. I left them on but stopped using them for a trip or two and then finally committed to getting rid of them altogether.

They certainly help power me up the hills and like Dave, I palm them on the way down to take the shock off of my knees. I really don't perceive any forearm fatigue even after a long day.

Regardless of which way you use them, if it works for you, no one is in a position to say you're wrong.

Well, I'm still new to poles, so I have questions for both sides…

If you do NOT use straps, do you place your thumbs over the tops of the poles? Because that's the only way I see how to transfer enough weight to the pole to make them meaningful, without having to squeeze the life out of them every step. I turn wrenches for a living, so my grip is fine, but maybe I'm putting too much into the pole, since a sweaty hand slides my pinky into the bottom stop if I don't use a death grip every step. My shoulders are as tired as my legs at the end of the day, or my legs are as strong as my shoulders, guess it depends on perspective.

If you DO use straps, do you turn the head of the pole around when going downhill? Because I don't have to take my hands out of the straps or anything, I just spin the pole around so the cant of the head fits better in my palm and the strap just follows along. So I guess I'm holding the pole backward going downhill, but it feels right when I palm the head.

Geez, and I thought handlebar grip was complicated!

Franco's video was very short and sweet. That is a very natural way to use poles, speaking as a cross country skier.

There was one important thing left out of the video. The cat! The cat generally walks around and makes a nuisance of itself. Is the cat on strike?

–B.G.–

There are poles and poles…with the Pacerpoles (at the risk of sounding like an advertisement) the grip is so large and so well-shaped for my size hands (average-ish, size L gloves) that I get plenty of weight transfer with a light grip. My arm muscles get plenty of workout so they must be doing something.

I'd think for more "normal" poles that size, placement, and width of strap would be pretty important variables too. Sounds like an article waiting to be written here.

"If you do NOT use straps, do you place your thumbs over the tops of the poles?"

Glenn,

You seem to have pretty strong hands, so I'd suggest you try cupping the top of the handle in your palm going both up and down. If you plant the poles almost alongside your hips going up, and have the length properly adjusted, you should be able to generate plenty of force to offload some of the effort from your quads onto your triceps, lats, posterior deltoids. It won't replace your quads, obviously, but it will ease their load a bit, which I have found makes a difference over the course of a long day. When cupping, you will be able to control the planting of your poles with your thumbs and ring/pinky fingers. All in all, I have found it to be a lot easier on my forearms and wrists, not to mention eliminating strap chafing on the back of the hand, which is a real PITA in hot weather/dusty conditions. If it doesn't work out, you can always go back to straps, but it might be worth at least a try. If you do end up adopting the technique, it would be useful to attach a retainer cord with a hand loop to each pole. You can make them from 2-4 mil Perlon, Kelty Triptic, or just about any light cordage. Shouldn't weigh more than a few grams each.

Bob,
I had Lucy for almost 21 years, she adopted use when abondoned and pregnant with Pip , her daughter, who lived for 18.5 years.
They are both resting now.
My pet goldfish, maybe 15, is still swimming in a pond behind the table…
(swimming is what he does best…)
I now have two cats visiting, one is a very cute Russian Blue and the other is her grumpy boyfriend.
No I don't feed them but they still visit..
Last night I had 3 ring tail possums making a hell of a racket on my roof so I went out and had a word with them.
They stopped.
Maybe I can talk to animals…
Back to the scheduled programme.

Never used them on the poles, but I had poles that included them, so I made some MYOG banana slings with them and a bit of cuben. That's not weird, is it?

"That's not weird, is it?"

I'd probably think so if I knew what they were.

Tom,
Well it's worth a try. I'll have to use my adjustable Lekis though. I bought new BD Zpoles on clearance this winter and am dying to get them out too. I'm really comfortable at about a 115cm, so I had to size up to the 120's, which I doubt would work good for palming on flat ground.

Looks like I have lots to play with this year!

I'll let you know how it goes Tom.

"Well it's worth a try"

Glenn,

I'd be interested to know how it works, or doesn't, for you. Would you please let me know?

hadn't been backpacking in while. did the burroughs range loop in the catskills the other weekend with a new set of poles. found i wasn't really liking the straps.

i also found myself 'palming' the grips, mostly lightly holding the top of the pole between my thumb and ring finger to pivot, while slight inputs from my first and second finger helped 'steer' the pole.

it was asked above what the usefulness of poles was, when being used in this manner.

i think people using poles in this manner are being much more deliberate and light on their feet, using the poles for pacing and proprioceptive information (balance).

"A series of studies have shown that sensory input to the hand and arm through contact cues at the fingertip or through a cane can reduce postural sway in individuals who have no impairments and in patients without a functioning vestibular system, even when contact force levels are inadequate to provide physical support of the body."

( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9149759 )

after leaving my set of rei traverse poles at the trailhead (a blessing in disguise) i've got a pair of cp3's, and a set of gg cork grips on the way. i'll be going strapless for my next trip, a presidential range traverse, in a couple weeks.

That is how I use my poles.. like a mogul skier tapping out in front lightly until i need more support for balance. I have BD Carbon Alpines that are light in my hand and swing easily with just a few fingers holding the grips. Using them this way I can walk quickly, letting my feet go back and forth across the trail around obstacles and letting my hands keep balance.

Alan have fun in the Presi's.. I was on Franconia ridge a few weekends ago and it was great as usual.