Ana Maria Miner
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Leaving on September 18th for the Camino from San Francisco, California
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Make that SPARE rubber tips - they can wear out quite quickly!Please don't forget to buy the rubber feet for the poles. The click, click, click gets very annoying after a while.
In my opinion they are not needed unless you have knee problems.
You must have very selective hearing!! By far the noisiest poles we heard were wooden poles. As for the second part of this, I cannot imagine foregoing the benefits of modern technical pole design just to make a fashion statement for a day or so, let alone the whole of any of the longer routes.We silent traditionalists of the walking stick tribe encourage you to fight against the power of all of this new-fangled technology. No one looks cool wandering the earth with fiberglass and aluminum poles!
Surely you know that I jest (as the little winking man indicates!), but I couldn't resist.You must have very selective hearing!! By far the noisiest poles we heard were wooden poles. As for the second part of this, I cannot imagine foregoing the benefits of modern technical pole design just to make a fashion statement for a dsy or so, let alone the whole of any of the longer routes.
I was amazed this year at the noise wooden poles were making. So few of them now are not fitted with a substantial metal ferrule and the racket they make beggars belief in my view. Those without a ferrule were far quieter, but also relatively rare.Surely you know that I jest (as the little winking man indicates!), but I couldn't resist.
I am, however, a walking staff guy. Having used both (quite effectively) I simply prefer the length of a good walking staff versus a pair of shorter trekking poles -- purely a personal preference, I might add, as physics and physiology do indeed bear out your earlier remarks.
Ultreya,
-Jason
That is SO last year! I carry modern poles so I won't be confused with someone who is trying to look cool.No one looks cool wandering the earth with fiberglass and aluminum poles!
This is a personal point of view. I have a friend who would disagree with you. He claims using poles saved him from serious injury on the descent into Zubiri. I saw the bend that the incident left in one of his pole sections, and believe him that had he come into contact with the rocks, things could have been far worse. He had the good sense to be using his poles, and not carrying them in his pack.You don't need them to prevent a face plant ... not if you've been walking without assistance since you were two.
I complity agree with you!!I am an advocate for using poles. Not just one, but two, and using them all the time.
The physics of pole use is simple. They extend your wrists (if they are being used properly) to the ground. In doing that they do a combination of three things:
Poles don't reduce energy consumption, but by reducing the load on your lower joints, you might feel less tired using them.
- Shift some of the load carrying from your knees and ankles to your upper body.
- increase your speed, although I normally adjust my poles for more lift than push.
- Increase the size of your contact patch with the ground, increasing both your static and dynamic stabilty.
They are of absolutely no use at all if they are in your pack.
And for those who think they are only useful if you already have knee problems, my question is why would you forego the opportunity to prevent or delay those problems?
As for rubber tips, they will reduce traction on loose surfaces. I find removing them and putting them in my pocket when walking outside of towns on unsealed surfaces works best. I then put the rubber tips back on to reduce the tapping noise in towns or for traction on sealed surfaces.
As you have seen by now, poles are one of those personal things. I will share my experience: on the CF in 2014, we went over the Napoleon on a clear day. It was windy--headwind on the way up, then switching to a crosswind on the way down. It was probably tropical storm force crosswind on the loose rocks on the way down. I held my poles at about a 45 degree angle to keep from being blown off the path. They paid for themselves that day--and after that I had little or no use for them and eventually just kept them in their little elastic loops on the pack. (Collapsible poles, even fit inside the pack for the plane flights.) On the CP in 2015, there was this one little village with the dogs...a pack of seven of them loose and looking like they wanted to sneak up behind for a little nip (I actually have a scaredy dog that does that) and I was nervous. DH and I each waved one of my poles and proceeded on through. The poles paid for themselves again that day. Even though the rest of the trip they were not needed at all.Hello everyone, my girlfriend and I will be starting our journey to the Camino Frances on Sept. 18th from San Francisco, CA.
We are curious whether to get poles for this trek and if we should bring them with us or buy them in SJPP??
Also, any suggestions on a great trekking shoe I can buy? I am definitely bringing my walking sandals and was considering bringing my New Balance Minimus with Birenstock inserts. They are light and comfortable, but was thinking about RAIN; these are not waterproof.
Thank you in advance.
Did you run across crazy dogs? We found they were all pretty calm and quite used to pilgrims.IMO one pole/stick is the way to go. It frees up the other hand and helps with balance in steep terrain and becomes a friend on the trail extending your range when the ground is loose and muddy or rocky and slippery.
A stick or a pole is great protector when you come across crazy dogs, banging the ground and growling will stave off the most ferocious mut.
We just got back in May. I have too many suggestions to write down.Hello everyone, my girlfriend and I will be starting our journey to the Camino Frances on Sept. 18th from San Francisco, CA.
We are curious whether to get poles for this trek and if we should bring them with us or buy them in SJPP??
Also, any suggestions on a great trekking shoe I can buy? I am definitely bringing my walking sandals and was considering bringing my New Balance Minimus with Birenstock inserts. They are light and comfortable, but was thinking about RAIN; these are not waterproof.
Thank you in advance.
Thank you Dougfitz, that's the most helpful post I've seen on this subject. I just bought a pair of Black Diamonds, but now I need to learn how to use them! Nobody here in my part of Mexico seems to use them, and so far I've been too self-conscious about appearing weird on the training walks I'm doing to prepare for my mid-September start from SJPP. On flat surfaces they feel superfluous, so thanks for the encouragement to use them all the time.I am an advocate for using poles. Not just one, but two, and using them all the time.
The physics of pole use is simple. They extend your wrists (if they are being used properly) to the ground. In doing that they do a combination of three things:
Poles don't reduce energy consumption, but by reducing the load on your lower joints, you might feel less tired using them.
- Shift some of the load carrying from your knees and ankles to your upper body.
- increase your speed, although I normally adjust my poles for more lift than push.
- Increase the size of your contact patch with the ground, increasing both your static and dynamic stabilty.
They are of absolutely no use at all if they are in your pack.
And for those who think they are only useful if you already have knee problems, my question is why would you forego the opportunity to prevent or delay those problems?
As for rubber tips, they will reduce traction on loose surfaces. I find removing them and putting them in my pocket when walking outside of towns on unsealed surfaces works best. I then put the rubber tips back on to reduce the tapping noise in towns or for traction on sealed surfaces.
Hi I don't have knee problems but still swear by two poles. They help you up and down hills, they take loads weight off your knees and help steady you over streams and mud. Best investment I ever made. Bien CaminoHello everyone, my girlfriend and I will be starting our journey to the Camino Frances on Sept. 18th from San Francisco, CA.
We are curious whether to get poles for this trek and if we should bring them with us or buy them in SJPP??
Also, any suggestions on a great trekking shoe I can buy? I am definitely bringing my walking sandals and was considering bringing my New Balance Minimus with Birenstock inserts. They are light and comfortable, but was thinking about RAIN; these are not waterproof.
Thank you in advance.
I remember feeling similarly self-conscious when I first started using poles regularly as part of my training walks on local streets. Many people were just curious about what I was doing as it was then so uncommon to see anyone using walking poles, even though people were familiar with cross country ski poles, etc. Either people in the area have become used to me using poles, or it is no longer note-worthy, but in any case is is now only rarely that anyone comments.Thank you Dougfitz, that's the most helpful post I've seen on this subject. I just bought a pair of Black Diamonds, but now I need to learn how to use them! Nobody here in my part of Mexico seems to use them, and so far I've been too self-conscious about appearing weird on the training walks I'm doing to prepare for my mid-September start from SJPP. On flat surfaces they feel superfluous, so thanks for the encouragement to use them all the time.
I used PacerPoles and took in all their excellent advice about HOW to use them.. right length, rhythm with walking and placement. The people I chatted to who had abandoned their poles.. or were about to-- hadn't been using them properly, so they weren't getting the benefit. They were using them in front of the body, rather than being propelled/lifted by them being mid-stride/behind. And having to use their upper arm too much rather than just a slight movement of the elbow. They are particularly super when you are a bit tired, they keep you steady and the rhythm going. At the end of days all I needed to do was bend my elbow to move my hand/pole that little bit past my hip joint and , yep, another stepMany people start out with poles. But many abandon them along the way. On the latter part of the camino frances they are not as common. Sometimes there is just too much fixation on gear and equipment. I prefer to carry one pole or stick or whatever you pick up along the road. For dogs and to get a good walking rhythm.
Yes many crazy dogs on Camino Mozarabe and Via de La Plata I needed my stick and loud voice to prevent attack - top dog wins !!Did you run across crazy dogs? We found they were all pretty calm and quite used to pilgrims.
It's personal. So my personal comment is I've found nothing comes close to using two Pacerpoles. Only available online and come with full YouTube instructions on how to use them.
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No doubt, but repeating this post in every thread that has the word 'poles' in it will get boring and start to look like you are really promoting the supplier's business rather than contributing to the discussion.In short, I think PacerPoles are worth considering.
That might have been so for the previous time you posted this, but it isn't this time. Enthusiasm is one thing, product promotion something completely different. Can we stick to the subject rather than become advertising agents for a particular company.Because this thread is entitled "TREKKING POLES SELECTION", I wish to underscore your reference to "pacer poles" aka "PacerPoles," which I enthusiastically recommend.
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