Walking Poles or not?

[Jeff Crawley]

My advice: PACER POLES!!!

PACER POLES are worth every pence — and more (and I’m very cheap). I used regular poles for years, including trekking in Nepal. Based on advice from this forum, I bought a set of Pacer Poles just before I went to SSPdP, I used them (with rubber tips, of course) for EVERY step of the way. Yup: every step, as once I used them, I fell in love with them (as I had NEVER done with standard poles).

This is what my Pacer Poles did for me:
1. Taught me how to walk properly: more efficiently, a bit quicker, and with far less wear and tear on my body;
2. Saved me from several painful (and some very dangerous) stumbles;
3. Rescued and actually strengthened my knees, which are 66 years old and unstable;
4. Did not result in painful “Golfers Elbow”, which standard poles gave me twice before, resulting in weeks of physical therapy; and
5. Actually permanently improved my posture — significantly. I am writing this 8 months after walking the Camino: 6’3” and have always slumped: now more. I stand tall now; my back hurts far less often now as a result.

PACER POLES!! I am a convert — a disciple.

You are Heather Rhodes and I claim my £5! (and I agree 100% with what you said)