Trekking Poles

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I recently bought a pair of trekking poles for my nightly mile walks around the neighborhood. The arthritis in my lower back has been a limiting factor when it comes to the amount of distance I can comfortably walk, and while researching solutions to this I discovered the concept of Nordic walking -- essentially, cross-country skiing without the skis. Between the increased cardiovascular benefits of Nordic walking and subsequent discovery that trekking poles help with load distribution while walking with a rucksack, I decided to investigate the benefits for myself. 

Since  didn't know if they would work for me, I bought a set of aluminum trekking poles from Cascade Mountain Tech ($21.50 on Amazon) because they had a high rating and because if I ended up not liking them I wouldn't be out a lot of money.

https://amzn.to/3HZvFxf

 Here's what I discovered:

1) No one can seem to agree if cork or foam grips are better. 

Both sides have their supporters, and the only thing they can agree upon is that cork grips are slightly ($10-$20) more expensive than EVA foam. After that, here's what I've been able to make out to the best of my ability:

• Cork is less durable than foam, but is more comfortable because it wicks away your sweat and conforms to your grip. 
• Foam is more durable, but this also means it will chafe more. It also absorbs moisture so sweat and/or rain will reduce your grip. 
• Both foam and cork offer the same amount of cushion/shock absorption, so it's a matter of long-term comfort vs long-term durability. 

I went with foam mainly because I wasn't sure I would like the poles to begin with. At this time I haven't found myself wishing my EVA foam grips were more comfortable or less sweaty, but that may be because my walks only last between 30 and 60 minutes and I'm walking on level asphalt roads. 

2) It takes time to learn how to walk with trekking poles. 

When I first started, I thought I knew how to use them, but within the first few feet I knew something was wrong because I felt no additional stability or speed. I was taking two steps for every use of the pole, and that didn't feel right, but I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong. Even YouTube videos didn't tell me what to do; while they may exist, I couldn't find a "This is how you walk with trekking poles, you dummy" video. 

What I eventually realized was that I needed to search for "How to Nordic Walk" videos instead, and that was tremendously helpful to me. These videos showed me where my pole tips should be striking the ground -- roughly where my heel would be if I were standing still -- and not in front of me at all. This has helped a great deal. 

I'm still getting the hang of it, but I think I'll soon have a natural stride. 

3) My left hand goes numb about halfway through the walk.

To be clear, I'm not blaming this on the poles. My left hand gets pins and needles basically any time I need to hold it at a a 90° angle or higher for more than a few minutes or when I need to grip something tightly for longer than a minute. I lack health insurance so I haven't had this diagnosed by a doctor; the last time I had it looked at (2019) I believe I was told it was tendonitis and not a big deal, although I'm not ruling out carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Either way, this numbness is quite uncomfortable and it's hard for me to concentrate on anything when it happens, especially the position of my trekking poles. The only way to fix this is to shake my hand, or otherwise let it hang down, which is difficult to do when carrying a pole and makes using a pole pretty much impossible. 

Perhaps I'm gripping the pole too tightly, or my pole technique is otherwise improper, and correct form would prevent hand numbness. I will continue to refine my technique and let you know how that goes. 

Do I recommend trekking poles?

Right now I have to say that my results are inconclusive because I feel like I haven't yet gotten the hang of Nordic walking. If I can't seem to get the hang of it after a suitable amount of time, or if I do and see no benefit, then I would say no. 

However, I can see the appeal and the benefits seem logical, and the multitude of Nordic walking enthusiasts can't all be wrong. Perhaps tonight everything will fall into place and I will become a zealous Nordic convert. 

Only time and experience will tell, and I will keep you all posted.