Thread: Walking Poles

Originally Posted by Savage1

Manuka poles etc are great, but cannot be loaded in the same way as a good purpose built pole with a hand strap, unless you have forearms like popeye. The hand straps are essential and you can fully load the pole without gripping the handle hard if you put the straps on properly, see the picture below.

The other issue is the amount of grip, good walking poles have a tungsten tip on them which grips on angled rocks, a manuka pole would not provide nearly the same amount of stability in the rocky areas.

Attachment 163078

A lot of people think that a mustering stick is used and held with one hand swinging it out like a walking pole. This could not be further from the truth, a mustering stick is correctly held with both hands shoulder width apart in an opposed palm grip. For descending a steep slope, the stick is behind pressed down. The hand behind the body faces down and the one in front faces up. Bend the knees, lean back into the stick and run down the hill in foot long steps, keeping the knees bent. The opposed hands keep a constant down force on the stick so that it acts as suspension