HOW TO CHOOSE TREKKING POLE CORRECTLY?
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Nordic walking trekking poles can save about 22% of energy for climbers, while using two Trekking pole at the same time can provide better balance. However, whether you can correctly choose Trekking pole according to your height, weight and different terrain is the key to making climbing easy and steady, and reducing 40% knee impact when going downhill.
一、 Classification of Trekking Pole
1. According to material: carbon fiber trekking poles (light), titanium alloy Trekking pole (expensive), aluminum alloy Trekking pole (cheap), wood Trekking pole (feeling)
2. Number of knots: three Trekking pole (standard), four Trekking pole (ultra short, easy to carry), two Trekking pole (longer), one Trekking pole (not easy to carry)
3. Press the walking stick handle: straight handle Trekking pole (professional outdoor sports), T-handle Trekking pole (flat hiking, leisure sports and daily), inclined handle Trekking pole (flat fast walking)
4. Press the lock buckle: inner lock (slightly lower locking force), outer lock (better locking force), inner cable (length cannot be adjusted), inner cable+outer lock (locking force is good, length can be adjusted).
二、 Trekking Pole Structure
1. Handle:
Usually made of materials such as EVA, rubber, cork, plastic, etc., each material has the following characteristics: EVA: comfortable grip, full and elastic, not affected by seasons, and the material has sweat absorption function; Rubber: With a full grip, it is harder to crack in winter and does not have sweat absorption function, making it easy for hands to slip in summer; Cork: It has a full grip and is not affected by the season. The material has a sweat-absorbing function and is prone to wear and peeling; Plastic: Poor grip, easy to crack in winter and slippery in summer, but low cost, cheap and convenient.
2. Wrist strap:
This is the most important part to consider when purchasing a Trekking pole. Since the Trekking pole and the user's body strength are mainly transmitted through the wrist strap, when selecting a high-quality wrist strap, you should consider whether it has the following characteristics: the middle of the wrist strap is wide, and the sides are narrow, which can prevent hand holding; The wrist strap adjusting buckle is arranged at the connection with the Trekking pole, which is not in contact with the hand, so as to prevent hand scratching; The inner side of the wrist strap is made of suede anti friction material, effectively protecting the skin in contact with the strap.
3. Support rod:
Usually made of aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, titanium alloy, wood, steel, and other materials, with aluminum alloy and carbon fiber being the most widely used. These materials have the following characteristics: aluminum alloy: sturdy and durable, low price, heavier than carbon fiber and titanium alloy, and easy to corrode; Carbon fiber: lightweight, with good material elasticity and toughness, high strength ratio, corrosion resistance, and high price; Titanium alloy: lightweight, with good material elasticity and strength, corrosion resistance, and high price.
4. Locking system:
This is the core safety component of Trekking pole, and 90% of Trekking pole problems are caused by locking system failure. Low price Trekking pole generally use ordinary plastic parts that are easy to be deformed, while high-end Trekking pole use high hard engineering plastics (crystal plastics) and are precisely cut. At the same time, the aluminum alloy Trekking pole will be equipped with a shock absorption system together with the locking system. The shock absorber system, as a spring component, can effectively cushion the impact force and reduce the pressure on the knee when going downhill. However, due to the absorption of thrust by the spring when going uphill, it will consume additional physical energy during long-term hiking. In addition, spring components with poor materials are prone to rusting, breakage, slipping, and other situations, leading to locking system buckles or failure. The Trekking pole made of carbon fiber and titanium alloy has good elasticity and toughness, so it can achieve balanced shock absorption without shock absorption system.
5. Nitosheto:
It can prevent the Trekking pole from getting stuck in the mud. However, there are many thorns and shrubs in the environment where the mountaineering passes, and the Nitosheto will hinder the convenience of movement. Therefore, it should be noted that the Nitosheto can be quickly disassembled and assembled so as not to cause trouble.
6. Stick tip:
The material of the stick tip includes rubber head, iron, carbon tungsten steel, etc. Carbon tungsten steel is the hardest and most expensive, with rubber tips being the cheapest, but it is also relatively unable to cope with rough outdoor terrain, and its wear resistance is not as good as carbon tungsten steel tips. The common patterns on the tip of a cane include mesh patterns, diamond patterns, grid patterns, etc. Among them, diamond patterns have the best anti slip and penetration properties.
三、 Usage Selection
1. Outdoor mountaineering and hiking: three or four Trekking pole can be selected. The handle should preferably be straight handle, and the material can consider aluminum alloy pole and carbon fiber pole.
2. Flat/field hiking: You can choose a professional walking stick with a sloping handle, and the material can consider carbon fiber support rods or aluminum alloy support rods. The wrist strap of the walking stick is different from the ordinary Trekking pole. It is a full-length wrist strap that can fully cooperate with the arm swing angle to generate force.
3. Leisure mountaineering/daily use: Two, three and four Trekking pole can be used, mainly depending on the needs of carrying. Aluminum alloy support rods, carbon fiber support rods, and wooden support rods can be selected.
四、 Key Shopping Points
1. Height selection:
2. Check the locking: lock each section of the Trekking pole and press it down with full force to ensure that it will not break and that the locking system can bear the load.
3. Wearing a wristband: Wearing a wristband during hiking can help you walk in a comfortable state and swing your cane back and forth. If the wristband will abrade your wrist, continue searching. It is best to choose a wrist strap that is slightly soft and has some elasticity, which can be easily adjusted to the required firmness and is not easy to fall off.
4. Selection of handle: The walking pole with cork and foam handle is usually the first choice for people whose palms are prone to sweat or who often walk in rainy days, because these materials have good friction even if they are wet. The handle made of rubber, plastic, and other materials can be slippery when wet, and the feel is not particularly good, but it is durable and has good strength. If your palms are prone to sweating, avoid using plastic grips as they can easily slide out like wet fish. Cork or foam canes are best for grasping. In cold weather, the handle of foam feels warmer than that of cork, plastic, wood, or rubber.
5. Material selection: aluminum alloy Trekking pole, which is firm, light and cheap. Most manufacturers use aluminum alloy materials. If you are someone with high quality requirements, you can choose a lighter new type of cane made of carbon fiber or titanium alloy. Carbon fiber, like aluminum alloy, is sturdy, but lighter in weight and more expensive. Titanium alloy is lighter, but more expensive. The Trekking pole made of carbon fiber and titanium alloy are relatively small in diameter, which makes people feel very light. When you use them, you can swing them quickly, and it is easy to put the tip of the stick in a suitable position.
6. Choose the number of segments: First, choose based on the intensity of the activity. The more segments the cane has, the lower its load-bearing capacity. When engaging in leisure activities, the most prominent feature is the convenience of carrying, so the four legged cane is the preferred choice. When the activity has a certain intensity, the three legged cane is chosen to ensure safety.
五、 Special Reminder
1. During prolonged hiking, regularly check if your cane is locked tightly to prevent the donkey from losing its front "hooves".
2. Try not to insert a Trekking pole into seawater or water with high calcium content, such as Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area. Otherwise, it will corrode the cane or be difficult to clean.
3. When walking on the mountain road, when there is a cliff on one side, you must use the Trekking pole on the mountain side, otherwise it is easy for the donkey to lose its front foot. It's best to develop the habit of using canes with both hands.
4. On the steep road up the mountain, try to stay away from the person using the Trekking pole in front, and be careful that the Trekking pole pricks people.
5. The Trekking pole is neither a magic pestle nor a vajra stick. Be gentle with it. No matter how good the stick is used violently, it will break and may be dangerous.
6. When adjusting the length of the lower two sections of the three section Trekking pole, pay attention to: the length of the lower two sections should be as long as possible, so that the force can be evenly distributed and the damage caused by the excessive length of one section and the concentrated force can be avoided. Most canes have scales.
