| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Gear Highlights
- Gear
- Gear List
Share your tales of travel & adventure with our step-by-step guide. Upload trail descriptions, photos, video, and more.
Backpacker Magazine – BACKPACKER.com Online Exclusive
Planting Pole Pointers
How to make sure you stay upright on your poles.
First position:
For flat trails, adjust your poles so your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle.
Going up:
Shorten your trekking poles to compensate for the incline.
Going down:
Take pressure off your knees and prevent slippage by lengthening your poles.
At a slant:
For an extended traverse across a slope, lengthen the pole on the downhill side and shorten the other pole to give you more stability.
Taking a load off:
On short breaks, lengthen your poles, plant them about an arm's length in front of you, and bend at the waist so the upper portion of your pack rests on the tops of the pole grips.
Subscribe to Backpacker magazine
Reader Rating:
-
Find the Outdoor Equipment You Need
Get Fit for Any Hike
No gyms, no weights–and, with our
easy-to-follow plan–no bonking on the trail.
Backpacker's Ultimate Fix-It Guide
Learn how to make your gear last forever with our guide to the 55 most
common repairs and maintenance musts.
Sleeping Bag Center
Our guide to sleeping bags fit for all occasions and sleep tips guaranteed
to give you a good night's rest. 
YES! Please send me my 2 FREE trial issues of BACKPACKER
and my FREE Classic Trails digital booklet
ADD A COMMENT