a staff or hiking pole

“Hi Everyone, Im an avid hiker from Northern ,Alberta and love going on challenging hikes. Do any of you,s ever hike with a staff or pole? i found my staff quite handy while hiking in a marshy area last weekend, the area was quite muddy in a few spots but I wasnt afraid because I was wearing tall boots, but all of a sudden I walked into this stuff that was similar to quicksand, it was a claypit and I managed to sink up to my waist in the stuff*L* it was a bit funny but very hard to extricate myself from it, i found my staff to be very helpful in that situation, has anyone ever been in a predicament like this?”

“Larker, did you say... Northern Alberta???? COOLEST!!!!! I live in Edmonton... where abouts are you?

Oh, I use a great big ole wooden staff too... picked it up off a riverbank in the Willmore Wilderness... :o)”

“I've never seen a dog trip. THEY got 4 legs.

That's why I hike with a couple REI Hiking poles, or a single staff for balance, protection, and something to do with my hands.

(Don't say it... )”

“MY staff is huge...

and always in my hand!

8-)”

“Nightvision, I suppose one might even say you've got a "handle" on it? ;->”

“I left my trusty staff, "Oaky Dokey", on Cumberland Island last month.
Boohooooo! )o:”

“gojo - regrets!

I use a hiking staff (ignore the dork holding it). It was a gift from my daughter. I find it very handy, especially for crossing streams, steep declines, etc. I am convinced it has kept me from falling many times.

I am sure hiking poles are great, but for now I am happy with my staff.”

“I always carry a stick. I hear good things about trekking poles, but when I see them all I can think of is dork.”

“I used a staff for a while, mainly out of courtesy because my hiking friend gave it to me and I wanted to seem polite. Was a pain more than anything.

Made fun of hiking poles I did. Thought they were geeky. Then I moved to Cali and met the mountains, which kicked my cocky little midwestern @ass and left me whimpering. Now I won't go without them.

Guess all it takes is a little humility lesson. Got a good recipie for crow, Snackboy?”

“Hi Everyone, glad to see everyone has a sense of humor, Medic Girl I live in the big town of Manning, a few hundred miles north of you, I hike everyday:) keeps me in shape, just have to watch some of those nasty trails in my neck of the woods, some of them are treacherous:)”

“Hiking staff cut from my woods. Poplar sapling, light, sturdy hardwood. Gave it to Jerbear after the Gizzard trip. Must cut another.”

“Larker, that's way too cool! You actually live not too far from where I work... know where Atikameg is? I didn't realize that you actually had mountains there... I kinda thought it was all muskeg! lol Or did you mean the bears?”

“Medic Girl, no mountains around here,dont remember mentioning that though, but loads of bears, i wake up in the morning and they are on my front lawn lounging away*L* Atikameg almost sounds like an indian reserve or something,seems familiar, I work all around Im a geologist and work on a lot of exploration assignments, last spot I was working at was north of Yellowknife, and yes lots of muskeg*S* only a Canadian would know what that stuff is, Muskeg is very creepy, thats what I found myself sinking in*S* yikes!!! email me at happy@cyberbeach.net”

“I don't know, I like doing without the pole in my hand. Maybe I'll try one of my dad's sometime and see if it changes my mind. I like the idea of useing the poles for tents.”

“Hiking back here on the East Coast I use a staff I cut from a Carolina Wild Cherry tree. I let it dry for about 2 years before I sanded it down. I didn't put any finish on it but up near the top where I place my hand it has a nice "satin" finish where sweat/oils/grime have polished it.
When out West I use my Leki hiking poles because of the difficulty in bringing "Ole Skull Crusher" on airplanes. Whether East or West I never leave home without it or them.”

“somtin is better that nothin. I have both, Thanks baumme I have added to a collection and used it on my latest shroom hunt. Treck poles are the best specially crossin them thar creeks and wadin out to swim! 2cents!”

“I LOVE my trekking poles ... they have saved my butt a few times in the backcountry.”

“Larker... You didn't actually mention anything @ mountains, I was making an assumption... my bad! *lol*
Atikameg is on a native reserve(Whitefish Lakes actually) just off 750, N of High Prairie, or 88 N of Slave...
Look forward to talking with you soon... :-)”

“I agree, i love hiking stick carved from very strong wood such as maple, my dad use to find a natural formed hiking stick from a strong branch and patiently carved it out,they also can make a dandy weapon”

“Trekking poles”

“I use x-country ski poles that I bought for $8 from a used sporting goods store. They need a little modification, cushier softer grips and a smaller basket but for now they work great for the price.”

“My lastest stick is of WVa rhododenron-
hard and heavy
good whoopin' stick
I now have a Smoky Mountains fir stick.
Even though its still green its much lighter!”

“Hey medic girl

are you the one that saved that frozen baby?

I have a pair of MSR poles that are awesome.... second best post army purchase”

“I have a sequoia branch that I've used for years. I just don't like carrying it on the level stretchs. So now it's a hiking pole that collapses and fits into the pocket on my pack.”

“I use a heavy staff, It helps in crossing streams with swift water. I hike a lot in steep canyons off trail. It helps for someone to climb up and then hold it out for a second person to grab onto to pull themself up. I haven't used poles myself but I have friends that swear by them. I guess to each his/her own.”

“For years I would occasionaly pick up a big stick whenever the trail got rough, or the water deep. I made the switch this year to poles and THEY ROCK!!

You hike faster, farther, and more efficiantly. On the flats you don't need them, strap 'em to your pack. So, don't get the fancy spring-loaded, tricked out, gadget-filled ones. Just get the lightest, most compact ones you can find. I went with Leki Ultra-Lite Titaniums.”

“I got a pair of foam gripped poles with shocks at REI for $51. they are nice in the hills and worthless on the flats.”

“That should have been "efficiently".”

“I've picked up sticks along the trail when I've needed one, but they aren't always available. I think I would enjoy using a hiking pole.

Oh Phil, pleeease, you're not a dork. Don't even say that. You're a cutey pie.”

“Hiking poles just don't seem to have character like an old hiking stick. When I grip my hicking stick it is like shaking hands with an old friend.

Insert appropriate derogatory comment here, Kleety”

“Too true Bacpac!”

“I'm with Tommy. I used a staff that I bought in Peter Lougheed Park in KIananaskis Country where I was backpacking with my kids back in 1988. A couple of years ago a buddy lent me an extra pair of poles and now I wouldn't go back. I'm creating a thread on the subject now. Happy trails.”

“Somebody's been shakin' that stick!”

“I prefer a Staff.”

“Head Cougar, no that wasn't me... I can well understand what an overwhelming sense of relief those medics felt though when they found out she was going to be okay!

I usually deal with MVA's, domestics, intoxicated fools & army guys who hurt themselves! ;o)”

“I bought a set of Komperdell trekking poles at a 1 day REI outlet sale for $29.95
no frills, cork handles.
Took them out for the first time last weekend and they came in real handy on the ups, downs and fords.
But like mentioned above not much use on the flats.”

“i like the plain ones better than my anti-shock ones.

sounds like a good deal, dude.”

“When I was in TN last month, I found a hiking staff someone had left behind on the trail. I tried it, but I carried it mostly. I was worried I was going to take out someone eye behind my on the uphills so I forced myself to use it. I like them for crossing streams. I can usually find something near the water when I need it.

One vote for no pole, no staff, no trekking poles.”

“I like my homemade hiking stick. It has a small hole drilled in the top that I can put a stick of incense in to help keep the bugs away. Makes a good tarp pole. Got a 36" ruler notched in it for measuring strides in SAR. And one day on the AT in Mass, my pole hit the ground about 3' in front of me, and up popped a very large Eastern Diamondback that had been disguised as pile of leaves in the trail. My pole saved my butt that day!”