After a long hike, the knees are noticeable. Hiking and trekking poles can help with this. The poles not only provide the right grip in the field, they also relieve the musculoskeletal system.
The table below shows four models tested by our cooperation partner AllesBeste*.
That’s why you should use trekking poles
Knees can take quite a beating on a mountain hike. Hiking and trekking poles can help. According to “Bergwelten.com”, the poles can reduce the strain on the knees by up to 22 percent. Calculated over an entire hike, this corresponds to “a weight reduction of several tons,” the website went on to explain. It is not only the knees that benefit from the relief – the spine and muscles are also relieved. And by the way, the poles also ensure balance in rough terrain.
Before you buy the poles, however, you should consider a few things. First of all, you need to decide on a material. Many of the poles are made of either carbon or aluminum. The former are a little lighter, but the latter are even more robust.
It is also important to note that the poles are adjustable in height. In this way, they can be used by different people.
Not only the material of the sticks can vary, there are also different versions of the grips. Cork grips have the advantage of being sweat-wicking, while soft plastic grips are durable.
Another advantage can be a loop. This can then be attached to the wrist and ensures that the poles do not find their way down into the valley unintentionally if they slip out of your hand.
Lastly, you should consider whether to go for an anti-shock system. This system cushions shocks even more, but is not included in every pole.
* This article was created by CHIP and is based on the results of the article “The best hiking poles” by
All the best
. The content is based on the version of April 1st, 2022. The CHIP test center was not involved in the investigation.