How to Use Trekking Poles? | Set, Strap, Swing

Learning how to use trekking poles correctly transforms them from awkward sticks into equipment that saves your knees and propels you forward. The right technique comes down to three things: setting the correct height, using the straps the way they’re designed, and keeping an opposite-side rhythm. Here’s the no-fluff breakdown.

Setting The Right Length: The 90-Degree Rule

Your poles are only as good as their fit. Stand on flat ground with the pole tip touching the ground near your foot. Adjust the length until your elbow forms a 90-degree angle. That’s the universal starting point.

This position keeps your arms efficient and your posture upright. A pole that’s too long forces you to hike with raised shoulders; one that’s too short makes you hunch. Both waste energy and invite discomfort. The 90-degree angle is your baseline for flat terrain.

Adjustable poles lock at the length you set. After twisting or flipping the lever, give the pole a firm pull to confirm it’s secure before you take a step. A collapsing pole mid-stride is a stumble waiting to happen.

How Do You Hold The Straps Correctly?

Most beginners grip the handle tightly and ignore the strap, which is backwards. The strap is the load-bearing part of the system, and your hand is just the guide.

Then close your fingers around the handle. When you plant the pole, the strap takes the weight, and your grip stays relaxed.

Loose fingers mean less fatigue and better blood flow on a long day. If you catch yourself white-knuckling the grip, loosen up and let the strap do its job.

The Walking Rhythm And Terrain Adjustments

The core rhythm is simple: right foot with left pole, left foot with right pole. This opposite-side timing mimics your natural arm swing and keeps your torso stable.

Terrain changes demand a quick adjustment, and this is where the real technique lives:

• Uphill: Shorten each pole by 5–10 cm (2–4 in) to push off more easily and keep your arms bent at a useful angle. Plant them closer to your body for leverage.
• Downhill: Lengthen each pole by 5–10 cm (2–4 in) so you stay upright instead of leaning back. Plant ahead of you to brake and take pressure off your knees.
• Steep sections, streams, or unstable ground: Plant both poles together and step between them. Double-planting gives you a wider, much more stable base when a single pole won’t cut it.

Carrying a pair of adjustable poles means you can fine-tune length mid-hike in seconds. Stopping for 30 seconds to adapt to the terrain is the difference between poles that help and poles that hinder.

Common Mistakes That Sabotage Your Stride

Even with the basics down, small errors creep in. The most common ones are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

• Fixed length everywhere: Leaving poles at one setting for the whole hike ignores the physics of hills. Adjust for the terrain.
• Same-side planting: Right foot with right pole makes your body rock side to side. Opposites only.
• Planting too far forward: A pole out front acts as a brake on flat ground. Keep it near your back foot to maintain momentum.
• Over-gripping: A death grip wastes energy and numbs your hands. Trust the strap.
• Tense shoulders: Hunching over the handles ruins your posture. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your torso tall.

If you’re ready to upgrade your gear, our tested roundup of trekking poles built for women covers the models that hold up on real trails. REI’s expert guide on trekking pole technique goes deeper into these fundamentals if you want the full reference.

Used well, they’ll save your knees on the way down and your energy on the way up.