Trekking Gear: A guide to using walking poles

Mark Pawlak    Trekking Gear, trekkingholidays     mountain walking, Trekking equipment, trekking gear, trekking holidays, trekking poles, walking poles

The first time I saw people using walking poles I was baffled. Why are they bothering? Walking poles are for old people, right? Wrong. Very wrong. They are an excellent way to spread your weight and help you find balance on more uneven terrain – and they saved my knees on tough descents.

Using walking poles reduces impact by 20% Image: Flickr/ jetalone

According to the British Mountaineering Council(BMC), using walking poles will shift a fifth of your body weight to your arms from other joints – per step! Now multiply that by the thousands of steps you take, and you can quickly see how they will help offset the impact felt in your knees.

Here’s more about what you should look for and the technique you should employ once you buy a pair.

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The Top 10 Tips for Trekking in the Himalayas

Mark Pawlak    ash     Himalayas, mountain walking, Nepal, Tibet, training for trekking, trekking, Trekking in the Himalyas, Walking

The good news is that no matter your age or abilities, most everyone can go trekking in the Himalayas – you certainly don’t need to be Sir Edmund Hilary or the like! Read on to find out about the top ten tips for trekking in the Himalayas!

Get ready for trekking in the Himalayas

Before you go:

Head for the hills

Fitness goes hand in hand with enhancing your overall trekking experience. The fitter you are the more pleasurable your experience will be. Trekking in the Himalayas involves many days walking at a time, up to 8 hours, with distances upwards of 10km/day. The key is to build your endurance levels over time.

3-6 months before you set off on your Himalayan adventure head to the hills in your own backyard! Practise walking with a daypack, starting with half-day outings. As you build your fitness increase the amount of time and distance covered in your walks.

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