>>1459839I much prefer a single hiking stick.
The biggest thing for me is that with a 5-foot hiking stick you can easily adjust the length of your grip depending on the terrain in-between steps, which you simply can't do with trekking poles. Also:
-You can use your stick to lean on during rests.
-Help jump across streams or gaps.
-It's much easier to deal with snakes when you have a 5-foot pole.
-Is also capable of fending off aggressive animals.
-Can be used for makeshift shelters for napping along the trail.
-Also they don't make a bunch of holes in the trail which increases trail erosion. And I hate how it looks. There's something weird and unnatural about a long string of small holes in the dirt to the sides of the trails. Like I'm following some spike-footed spider or something.
I think all in all, hiking sticks are a better option for backpacking because they are more versatile. However, the only thing they suck at is mountain climbing. If I was hiking up a mountain I would definitely prefer trekking poles.
