>>171816Hilarious post from someone who obviously does nothing challenging in the outdoors.
They're for anyone who wants to reduce the impact on his or her knees, period. This includes a huge number of people, including older people doing the day hikes you're no doubt limited to, along with those doing far more ambitious trips that require carrying a heavy load. Just as you wear firm, high boots to stabilize your ankles when doing so, it can likewise be safe and helpful to bring a pole. I say this as a SAR volunteer and former personal trainer. Yes, I'm in excellent shape both physically and diet-wise, and I would never bash anyone for taking their health seriously in the outdoors.
That said I brought my poles on a 5-day trip we did a month ago to summit Mt. Hood. The glaciated sections were technical and the poles were of course folded and attached to my pack for that, as I used an ice axe/ropes and for some portions crampons. For the hike up with my 60L pack, yes, I absolutely used poles. And no, I would never cross a fast-moving body of water with poles, that's just silly. Again, it's clear you don't do anything but the simplest stuff outside.
Learn more about what you're talking about before running your mouth. Blowhards in the outdoors are always the fools who get injured and the ones people like myself end up dragging down as a part of search & rescue.
