>>1822486Undoubtedly useful when you have them.
Only thing they fail at is - doubling as a weapon.
I have a good walking stick solid one stick of cured wood I carved my self.
Here in southern Az we got alot of critters hiding in the shade, rattlesnake, javilinas, bobcats, the odd cougar not mention scorpion and others.
A good stick you can "feel" the trail in front of you. On trail and off trail trekkn. Bust some dead branches in your way, move a rock or tap it poke around a little see if rattler is awake because he wouldn't want to be be surprised by your shoe and legs passing by him.
Move dead sticks or log, snap some jumping stickers out of your way if you have to.
If you try (as I did) to do these things with a nice telescoping walking pole, it will break, or bend and it's being bent means it is not very long until it snaps under the weight you are used to putting on it.
I have had knee surgery and poles have helped me.
I carry one pole on pack, or tucked in belt to use in the hard spots in addition to my main 'hobo-beater'.
