>>985387My knees prefer poles on the way down and I'm much faster on the way up. They also make you more efficient on loose ground like mud, snow or scree. What's not to like? I even use them on long runs, provided the terrain is not too technical.
They're also useful for classical mountaineering, necessary for ski touring, and have almost completely replaced my ice axe for glacier travel. (I still carry one strapped to my pack).
