Walking Poles for Hillwalking: A Complete Guide

Few pieces of hill kit divide walkers like trekking poles. Some wouldn't set out without them; others find them a fiddle. The truth is that used well, poles offer real benefits — particularly for your knees on long Scottish descents — and used badly, they're just awkward. Here's an honest guide to whether they're for you, and how to get the most from them.

What poles actually do for you

• Save your knees on descent. This is the big one. Poles take a meaningful share of the load off your knees on the long, steep descents that Munros specialise in — a genuine benefit for anyone with dodgy knees or facing 1,000m of downhill.
• Improve balance and stability on rough, boggy or uneven ground, and when crossing streams — Scotland has plenty of all three.
• Share the effort on ascent, letting your arms help drive you uphill and reducing fatigue over a long day.
• Provide a useful probe for testing bog, snow and burn depth.

The downsides and when not to use them

Poles occupy your hands, which is exactly wrong when you need them for scrambling — stow them before any hands-on section like the Aonach Eagach or the Horns of Alligin. Relying on them can also, some argue, let your natural balance soften over time. And they're another thing to carry and faff with. The sensible approach for many walkers is to use them selectively — out for long ascents and descents, away for scrambles and easy ground.

Choosing poles

• Adjustable vs fixed/folding. Adjustable (telescopic) poles let you shorten them for climbing and lengthen for descending, and pack down for scrambles; folding poles pack smallest. Most hillwalkers want adjustable.
• Locking mechanism. External lever (flick) locks are quick, glove-friendly and reliable in the cold — generally preferred over twist locks, which can slip.
• Material. Aluminium is tough, affordable and bends rather than snaps; carbon is lighter but can shatter under sideways load. For rugged Scottish use, many prefer aluminium's durability.
• Grips and straps. Comfortable grips (cork or foam) and adjustable straps; some like extended grips for quick hand repositioning on steep ground.
• Baskets. Fit larger snow baskets for winter so the poles don't sink.

Using them properly

Set the length so your elbow is at roughly 90 degrees on flat ground; shorten them for climbing and lengthen them for descending. Use the wrist straps correctly — hand up through the loop, so the strap takes the load and you're not gripping tightly all day. Plant and push in rhythm with your stride. On the descent, poles ahead of you, taking weight before your knees do. With a bit of practice the technique becomes second nature. Poles are one item in a bigger kit list — see our complete packing list.

Related guides

• The complete Munro bagging packing list
• Munro boots and footwear guide
• Scrambling grades explained — when to stow the poles
• Munros tracking app — routes and descents for all 282 Munros