Re[2]: [at-l] hiking pole questions

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

Let me urge everyone to put these questions into some perspective. Hiking staffs
have been part of the "wilderness" for millennia. I remember reading once in a
very ancient book a passage urging "may thy rod and thy staff comfort you ... "

Only recently, however, have these comforts required investments of $85 or $130
or whatever dollars. My staff comforts me, weighs exactly what most Lekis weigh,
and costs nothing.

 Most of the successful thru hikers in the history of the Appalachian Trail
 managed to be comforted by staffs that cost nothing -- or the hikers chose to
 forego such comforts entirely.

 Lekis and such expensive staffs certainly make it easier to hike fast -- and if
 that is your goal -- to get this wonderful experience over with as quickly as
 possible -- then I would urge you to buy $85 or $130 staffs.

 But for those just practicing, let me suggest that on one of their first hikes
 they should search for a pair of hard wood saplings -- no more than an inch in
 diameter. Serepticiously cut down these saplings. Any wood will do. Alder, oak,
 maple, birch. Attach a couple of soft rubber crutch tips to the bottom. This
 may require some judicious carving with a genuine Swiss Army knife, or most any
 jack knife, for that matter, to make the crutch tip fit.

  Make your staffs a bit long to start and then gradually shorten one or the
  other until you reach a length that seems comfortable in most conditions.
  Practice with just one staff. I sense that in biblical times one was enough,
  though I don't really know the distinction between rods and staffs.

  Because hands are handy for many things in addition to holding comforting
  staffs, I use only one. That leaves a hand free for any interesting thing that
  may come along. You should try to make do with only one also, unless you
  rarely have use for a hand on the trail.

  I could continue, but my power just went off. A storm is brewing.

  Weary