How to Adjust Your Trekking PolesUpdated 10 months ago

Properly adjusted trekking poles will keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle when you hold the poles with the tips to the ground and within a short distance from your feet. This is incredibly easy to achieve since adjustable poles tend to work for people ranging from 4′ to 6’4″+.

It’s very important to know what height to set your trekking poles to. Trekking poles that have been adjusted improperly can lead to arm fatigue, as well as pain in the back, neck, and shoulder muscles and joints. 

For Flat Terrain Hiking/Walking: Adjust your poles to the length that puts your elbows at a 90-degree angle. This is the perfect length for hiking and walking on flat terrain. We recommend setting the top section of your trekking poles to the middle of the shaft, then using the bottom lock to find the correct length for you. From there you can adjust the top lock until achieving the perfect length. Conversely, you can always use our chart below to find the length to set both sections to find the perfect pole height for you. 

When Going Uphill: You’d want to shorten each pole a few centimeters, roughly 5-10 to give you some more leverage on steep terrain. To make it simple, as the terrain gets steeper, you’ll want to keep shortening your poles. Their purpose is to make your uphill ascent easier, and this is most easily achieved by giving yourself the leverage to push up and off of the poles without putting pressure on your shoulders. 

When Going Downhill: Similarly to uphill hiking, when going downhill you’ll want to quickly adjust your poles so they’re around 5 or so centimeters shorter than your typical flat terrain length. You’re probably wondering why this is important, and the answer is balance! Doing this will help keep you more upright and decrease your risk of losing your footing and falling forward.'

Adjusting Your Trekking Poles: A How-To Video