Getting the Most From Your Trekking Poles on Aussie Trails

Most bushwalkers treat their trekking poles like an afterthought, set them once at the trailhead, and never touch them again. On rugged country like the Overland Track or the Larapinta, that habit costs energy on every step. The right pole length changes how your legs, hips, and shoulders share the load.

In Australia, "bushwalking" covers everything from a flat loop in the Royal National Park to a week-long mission through Tasmania's mud. Locals talk about "having a crack" at a peak, or "going bush" when they head out of town. Whatever the lingo, the mechanics are the same. The pole is a second pair of legs, and its length decides whether it helps or hinders you.

Trekking poles generally use one of two locking systems. Flick locks are external clamps that snap shut and adjust easily with cold hands. Twist locks rely on internal expanding segments that tighten when you rotate the sections. Each behaves differently on steep, rough, or muddy ground.

The pages below cover setting pole height, using the straps, and switching between ascent and descent setups on the gradients you meet on Australian tracks. Most of it can be sorted in a few minutes at the car park.

Getting the Fit Right Before You Head Out

A correctly sized pole is the foundation. Standing on flat ground, your elbow should sit at roughly ninety degrees, and your forearm roughly horizontal. Stand tall, hold the grip with the strap hanging free, and slide the lower section until the angle lines up. Most poles are marked in centimetres.

If you are between sizes, round down for technical terrain and round up for long, flat days. A shorter pole is more responsive on Blue Mountains scrambles, while a longer pole suits the even grades of the Bay of Fires coastal stretch.

Check that the locking mechanism is actually biting. Flick locks should snap with a firm click and resist a hard pull, and twist locks should be tightened until the sections no longer rotate. If anything slips, clean it, dry it, and reset the clamp before you head off.

Uphill: Shorten and Angle Forward

When the trail tips upward, you want the pole to push you forward rather than mark time. The rule of thumb is to shorten each pole by roughly five to ten centimetres from your flat-ground setting. That keeps your arm in a powerful pushing position and stops you from lifting the pole too high on every plant.

Plant the pole slightly behind your leading foot. This angle lets the pole act as a brace as you drive up through your back leg, which matters on the long Larapinta climbs where sections run for kilometres. The right length also stops the wrist bending awkwardly on steep, exposed ground.

Uphill is also the time to use the strap properly. Slide your hand up from below, then grip down on the handle. The strap takes the weight off your palm and lets you push through the heel of the hand, a much more sustainable position over a long ascent.

Downhill: Lengthen for Braking Power

Going down is where poles earn their keep, especially on loose, gritty, or rocky descents. Lengthen each pole by roughly five to ten centimetres past your flat setting. The longer pole plants out in front, where it can take real weight and slow you down. Plant firmly, push down through the strap, and stack your wrist, elbow, and shoulder under load.

Keep the pole close to your body on steep drops. A pole planted too far ahead becomes a trip hazard, and a pole that is too short forces you to lean back and load the knees. On the steep stone steps out of Katoomba, a longer pole is the difference between controlled steps and a jolting slide.

A common mistake is locking the elbow straight on the way down. The arm should stay slightly bent so the muscles absorb shock. If your arms are burning on a long descent, the poles are too short. Bump them up another two or three centimetres and the load shifts from the forearms into the shoulder and back.

Lock Mechanisms and How to Tune Them

Flick locks and twist locks both work well, but they want to be set up differently. Flick locks need firm, even pressure across the clamp, and the lever should sit flat or slightly proud of the shaft when closed. If the lever feels floppy or hard to push, the clamp is too loose or too tight. A small twist on the tensioning screw usually sorts it.

Twist locks are sensitive to dirt, and Australian bush tracks are rarely clean. Fine beach sand on a coastal walk, red dust on a desert track, or the black mud of Cradle Mountain can all work their way into the joint. Wipe the sections, blow out any grit, and align the expanding segments before you tighten. A pole that slips slowly on a long descent is almost always a dirty twist lock.

For most Australian walkers, flick locks are the more forgiving choice. They work with gloves, are easier to fix in the field, and handle mud and dust better. Twist locks win on weight and a cleaner profile, which matters on a long, fast, light trip.

Wrist Straps, Grips, and Hand Position

The strap is part of the pole, not an afterthought. A well-fitted strap lets you push through with the heel of your hand rather than gripping with the fingers. The result is less forearm fatigue, which on a multi-day walk like the Australian Alps Walking Track can be the difference between finishing strong and being cooked by day three.

To use the strap correctly, slide your hand up through the bottom opening, then lay the strap across the back of your hand and grip the handle. Your hand should be able to relax. If you are white-knuckling the grip, the strap is too tight or your hand is in the wrong part of the loop.

If your hands swell in the heat, which is common on summer walks in the high country, loosen the strap a touch. Cork grips breathe better than foam or rubber and mould to your hand over time. Many walkers carry a thin pair of gloves for long descents, when vibration can irritate the fingers.

Baskets, Tips, and Aussie Terrain Tricks

Pole baskets are small but they matter. The standard trekking basket suits most Australian trails, from coastal heath to alpine grass. If you are heading somewhere boggy, like parts of the Overland Track in spring, a wider mud basket stops the pole from sinking to the ferrule.

Rubber tips are useful on hard surfaces such as the bitumen climb to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, where a metal point can skate. They also dampen vibration on rock. Many walkers carry a small spare tip in the pack, since a lost tip mid-trip is a slow, annoying problem.

Watch the terrain. A pole plant on a loose rock can lever it out and send it down onto the walker below. On shared tracks in the Grampians or the Blue Mountains, take a beat to choose where the pole goes. A good plant is quiet, firm, and safe for the people behind.

Real-World Adjustments on a Multi-Day Walk

On a long trip, the same pole height does not work for the whole day. Morning is cooler and the muscles are fresh, so a slightly longer pole feels right. As the day wears on, the body softens and a slightly shorter pole is easier to push. Some walkers mark a personal range with a small piece of tape.

On every break, check the locks, wipe the sections, and reset the height for the next section. Drink water while you do it, since hydration affects grip strength on warm days when a 25-degree alps start can feel like 35 by lunchtime.

If you are still unsure about the right setup for your body, your pack, and your usual terrain, the team at Snowdon Shop can talk you through it. A short conversation before you buy often saves a season of fiddling.

The real trick is consistency. Set the pole once, walk a hundred metres, and adjust again if something feels off. The few seconds spent tuning the length whenever the slope changes are repaid many times over. Polish the habit on a local loop, and bigger tracks like the Overland or the Larapinta will feel easier on the knees and a lot more fun.