Trail poles
In trail running or in technical sports events on terrain with many differences in altitude, poles will help you to put all the chances on your side and considerably increase your performance. Here's a closer look at a piece of equipment that can make all the difference.
If poles are essential in Nordic walking and recommended most of the time in hiking, in trail running, the story is even more complicated.
The use of poles in trail running depends entirely on the type of race you are about to undertake. In an Ultra-Trail® or in a technical race with a lot of difference in altitude, your poles, provided you have trained enough to use them, will be a precious help, and could even allow you to gain a few places at the finish. On a flat race, with few technical passages, they will be useless or even penalizing. They will represent an extra weight in your backpack and will be more cumbersome than anything else. It's up to you to make an intelligent judgement on whether they are useful or not. But one thing is certain, we strongly advise you to train well with trail poles, so that you can beat your records the day you have to participate in a long distance technical sporting event, on a terrain rich in changes in altitude and climbs.
The use of trail poles
In ultra-trail, the use of poles represents a considerable energy saving. As in hiking, they allow a better distribution of the loads and when the effort becomes difficult, they facilitate propulsion. On steep or uneven terrain, in the forest or in the mountains, they are useful for passing obstacles but also for gaining stability and balance.
Therefore, when climbing, as well as on technical trails, trail poles allow runners to maintain a good rhythm, to avoid having to slow down in front of an obstacle, and therefore to gain speed and perform better.
When tiredness accumulates, it becomes necessary to double the support points and spare the lower muscles. This is why many runners use their hands to support themselves on their thighs when climbing, to relieve the weight of the chest, increase propulsion and therefore gain thrust. The use of poles is obviously more efficient, they allow on the one hand to distribute the loads more and on the other hand to facilitate the sheathing. All the energy expended by using the muscles of the upper body translates into energy saved in the lower body and considerably limits the feeling of fatigue in the legs which, in the long run, often becomes the main limiting factor.
Since the use of trail poles is mainly a question of saving energy, they are of little use on flat terrain or gentle slopes. However, on steeper slopes, downhill runs or on inclines, poles offer you more security and stability. They help you to feel more confident, so that you don't lose the pace of the race for fear of falling, for example. In addition, they can help you jump over obstacles by cushioning impacts and shocks, while at the same time protecting your joints and limiting the risk of long-term injury.
How to adjust your trail poles?
A few years ago, when runners started using poles for trail running, the tendency was to constantly recommend fixed length single-piece poles. They are made up of a single shaft and are therefore ultra-light, especially if they are made of carbon. In particular, they offer a powerful and straight propulsion, and are also appreciated for absorbing vibrations and thus protecting the joints.
However, for reasons of space and thanks to the progress of modern technology, the preference for telescopic or foldable multi-strand poles has rapidly developed. When walking on the plains or on gentle downhill slopes, they can simply be stowed away in a rucksack or clipped to a belt and forgotten. Lightweight and durable, retractable or foldable poles offer many advantages.
Which size of trail poles to use
As with walking or hiking poles, it is essential that the length of your trail poles fits perfectly. The rule is more or less always the same. Standing upright with your trail shoes on your feet and your pole in your hand, perpendicular to the ground, you should be able to see that your forearm and elbow form a right angle of 90° (which in trail walking may be slightly more closed). To help you calculate the ideal height, for example if you order your poles online, you can simply multiply your height in centimetres by 0.68.
Single or gauntlet straps?
In trail running, the choice of strap is particularly important. If in Nordic walking they must absolutely be gauntlet type and in hiking they are almost always simple (or at the limit padded for more comfort), in trail, they can be of both types.
Simple straps: you put your hand through the strap from below, i.e. fingers upwards, and fold it over the handle from above. In this way, the baton remains between the thumb and forefinger at the end of the thrust, with the hand open, and a powerful thrust is obtained without being tense but remaining relaxed on the handle. Simple wrist straps have the advantage that the grip can be varied by moving the hand over the pommel or down the grip for example. However, they can be irritating in the long run.
Gauntlet type straps: these are slipped around the thumb and wrist and then clipped to the poles. They have the advantage of being removable thanks to an innovative system that offers an almost immediate speed of movement and a significant saving of time at high level. They also allow even more release. It is up to you to judge which type of strap best suits your needs, your level and simply your comfort.
As far as grips are concerned, there is a choice between foam grips and cork grips. The former are ultra-light, comfortable and absorb perspiration well, but they tend to degrade over time. The latter are much more durable, absorb vibrations better, are not much heavier and have the advantage of wicking sweat efficiently, so they take in less moisture, but they are also more expensive.
Foldable trail poles
Let's stay with manoeuvrability, speed and lightness, three big priorities that runners should consider when choosing their trail poles. If you have decided on multi-stem poles and it's time to decide between telescopic or collapsible poles, here's a little help to help you decide.
Telescopic poles: the first advantage of telescopic poles is that they are adjustable in length, i.e. you can adjust the height to your liking and you can lend them out. They are stronger than their folding cousins (but less than single poles), often more economical but also slightly heavier.
Foldable poles: usually made up of three to five poles, they fold into a Z-shape and are even less bulky than telescopic poles. The more strands you have, the smaller they are and the shorter they are when folded. They are also lighter and the folding and unfolding system is even quicker and easier, making the transition much faster. However, they are likely to be more fragile than telescopic poles.
Carbon trail poles
The lightness of your poles is very important in trail running and depends largely on the composition of your tube. The choice is generally between aluminium and carbon. If possible, choose carbon poles as they are lighter than any other material.
Aluminium poles are also an excellent alternative. Aluminium is slightly heavier than carbon, but it is also cheaper and more durable, which is important. Indeed, an aluminium trail pole will resist without any problem to almost all the tests to which you will subject it: the shocks but also all your weight and your strength when you will lean on it to jump over an obstacle for example or on a steep slope. Moreover, aluminium does not break, it can bend but almost never breaks.
Basically, an aluminium tube will be more durable but heavier. If you want to go faster and farther with a lighter pole, we advise you to invest in a carbon trail pole. It's up to you to judge according to the use you will make of your poles, your level and your budget.
Carbide tips
Last but not least, the tip is an extremely important part of your trail poles. Often sold in steel, tungsten carbide tips are much stronger and therefore more durable, which is a real advantage if you run a lot with your poles. Some brands offer the possibility to change the tips of the poles, which can be a good alternative. Usually the tip is the part that gets damaged the fastest, so you can simply change the tip without having to buy a new pole.