Best Walking Sticks For Hiking 2024
Even if you don't need mobility support on a regular basis, or have never used a walking stick, a hiking stick (also known as a trekking pole) is a fantastic tool to enhance your experience on your next hike. Hiking sticks tend to be taller than your average walking stick, and are specifically designed to help you comfortably travel across various types of terrain, particularly those that are steep or uneven.
There are a variety of hiking sticks available, made with various woods and metals and with a selection of handle styles from traditional to more modern designs. To discover some of the different types of hiking sticks available, and identify the right choice for you, keep reading this handy guide to walking sticks for hiking.
What's Included?
- Why Use a Hiking Stick?
- Best Wooden Hiking Stick
- Best Metal Hiking Stick
- Best Children's Hiking Stick
- Best Hiking Staff
- Best Collapsible Hiking Stick
- Nordic Walking Pole
- Hiking in Winter
Why Use a Hiking Stick?
A hiking stick is the ideal choice of support to take some of the pressure off longer walks across less smooth ground. Unlike your day-to-day journeys on foot, hikes generally involve a lot more effort due to the steep or uneven terrain, and are usually completed with a backpack of supplies adding extra weight.
With a trekking pole, or hiking stick, you have a tool to help take some of the weight (and pressure) off of your back and knees, which will be a great relief during longer journeys. Hiking sticks can also help with stabilisation to prevent slips, and generally easing the aches that occur after a longer walk.
Hiking Sticks vs. Walking Sticks
Though hiking sticks are a type of walking stick, they often come with different features that make them more suited to hikes than daily mobility support. This includes:
- A taller / longer design for optimal support on steep or uneven terrain
- Metal, spiked, and combi ferrules are commonly used for hiking sticks to make them suitable for softer surfaces (such as grassy fields or muddy tracks)
- Designed for comfortable and easy grip to prevent slippage during crucial moments
Wooden Hiking Stick
Wooden hiking sticks are a perfect choice for those who want a simple stick design, with a charmingly natural feel. With so many wooden materials to choose from, including beech and hazel, you're sure to find the perfect shade and grain to suit your tastes.
Our Choice: Scorched Chestnut Knobstick Walking Stick
Key Features:
★ Available in various heights between 28 - 38" (or 71 - 97cm)
★ Knobstick handle fits comfortably into the palm of the hand
★ Grown in the UK and created using sustainable coppicing methods
★ Flame-scorched finish gives this stick a unique and stylish look
Editor's Verdict: This classic hiking stick style is perfect for those who want a supportive aid with a rustic feel. Chestnut is a durable wooden material that has used for coppiced wood in South England for centuries, and is a fantastic choice for creating unique and sturdy hiking sticks.
Customer Verdict: "Really nice walking stick, very well made, being a 6 foot plus man the height of the knobstick is a perfect size, I went for the 37 inch height, great purchase, excellent value. Well pleased." (Jamie)
Metal Hiking Stick
Metal walking sticks, most commonly made using aluminium, are great for offering durability in a lightweight design. If you want a more modern-looking walking stick, and one with convenient features like height-adjustment, a metal mobility aid is a great choice.
Our Choice: Blue Contours Hiker Height-Adjustable Hiking Poles (Pair)
Key Features:
★ Quality pair of height-adjustable sticks for enhanced stability and support
★ Designed with sturdy and durable aluminium shafts
★ Features a contoured, comfortable-to-grip handle for ease-of-use
★ TPR ferrule with removeable rubber makes these suitable for all terrains
Editor's Verdict: While you can get by with one hiking stick, using a pair can significantly enhance stability and comfort for a more relaxed hike. These poles are lightweight and height-adjustable for optimal convenience.
Customer's Verdict: "Very happy with these poles , they adjust perfectly to the correct height for me , the colour is good and come at a good price. The bought the poles because I have Parkinson’s and using them while walking helps my arm swing immensely. So for me they are excellent..." (Terance)
Children's Hiking Stick
Hiking sticks are a great way to help prevent falls and facilitate a more comfortable hike. With a hiking stick for children, you can take your little ones with you on your next adventure knowing they've got the support they need to stay steady on the trail.
Our Choice: Crook Chestnut Children's Walking Stick
Key Features:
★ Traditional crook-handle walking stick designed with kids in mind
★ Suitable for children who measure under 140cm in height
★ Includes a metal ferrule for easy movement across softer grounds
★ Can be easily cut to size as necessary
Editor's Verdict: Taking your little ones on a hike can be the perfect way to let them experience nature and pique their curiosity about the world around them. Help them to feel ready to explore with a high-quality crook-handle stick such as this one, which can also be used for props in a nativity, or general outdoor play!
Customer's Verdict: "This stick is absolutely beautiful and of a superb quality, it is a little work of art. My six year old grandson loves it. He has used it for all manner of things... Both he and I couldn’t be happier." (Helen)
Hiking Staff
A hiking staff offers a more traditional walking stick aesthetic, with a basic but appealing design that's easy-to-grip. Hiking staffs tend to be much taller than your average walking stick, making them ideal for traversing steeper or uneven terrains.
Our Choice: Chestnut Hiking Staff With Stag Carving
Key Features:
★ Hiking staff with stunning, intricate stag carving
★ Measures at 122cm (48") in height
★ Supplied with an attached wrist cord to help prevent slippage
★ Combi spiked ferrule on the bottom of the staff is suitable for various terrains
Editor's Verdict: Staffs are a highly supportive form of hiking aid. This particular model features a unique design and a chestnut wood construction that ensures optimal durability. If stags aren't your style, we've got a range of carved staffs from Labrador Retriever carvings to Welsh Dragon carvings.
Customer's Verdict: "Great wee stick. It’s light, a nice chestnut colour, sturdy and very helpful especially on uneven surfaces. I walk at least four miles daily and this is a huge assistance as I get older." (Alan)
Collapsible Hiking Stick
Choose convenience with a folding hiking stick, ideal for those who don't want to use the hiking stick for their whole journey. These handy hiking sticks can be collapsed down to a size that fits into your backpack, allowing you to easily carry it around with you.
Our Choice: Flexyfoot Cork Derby Handle Black Folding Walking Stick
Key Features:
★ Long and short versions available (72 - 93.7cm total range)
★ Foldable and height-adjustable design offers optimal convenience
★ Flexyfoot ferrule offers excellent levels of shock absorption for enhanced comfort
★ Cork handle is smooth and comfortable to grip
Editor's Verdict: Foldable walking sticks are highly convenient for longer journeys, and this fantastic stick is no exception. Supplied with this stick is a carry bag, so you can keep the stick handy for when you need it without having to lug it around everywhere.
Customer's Verdict: "Cork handle is very comfortable to use. Because the ferrule is articulated it always maintains full contact with the ground and doesn’t slip or slide away with you. This is the only stick I’ll ever use from now on." (Gary)
Nordic Walking Pole
A Nordic walking pole offers optimal grip and enhanced propulsion to elevate your hiking experience. They're commonly used during Nordic walking exercises, which involve using hiking poles so that both the upper and lower body get a workout when hiking.
Our Choice: Flexyfoot Black Urban Hiking Pole
Key Features:
★ Adjustable height between 70 - 148cm (27.5 - 58")
★ Offers excellent shock-absorption properties for optimal comfort and reduced fatigue
★ Cork handle is comfortable and easy-to-grip
★ Designed with a glove-style strap to keep the stick securely within reach
Editor's Verdict: This quality walking stick is suitable for use on rougher terrains, and on wet or shiny surfaces, and help to make you feel stable and supported. This stick is perfect if you find yourself frequently experiencing hand-fatigue due to the impact of your stick hitting the ground.
Customer's Verdict: "Bought this for my husband to take to our caravan so he could use it while out on his walks in the countryside. He was a little sceptical at first but seems happy with it now."
Hiking in Winter
Hiking in winter can be risky without the right tools to keep you safe and upright. There are plenty of ferrules suitable for wet or icy conditions, but other accessories such as heat pads, gloves, and thermal socks can also make all the difference to your journey.
Our Choice: Drive Medical Walking Stick Ice Grip Attachment
Key Features:
★ Can be used with most walking sticks and crutches
★ Ice grip can be 'flipped up' and locked when not in use
★ When the ice grip is locked, you can use the stick as normal
★ Suitable for sticks with a diameter of 19 - 22mm
Editor's Verdict: If you want effective support when hiking in icy conditions, but don't want to buy a whole new stick, this ice grip attachment is a fantastic choice! Alternatively we have a Winter Hiking Stick Saver Pack available with a wooden crook-handle stick, a light, an ice-grip ferrule, and a wrist cord included.
Customer's Verdict: "Just back from a week in the Alps with plenty of snow and ice. The Ice Grip was a delight to use - easy to fix and unfix and very flexible in use. I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone facing such conditions." (David)
There are a wide selection of walking sticks for hiking available, each designed with different features, and to suit different aesthetics. Whether you want a more traditional style trekking pole, like a crook-handle model, or a modern stick with a more sophisticated ferrule, there's a quality hiking stick out there for you.
For more top-quality walking sticks suitable for hiking, browse our extensive range of hiking sticks:
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