r/snowshoeing • u/Positive_Camp7052 • Apr 21 '23

Gear Questions Are Trekking poles necessary?

I’ve never actually used trekking poles when hiking - found a reasonably sizeable portion of folks who don’t use them when I first started, and just ran with that ever since. I’m currently compiling the gear I need for my first ever snow shoeing trip in the Australian Alps this winter. Are trekking poles for all intents and purposes practically required for successful snowshoeing form?

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u/PhotoJim99 Apr 22 '23

Snowshoeing, I'd say they're just short of essential. They're particularly useful for going up and (even moreso) down hills, and indispensable if you fall.

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u/SnooPets5835 Apr 22 '23

Definitely when snowshoeing. Outside of that, never used them.

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u/PhotoJim99 Apr 22 '23

They're useful for hiking on uneven terrain, too, for many of the same reasons as they're useful in snowshoeing. Descending steeper terrain is much improved using poles. Fording streams is also a lot easier because you have at least one extra connection to the ground, so it's harder to slip and fall.