Hiking sticks are a very useful piece of hiking equipment that can make hiking not only more enjoyable, but also afford the hiker more opportunity to experience nature’s beauty with much needed exercise in the backcountry. With hiking sticks, the hiker can maintain his balance much more effectively on some of the more challenging terrain, making it one of the more useful hiking accessories to take along on the hiking expedition.

A Number of Uses

When the terrain is treacherous or uneven, or when you are going to cross through streams or rivers, the hiking stick helps you keep your balance. Anyone who has ever lost his footing on a hiking expedition will know how very important balance can be on these treks. Hiking will certainly put your feet and legs under considerable strain, and those who are not in the best physical shape would find that a hiking stick is a valuable piece of equipment to have to allow them to continue with their hikes. In addition, the hiking stick can also be used as a self defense tool if necessary.

In fact, hiking sticks have been a part of the hiker’s uniform for decades, and while there are a few hikers that still use the traditional wooden sticks, the norm seems to be moving to the high-tech products that are available today. Hiking sticks have many uses, including balance while crossing streams, assistance in pitching the tent, and a guard against the presence of snakes. These sticks are also useful as a means of self defense against threatening animals and barking dogs, an aid to gaining momentum when going uphill, poking bear-bags into place, and most importantly, acting as a third leg on long and challenging hikes.

There are also many hikers that prefer to make their own hiking stick, and for this they simply need to find a straight young tree and cut it with a short saw. The length that would be most suitable would be up to the armpit, though it is really a personal choice, and for some folks, even a seven foot hiking stick has been known to be preferred.

On the other hand, there are many beautiful handcrafted hiking sticks to choose from, and a good source for these products would be Whistle Creek. This company is America’s largest manufacturer of hiking and walking sticks. These beautiful walking aids will indeed do the hiker proud and they are all made in the United States. If you decide to shop for a stick from Whistle Creek, you will have about forty different styles to choose from, and there are more than two thousand Whistle Creek outlets across the country that can supply your hiking sticks.