Pacerpole

Traversing

(or to zig-zag up or down steep slopes). Keep both shafts the same length. Down-slope pole: straighten the elbow and press your thumb against the upper part of thumb shelf with your index finger opposing. The rest of your hand remains free. Up-slope pole: keep the elbow bent at a right-angle. Consider using the wrist Security Cords (see below).

Boulder Hopping

Use poles like outriggers, touching down as necessary to keep trunk vertical.

Scrambling terrain

For general safety, stow the poles.

Stowing / Storage:

The minimum length for stowing is 55cm when they are dismantled, which is shorter than their compact telescopic mode. Either alloy or carbon shafts are at their shortest for travelling/flight etc. when dismantled and placed diagonally in the pack. (Use the mesh bag if wanting to keep the sections together).

As another option to stowing poles in your pack when needing ‘hands free’ for short scrambles – then slide the shaft sections into each other and tighten them (so they won’t slip-out and get lost!). Loop a wrist cord over the handle of the other and vice versa. The shortened shafts rest either side of the pack with their cords/handles spanning the shoulder straps near to where they attach onto the pack.

If on terrain where one pole needs to be stowed for short distances to leave one hand free:- push the security cord to the shoulder so the pole faces back out of the way. Use the toggles for adjustment for use with a T-shirt or a bulky waterproof.

The Wrist Security Cords

The wrist security cords are not needed as part of general Pacerpole use. The hand within its contoured handle is the equivalent of a new, dynamic artificial joint - with loading changing direction all the time as the body moves. The hand relaxes down into the handle in direct compression - but this doesn't require the fingers to grip, or a cord to fasten the hand down into the handle - as this would restrict the flow of movement across it ....in a similar way that tying shoelaces too tight, squashes the foot and stops the natural flow of movement around the joints, so they cease to be fully functional. Pressure between the thumb and index finger is basically all that is needed to retain the pole throughout the stride in most scenarios.

Sometimes though eg when traversing steep, rough terrain -  the lower pole has only the opportunity for pressure on the top of thumb shelf (not the whole hand/handle involvement, as usual) the arm is straight - so the distance between shoulder and shaft tip is as long as possible to be able to make ground contact and stabilise the body. In this sort of scenario, the security cord is used in-case eg the shaft's basket gets caught - and with an attempt to tug it free, the pole may be pulled out of the hand and down the slope (as the only contact this time, is between the top of the thumb shelf and the index finger): so to avoid losing the pole - use the wrist security cord. Move the toggle about an inch away from the handle and slip your hand through the remaining loop.

If you're not tall you may want to reduce the length of the wrist cord by re-tying the end knot slightly shorter ...so that when your wrist is slotted through the end loop, and with your arm bent to a right-angle the pole hangs easily at your side, just touching the ground instead of flopping awkwardly. It means that if stopping frequently to eg take a bearing (or photograph, another scenario where wrist cords can be useful) - the pole remains near your side ready for your hand to slot into the handle again, after letting go to check the map etc. The remaining loop should still be roomy enough for ease of quick hand withdrawal when needed.