Great question! Most of our team uses a daypack or backpacking backpack, which now come with dedicated loops for carrying trekking poles on the outside of the packs. That said, we often just tuck them into a side pocket or even stash them inside depending on the bag’s design. If you’re not using a backpack at all, a fully collapsible model that breaks down into four pieces can strap easily to a large hip pack or running vest. We don’t know of any leg-attachment methods that wouldn’t feel awkward and uncomfortable, but if you find one, let us know! Otherwise it may just come down to getting used to carrying them in hand. Happy hiking!

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the feedback Mike. It is true though, hiking poles can scratch and scar rocks. Just ask a ranger in a popular park with lots of hiking over rock slabs, like Zion NP. Carbide tips are very sharp, and it doesn’t take much to mark up a rock with them. And when you combine that with thousands of hikers on popular trails every year, the wear adds up quickly. At the end of the day, is this a huge deal in most areas and on most trails? Nope. But in popular national parks, it’s definitely noticeable and not a myth.

Thanks Justin!