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Hiking Poles necessary???

Posted by (North Florida) on

I was wondering if I need or should pack hiking poles for the Best of Switzerland tour. Yes I know that I can buy/rent them there, but I would prefer to have my own, fit to me and working well. (in Norway I had to use very poor quality poles and it definitely made a difference in the hikes)

I am not in bad physical shape so I could probably forgo them, but I would love to have them if they would make a difference other than just for 1 or 2 days of use....and yes, I know that I will need to check them; that is the reason for my hesitation as I prefer to do carryon only and deciding if they are really necessary.

Posted by
3414 posts

I’ve never used hiking pools for any of my Switzerland trips.

I just took a quick look at the itinerary for the Switzerland tour. I would not think one would need hiking pools for any of the tour activities. They are not going to take a large group on any rugged trails.

Enjoy Switzerland!!

Posted by
740 posts

Depends - do you plan to hike? If you plan to do hikes, then yes, they are nice to have. Most Europeans use hiking poles when they hike and they are very helpful, unless you plan to just do flat walking options.

Posted by
6739 posts

If you use hiking poles at home routinely on your hikes, I would say that you'd want them for hiking in the Swiss mountains. Also, I've never been on the Best of Switzerland tour, but it is my understanding that they present you with options for the day, and you can choose what you'd like to do. So the amount of hiking would depend on the choices you make.

Posted by
6739 posts

Thanks for the correction, Carrie.
Lucky Girl. I'm quite active and when I travel whether in the U.S. or elsewhere, I typically use hiking poles. They make me feel more confident and I can hike hills much faster. On some trips we do so much walking that my knees are fatigued by the end of the day and the hiking poles really help.
I really like to do carry on only, but if we are traveling with some hiking involved, I check my bag so I can bring the poles.

Posted by
102 posts

Two trips (2022 & 2024) from the US with hiking poles in my carry-on bag without any additional inspection at security. I do have the rubber tip covers on that came with the poles.

The poles can be a burden on your hikes if you are using them for the first time.

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