Canes and / or Staff on the Camino de Santiago. The cane or staff is one of the symbols of the pilgrim, many pilgrims decide to carry walking sticks to lean on especially for the slopes and descents.
In the past they were used as a defense against dogs and other animals.
There are two types of walking sticks, the classic wooden ones and the folding aluminum ones, both are quite useful and each has advantages over the other. The wooden ones are sturdier and safer, while the aluminum ones are easier to carry since they can be folded.
Whichever one you choose, you will have some advantages that we will explain below.
Advantages of using poles during stages
They allow you to hold on on steep descents, as well as propel you on climbs. They help with the stability along the normal stumbles through the route, one of the main benefits of walking poles.
From a physical point of view it is always good to use poles, it is said that they unload between 20% and 30% of the effort, in the end you distribute the effort better over your whole body.
They are a strong point of support for when you are tired. If you plan to do many kilometers a day, it will come in handy to have an extra support, to reduce fatigue, also serves as a defense against animals, you never know if a loose dog or any other animal can attack you.
As for the transport of the cane, in many moments it will not be in the hand, for that many backpacks have a space prepared to hang them. Many walking sticks are foldable and can be easily carried inside the backpack.
We recommend this walking stick for the Camino de Santiago tours, as it is one that we have used frequently and has performed perfectly.
Another walking stick option for the Camino is the following, a pair of folding aluminum walking sticks of great quality and resistance.
