I like my trekking poles for a few reasons: it makes me feel a little more stable on uneven ground, they can serve as tent poles when you're in camp, they can serve as a whoopin stick ( I keep a collapsed trekking pole with me when I sleep), and most importantly for me, they keep my hands from swelling as I hike.

I'm on a pretty strict budget when it comes to backpacking, so when my wife and I got a target gift card for Christmas, I picked up a pair of adjustable new balance trekking poles for about $12. They've done well for me thus far