Clarification. The rest step is useful when climbing or on steep inclines. If the trail is flat or just sloping you go at your regular pace of course. When your climbing or on a longer steeper incline you can lock back your knee with each step. You are then using the skeletal structure of your legs and torso to support your weight which momentarily takes strain off the muscles of that leg. The other leg muscles are also resting as you methodically swing it forward. Yes these are subtleties but over miles of uphill hiking it works nicely. If you concentrate on particular muscle groups you would be surprised at how unnecessarily tense they are sometimes. Something I learned in the shooting sports where relaxation = less movement.

YMMV, I find it helpful, especially as I get older. Also I don't really mean that you slow down if you don't need to. It just feels that way at first as you eliminate the urge to sprint and rest for a more controlled energy saving stride.

jimmyb