I've been using poles for a couple of years now. Diamond Back something or the other with cork grips.
On narrow, brushy and rocky, twisting trails poles are a pita. Poles want nice, wide unobstructed trails.
On really steep trails, where hands are needed (and in AZ there are plenty of rugged trails like that), they get in the way. I have to tie them to my pack to free my hands.
And I find that generally, they seem to slow my pace a bit.

But I carry them because I like how they keep my hands up and keep blood from pooling in the extremities. I also like how they cause me to work my shoulders back & forth, something about that motion helps keep my shoulders & back from tiring so much. They also do noticeably take some burden of my cartilage damaged, decrepit knees.
I also just like having something in my hands, but I really think I prefer a hiking stick for that. (like 6'+ tall and 1 1/2" - 2" diameter) (Michaels has the tall bamboo poles cheap. They are light and reasonably strong with good diameter. I am still experimenting with rubber caps on the end. Some sort of tip protection is definitely needed on these bamboo poles and the rubber tips don't last long.)

I do go back & forth about whether poles are worth it overall.
If I had a tent that utilized the hiking poles I don't think I'd vacillate so much.