Trekking Pole Strap Guide: How to Use Wrist Straps Without Hurting Your Wrists

A lot of hikers either ignore the straps or, worse, use them backward. Straps aren’t just there so you don’t drop the pole—they’re supposed to carry part of the load so your hands don’t have to squeeze the grip all day. Here’s how to set them up in under 30 seconds.

1. The right way: up from the bottom

1. Put your hand up through the strap from below.
2. Let the strap lie across the back of your hand.
3. Close your hand over the grip on top of the strap.
   Now when you push down, the strap, not just your fingers, takes the force.

This is the main thing most new hikers get wrong—they poke their hands down from the top and end up with a floppy strap.

2. Adjust strap length

• If the strap is too loose, you over-grip → wrist/forearm fatigue.
• If it’s too tight, it rubs when you change pole angle for uphill/downhill.

Set it so your hand can relax but still push.

3. Different terrain, different strap use

• Uphill: a slightly shorter pole and a snug strap helps you “pull” forward.
• Downhill: you might want the strap a bit looser in case you need to let go quickly.
• Sidehill / technical: some people remove the hand from the strap on the downhill side so the pole can move freely.

4. When to NOT use straps

• On exposed / rocky / scrambling terrain where you might fall and need to drop the pole fast.
• In brush where poles can get yanked.

5. Preventing rub and blisters

• Keep the strap flat—not twisted.
• On hot days, swap poles between hands occasionally.
• If the strap is cutting in, wear thin liner gloves (yes, even in summer) or loosen it one step.

All of our poles come with padded, adjustable wrist straps that are made for this ‘up-from-the-bottom’ technique. Freevane Trekking Poles