Overview
The Trekker’s Friend (TF) has a unique design that lets you attach hiking poles to it while wheeling your backpack. However, some people want to use their hiking poles for walking while using the TF to wheel their pack.
To do this, you’ll need two sets of hiking poles: one for the TF, and another for walking.
To avoid the TF poles getting in the way of your walking poles, you may need to choose smaller top pieces when you order your TF.
When going downhill, the TF may move faster than you. If you’re not holding hiking poles, you can use one hand to slow it down. But if you’re holding hiking poles, you’ll need to use a special technique (watch video below).
Choosing the right-sized top piece
The length of the standard top piece is 44.5cm/17.5in. This determines the distance between the ends of the hiking poles on the hiking trailer, which is 61cm/24in wide.
Changing the top piece length changes the distance between the poles on the trailer. A shorter top piece means a narrower distance between the tops of the poles on the trailer. For walking with hiking poles, a narrower distance is better so they don’t obstruct you.
However, the distance still needs to be wider than your hips, leaving at least 5cm/2in on each side of your body.
Measuring the width of your hips
Put some trekking poles on a table so that the handles are at about the height of your hips, and put your body between them so that the handles are touching each side of your body.
Then measure the distance between the inside edges of the trekking poles – that is the width of your hips.
Top piece lengths and distance between the ends of the hiking poles
Having measured your width at your hips, you can now select which top piece you would like. Someone 38cm/15in wide at the hips would select the top piece that is 40.5cm/15.9in long, which provides 52cm/20.5in of space between the tops of the hiking poles on the trailer.
Ordering the top piece
If you would like to order your Trekker’s Friend with a non-standard top piece please put your request in the “Order Notes” field of the order form, which is at the bottom of the main web page. The price will change if you do this though it may take extra time to prepare.
As shown here, it is also possible to change the distance between the poles simply by moving the top piece up and down.
Technique for descending slopes
The following video demonstrates how to slow down your trailer when going down hill.