Cascade Trekking Poles Aluminum Sticks 54" Set of 2

I decided to start hiking in the great outdoors not long ago and I purchased this set of trekking poles specifically for a mountain peak hike, and I admittedly bought this set because they were the cheapest at the time of my purchase (cork handles), $20.60 new. I was very skeptical about the uses for these, based on what I had seen in videos, which only had people demonstrating them on rather flat, or moderate inclines. Nothing I saw in the demonstrations suggested that these would be more than minimal use/effectiveness. Still, the set was cheap, so I bought them, just in case... boy, what a lucky/smart decision that was.The mountain peak trail I was hiking went up over 3k feet in 4 miles, I did not see how these would help, so I only carried 1 up with me, in case I was confronted by a rattle snake, or something. I never did use them going up the mountain, so on this hike, where the one pole I brought up with me really shined was on the descent. The trail is very steep, and on the way down I slipped twice, ate gravel once (I slipped toward the cliff edge and had no choice but to throw myself down into the gravel), and from there I made use of the pole, almost like a cane, going down the rest of the way. I did not even come close to slipping again once I made use of that one pole. I also noticed that using the pole for added stability also resulted in far less impact on my joints, which is a huge deal for me because I am in the early stages of osteoarthritis.In the hiking adventures that have followed, I have used these poles religiously. I hiked into the grand canyon and used these both for the descent in, and the ascent back out. I again noticed how much easier on my joints it was, using both poles this time, and on the ascent out of the canyon I was able to use the poles for additional leverage in the climb, which made for a much easier, but still very challenging, climb. On another mountainous canyon hike, they were again indispensable for the ascent, the descent, and providing additional stability/slip protection. Think of it like maneuvering with 4 legs instead of only 2.My point in sharing these experiences is that trekking poles are not a gimmick. Depending on your hike, they may be more of a necessity than you might think. Especially for very steep and challenging climbs and descents, or if you're hiking through a wash with boulders and lots of rocks. I am still skeptical of their value on flat hikes with minimal inclines, but I supposed they'd still be good to bring along in the event of unexpected steep inclines/descents.As for these poles, I found them to be fantastic. I got a real deal when I made my purchase! These are stable, They are strong, they are not heavy, they don't slip, they are easy to adjust, and the clamps hold tightly. They were well worth what I had paid for them, and I would still agree with that assertion had I paid twice the amount that I did. If you like long, strenuous, steep hikes, you won't do wrong with these.