Use trekking poles, even though you think they look dorky. They make life SO much easier on your knees (especially on the way down), and they’re very handy for hopping across streams on rocks or logs without worrying about losing your balance. If you’re carrying a child on your back, trekking poles should be mandatory equipment. I fell on my face while hiking with a kid on my back once – just tripped over a root on an easy stretch of trail. When it happens, it happens FAST. Fortunately, except for my bloody nose, we were both fine. If I’d have been using trekking poles like an intelligent person, I probably wouldn’t have fallen at all. Use them. It’s dorky NOT to.
