[chassis]

No hiking poles. My wife and I have hiked several 14k foot mountains in CO, and many miles of trails in VA, PA, ME, UT, AZ and Austria and Italy. We have asked each other several times, "Should we get hiking poles?" The answer is always no. From our point of view we feel they would be a liability more than an asset.

If you are not as sure footed as you would like, slow down or take less aggressive terrain. That's our plan when the time comes.

Regarding hiking shoes, I just got a pair of Salomons from REI that I like, black toenail from descending a 14er notwithstanding! Long steep descents usually cost me a toenail from toes jamming into the the front of the shoe. Each different pair of shoes has a different pressure point, usually it's the big toe or second toe that suffers!