What Size Nordic Walking Poles Should You Choose? The Complete Guide

For Nordic walking, multiply your height in centimetres by 0.68, then take the length just below. At 1.65 m, the calculation gives 112 cm, so you need 110 cm poles. Then check it standing up, with the pole planted upright. Your elbow should form a right angle, or an angle that is slightly more open. This guide gives you the full size chart, the borderline cases, what the studies say and what changes compared with hiking.

Multiply your height by 0.68, then take the shorter length

The most widespread rule among manufacturers and instructors is to multiply your height in centimetres by 0.68, a little over two thirds of your height. LEKI and Decathlon use it, as does the Finnish national parks website (Metsähallitus), in the country where Nordic walking was born. The French hiking federation (FFRandonnée) uses a slightly higher coefficient, 0.70, or more simply “height minus 50 cm”. The gap is small. For 1.70 m, 0.68 gives 115.6 cm and 0.70 gives 119 cm, a difference of less than one 5 cm step.

The result rarely matches a length sold in shops, which go up in 5 cm steps. When it falls between two lengths, our rule is to take the shorter one, in other words to round down to the nearest 5 cm. Slightly shorter poles are easier to control, because you plant them behind you without effort and learn the movement faster. The Finnish guide says the same for borderline cases. It recommends a shorter length for beginners and a slightly longer one for experienced walkers. A very sporty walker, who walks fast with a long stride, can therefore take the next length up.

Here is the calculation for six heights:

• 162 × 0.68 = 110.2 cm → 110 cm
• 165 × 0.68 = 112.2 cm → 110 cm
• 170 × 0.68 = 115.6 cm → 115 cm
• 175 × 0.68 = 119 cm → 115 cm (120 cm for a very sporty walker)
• 180 × 0.68 = 122.4 cm → 120 cm
• 185 × 0.68 = 125.8 cm → 125 cm

Use your usual height, measured without shoes, because that is what the formula is based on.

The size chart to find your pole length

The chart below comes from our size guide, which applies to the MØNARC® Arcs de Marche®. It applies the formula and the shorter-length rule, and shows the straps available for each length.

If you are a very sporty walker, the next length up may also suit you.

From 1.55 to 1.61 m, the formula lands on 105 cm. We offer this length only as a pair of bare arcs, supplied without grips, tips or straps, for walkers who fit out their own equipment. The ready-to-walk pack therefore comes in 100 cm up to 1.57 m and in 110 cm from 1.58 m.

Women and men follow the same rule

Length depends on height, not on gender or on a “women’s” or “men’s” model. A woman of 1.62 m will take 110 cm, just like a man of the same height. What often differs is the size of the hand. Measure your hand circumference to choose your straps (see below).

Are you already a Nordic walker?

If you have walked for a long time with a length that suits you, keep it, because it is your best reference. The chart is mainly for people buying poles for the first time or changing poles.

Check on the spot with the elbow-angle test

The formula gives you a starting point, and your body confirms it. The test takes a few seconds, with a pole of the length you are considering (in a shop, at a friend’s or at your club):

1. Put on your walking shoes and stand up straight, shoulders relaxed.
2. Plant the pole upright, with the tip on the ground next to your foot.
3. Hold the grip, elbow close to your body.
4. Look at your forearm. It should be roughly horizontal, with your elbow forming an angle of 90° or slightly more.

If your forearm rises towards the grip, the pole is too long. If it drops clearly, it is too short.

Signs that your poles are too long or too short

• Too long: your shoulders rise, the pole lands in front of you and brakes instead of pushing, and your arm struggles to finish its movement alongside your hip.
• Too short: you lean forward to plant the pole, the push ends early and your stride gets shorter.

For the movement itself, follow our guide to the basic Nordic walking technique.

What the studies say about pole length

The 0.68 rule comes from the experience of instructors and manufacturers, not from a founding study. Two studies have nevertheless measured the effect of length:

• Shorter poles do not help uphill. Twelve regular walkers walked with their usual poles, then with poles shortened by 7.5 cm, on the flat, uphill and downhill (12° slope). Uphill, the short poles required about 3% more energy, with the same comfort. On the flat and downhill, the researchers found no difference (Hansen and Smith, 2009).
• Longer poles make you work harder. In twelve young men who had learned Nordic walking, poles set at 55, 65 and 75% of their height produced very similar movements. At 6 km/h, the longest poles increased oxygen uptake, which reached 24.1 mL/kg/min versus 22.2 with poles at 65% (Russo et al., 2023).

We can conclude that between 55 and 75% of your height, the movement changes little, and that the 0.68 rule, in the middle of that range, is a good compromise. A few extra centimetres slightly increase the effort, which matches the advice given to very sporty walkers. These studies involved few participants, so they support the rule without being able to replace it.

You do not set your poles the same way for Nordic walking and hiking

The two are often confused, although the pole does not play the same role in each. In hiking, it is a support, and you place it in front of you for balance and to ease the effort. In Nordic walking, it is used to push. You plant it behind you, at an angle, and your arm pushes it past your hip.

In practice, you do not need to change length with the terrain in Nordic walking. The Hansen and Smith study points the same way, since shortening the poles uphill brought no benefit. That is what makes a one-piece pole, set once and for all, possible. Hiking poles can do the job while you discover the sport, but their wrist loop is no substitute for a proper strap. To find out more, read our article on using the same poles for Nordic walking and trail running.

Should you choose a one-piece fixed-length pole or a telescopic one?

A telescopic pole can be adjusted whenever you like. This is handy for packing it in a suitcase, lending it, or switching between hiking and Nordic walking. On the other hand, each section adds a locking system, a little weight and a point that can slip or develop play over time.

A one-piece pole is made in a single section, at the length chosen at purchase. As nothing can work loose or slip, the pole stays stiff, light and at the length you chose. Since your Nordic walking length does not change with the terrain, a one-piece pole has no real drawback once you have found your size. Our article on one-piece and telescopic poles gives the full comparison.

The MØNARC® Arcs de Marche® take this approach. They are one-piece poles in 100% T700 carbon weighing 140 g, available from 100 to 130 cm in 5 cm steps. What sets them apart is their shape. A full curve follows the natural path of the arm and keeps the pole more inclined during the push. In the Université Grenoble Alpes study, the pole formed an angle of 33° with the ground, versus 46° for a straight pole. The push becomes more horizontal. To understand what this shape changes, read our article on the curve of Nordic walking poles.

Choosing your strap size

The strap links your hand to the pole and lets you open your hand at the end of the push without letting go of the pole. Its size depends on your hand circumference, measured with a tape measure around the palm, at the knuckles of the four fingers, thumb excluded:

• S: under 18 cm
• M: 18 to 20 cm
• L: over 20 cm

On the Arcs de Marche®, the quick-release straps are removable. At 100 cm, they are only available in S, and at 130 cm, only in L. All the details are in our article on the role and size of the strap.

Ordering online without getting it wrong

1. Take your height, without shoes.
2. Multiply it by 0.68 and keep the shorter length, or read the matching line of the chart.
3. If you are a very sporty walker, consider the next length up.
4. Between 1.55 and 1.61 m, choose the pack in 100 cm up to 1.57 m or in 110 cm from 1.58 m, or else the pair of bare arcs in 105 cm.
5. Measure your hand circumference for the straps.
6. If you already walk, keep your usual length.

The safest option is still to see the movement for real. In the MØNARC® Partner Clubs, members already walk with Arcs de Marche®. Ask them their height and pole length, then compare. Members of a Partner Club get €30 off per pair. If you run a club, it can become a Partner Club, and the clubs pack brings together 4 pairs to equip your members (France only).

Frequently asked questions

What size Nordic walking poles for 1.65 m?

The calculation gives 165 × 0.68 = 112.2 cm. So take 110 cm, the shorter length. A very sporty walker can go up to 115 cm.

What size poles for 1.70 m?

The calculation gives 170 × 0.68 = 115.6 cm, so you need 115 cm poles.

What pole length for a woman?

A woman follows the same rule as a man, because only height matters. For 1.60 m, the formula gives 108.8 cm, so 105 cm. In the ready-to-walk pack, that means 110 cm (from 1.58 m), and the 105 cm length is available as a pair of bare arcs.

Should beginners use shorter poles?

The formula stays the same for beginners. Between two lengths, take the shorter one. That is our rule for everyone, and only very sporty walkers can take the next one up.

Should you shorten your poles uphill?

When hiking, you shorten your poles by 5 to 10 cm uphill. In Nordic walking, the same length works everywhere, and shortened poles even required slightly more energy uphill in the Hansen and Smith study (2009).

What length should I set telescopic poles to?

Set them to the length in the chart, fine-tune with the elbow test, then lock them firmly.

Sources

• Hansen E.A., Smith G., “Energy expenditure and comfort during Nordic walking with different pole lengths”, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2009, 23(4): 1187-1194.
• Russo L. et al., “The Impact of Nordic Walking Pole Length on Gait Kinematic Parameters”, Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2023, 8(2): 50.
• Termoz N., Depery E., Lorenzi G., Université Grenoble Alpes, study on the geometry of Nordic walking poles.
• Fédération française de la randonnée pédestre, “Marche nordique” page, accessed October 2026.
• Metsähallitus (luontoon.fi), “Nordic walking”, accessed October 2026.
• LEKI, “Walking pole length guide”, and Decathlon, Nordic walking pole buying guides, accessed October 2026.

Disclaimer. This article provides general information. It does not replace the advice of a doctor or health professional, nor supervision by a qualified instructor. Before starting or stepping up physical activity, especially if you have a health condition, pain or ongoing treatment, consult your doctor. Exercise according to your fitness, on suitable ground and with equipment in good condition. Each reader remains solely responsible for their own practice and for the decisions they make based on this information, and MONARC SAS cannot be held liable for their consequences.