I use the pole sparingly to steady myself on steep down hills and help me balance. I consider it more a safety aid than a locomotion aid. Those segments of a course. I put my pole on the ground to prepare for the crossing. Waist belt gets clipped around the neck.
Flashlight goes in the pack.
I bend over to get the pole and everything falls off . . . I'm opting not to touch this one, as I feel the difference is obvious, in terms of assistance. If you consider safety issues, however, they become more similar. I collapse the pole and hold it in my left hand as I run, then quickly expand it and is it walking. It helps tremendously get my upper body into the workout.