I have used them on and off over some decades.
Cons,
- they are an annoying weight to carry if not in use, and if on a rucksack it's yet another thing to knock items off of shelves in shops. (See also my hatred of umbrellas and how people poke me in the eyes with them.)
- On very rocky ground they distract me from my normal balance of just stepping/striding from rock to rock - I usually skim/float over those surfaces very easily as a biped.
- On slippery ground such as ice they totally make me lose my balance.
- They make you look like an idiot when you walk with them.
Pros,
- I have found them useful on rough terrain such as coastal paths which is just up and down grassy surface. They do seem to assist an uphill walk.
- When I have had a bad leg (similar pain to sciatica once, and the other time it was knee pain) they have been an assistance and helped me walk further.
- I recently hunted them out of the cupboard to see if they extended high enough to be tent poles for a tarp, which they were, as they might be going back on the rucksack for longer walks in wet weather so I get a shelter at lunch stops.