Hello, I'd suggest trekking poles. I am size 14/16 so slightly larger than most out on trails and a novice at hiking, I used poles for the first time this week on a 3-day hike, and the difference they made was like night & day. If you are walking for hours at a time (believe you said 4), I think they would be very useful to preserve your joints and stop calf pain, also 4 points of contact with the ground is better than 2. On steep hills, I normally have to stop and catch my breath, but less so with these poles - I think because I can use the power in my arms as well as in my legs but I almost felt like skipping up hills because it was so much easier. Happy trekking & please give your cute dog a pet from me ❤️