LEKI Travel Wanderfreund Pole

LEKI Travel Wanderfreund Pole This is my sixth or seventh walking stick/hiking staff and is by far the best of the bunch. The sections are short enough to pack easily, and the stick is very light but surprisingly sturdy and the handle has a very comfortable grip. The handle is one of the best features, as its unique design allows you to use this as a hiking staff or a cane, where it certainly beats my old Alpenstock! The locks are all that Leki claims and you will never lose the rubber "boot" because of a loose fit! If anything, it fits too tightly. You will want to experiment with different ways of gripping this stick to see what works best for you but, on a long hike, it is really nice to be able to change your hand position from time to time, something you really can't do with other sticks.

I was a bit skeptical about the Leki pole, when I took it out of the box. However, once I adjusted it for my height I found it as a very firm walking and standing support. I was looking for a light weight, full time cane to aid my 5' 9", 200lb frame and I found it with the Leki. I was rather rough on it the first couple of weeks, putting my full weigh on it to make sure the shaft wouldn't collapse and was very happy not find myself on my face on the floor. The unit might have been designed for hiking but it's a great all around walking cane.

I've walked with a cane for a few years, and found this at Tucson's Summit Hut. It looked too light for all day, every day use with my weight, but I've been using it over two years now and love it. The grip is very comfortable, and it is so much lighter than other canes that it isn't as much trouble to carry.

The strap is a _big_ convenience also--it slips over one's wrist, freeing that hand while standing at a checkout counter, etc. The original is a rather thin black strap; I replaced mine with some colorful 5mm climbing cord for looks and comfort.

I walk almost exclusively on concrete and tile, and the original rubber tip shows very little wear--amazing. For the bit of hiking I can do, the carbide tip has a good bite on rock.

There is another cane-handle type stick around, but it doesn't have the triangular hole that this Leki handle does. I've tried those in the store and they do not give as satisfying a grip as this model Leki.

Although very light and thin, this thing is incredibly tough. I stick it in doors and elevators to hold them open, lean heavily on it, use it every day and the only signs of wear are some places where I've been particularly brutal in door-whacking and have chipped the finish--easily touched up with magic marker.

I don't recommend the anti-shock version. It might be OK for hiking, but if you're looking for use as a cane, you want solid support, not something that gives a little each time you bear down on it before locking.