REI Co-op  Hiker Power Lock Staff - Single

Originally bought summer 2006, and figured after close to 7 years, it is time for a review... The only wear and tear so far: some of the paint has rubbed from the same places on the pole where I extend the lengths. This is a staple of my hikes, both day and extended; I enjoy having added stability while keeping one hand free. After a long, hard day's hike and my joints/hips begin to hurt, I lean on it a little more and trust my weight to it completely. When I don't have it, I almost feel naked. Not sure if the actual staff weight from then to now has changed given new metal technologies, but I do like knowing its weight/durability makes it seem strong enough to keep me from unexpectedly stumbling. Not once have I had a blister from extended use. Fantastic product and well worth the purchase!

I like the cork ball on the top. It fits quite naturally in the palm of my hand to relieve the pressure on my thumb from the strap on a long hike. The poles seem sturdy are easily and quickly adjustable for length. The camera mount screw makes it more versatile than you might think. Besides hiking and back-packing, I enjoy wilderness fly fishing and deer and elk hunting and it so happens that a rifle rest from an old hunting tripod screws right onto the camera mount screw on this pole (see photo). When fly fishing in fast flowing mountain streams I want to have a wading staff fastened to my fishing vest so I can drop the staff to use both hands for fishing. Now if only the lanyard from my fly fishing/wading staff would also screw onto this trekking pole, it would be absolutely perfect - for hiking, backpacking, wilderness photography, fly fishing, and even hunting.

I've used this on only one backpacking trip. It replaces a twist-lock staff I had which got locked in place. For 35 years before that I just used found branches. Compared to the branches, it is less likely to fatigue and blister the hands. The lever lock is supposed to be more durable than a twist lock. I don't need the monopod feature, but my brother borrowed it for his camera and loved it. Doesn't seem to compromise the design much if at all. I'm not a fan of two poles. Twice as many things to get snagged on brush and too short. I will note however that REI has pairs of 155cm poles which might be an alternative if you want one for a friend as well.

I have a pair of these and they are great! With two, I can use as a matching set of trekking poles as well as a monostaff depending on need. I don't normally take full camera gear but the screw off cork top is still incredibly handy. I use them to lock down tarps in porch mode. You can either wrap a guy line around the screw and lock in place or put a tarp grommet/loop directly on the exposed screw and then replace the top. Either way you're more stable/secure than a traditional setup. If you use a bridge hammock, the carbide tip on one end and exposed camera mount screw on the other will work perfectly for the hammock. No need to waste weight on separate spreader poles. I like multifunctional gear and these definitely quality!

I am a 59-year-old woman with bad knees and I can say that using two of these poles made it possible for me to keep up with my son and husband during our recent 5-day, 4-night backcountry backpacking trip in the Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico. I like holding the ball-shaped knob on top while going down a steep trail. For going up, I lean into the wrist straps and take weight off my knees as I climb. Highly recommend these.

I've had one of these for close to 15 years, maybe longer. I liked this version of a hiking staff so well I bought a couple more for my sons. Only use one, not a pair. While I'm an avid hiker, I also do backcountry SAR. In our high desert environment it's nice to not only have a third leg going cross country but these staffs are useful in quick shelter making in an emergency. You always have a proper shelter pole with you. Not as big a fan of the shock system but what I really like is the ball end handle. Easier for me to put solid weight on than the other style handle.

This walking stick was very useful in crossing log bridges while wearing a pack and keeping my balance. I recommend keeping a flathead screwdriver handy to tighten the screws since they tend to loosen over time which diminishes the pole’s ability to guarantee staying at a certain length. But once tightened it held my weight even with my pack on. As far as a monopod for a camera/binoculars/spotting scope, it works decently but not as good as a tripod. At least in Yellowstone it wasn’t able to dig in deep into the soil in order to provide a secure base. As a result it would sway. But I am very pleased with this hiking pole.

I love the weight of the product. The cork top is great. Cons I wish the cork was wrapped around the pole lower. I have to lower the pole after using it for my camera to have a good grip for walking. I don't unscrew the cork section to attach my camera but I do use the top to balance my camera, and it's a great help. I love the concept, and weight and will be using this product for my day photography trips. If you like a trekking pole and taking pictures, I highly recommend this product.

Loved this stick before it snapped (my fault) in some rocks. I typically prefer a single pole when hiking unless snow is present. This pole was lightweight and effective. The top cork is also nice to use if you reduce the staff height below the standard grip point. The grip area is well padded. There's also a camera mount under the screw-off cork that my wife made use of. Pretty handy :)

The GOOD news is that this is a gorgeous hiking staff. The BAD news is that the plastic lug that locks the telescoping pieces together broke in half the VERY FIRST DAY I WAS USING IT, when I was simply pulling it out of the ground. Half the lug went with one section and the other half went with the other section. I'm trying to glue the two pieces back together now so I don't know if it is repairable yet. Nonetheless you'd think you would get more than one day of use out of a $70 hiking staff. Do yourself a favor and get a stick out of the forest instead. Those are free.