Owner Review Komperdell Savannah Anti-Shock Trekking Poles

 

Date: November 26, 2006

 

Reviewer Information:

Tim Tessier

Age: 49

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ 2” (1.9 Meters)

Weight: 215 lb (98 Kg)

Email Address: timothy_tessier@yahoo.com

Located in: Greensboro North Carolina USA

 

Backpacking Background:  I hiked as a child with my father and started hiking with my son 7 years ago when he was eight years old.  We now routinely take 20 mile weekend hikes (two nights) approximately once a month year round.  Additionally, we take one, five to seven day extended trip each summer.  Most of our hiking is done in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.  We go regardless of weather so we have experience in all types of conditions.  We do not tend to travel very light, with a typical pack weight of 25 lb (11.3 kg) exclusive of food.

 

Product Specifications:

 

Manufacturer: Komperdell

Year of Manufacture: 2005

URL: www.komperdell.com

Listed Weight: 1 lb 4 oz (0.57 kg) pair

Weight as delivered: 1 lb 3 oz (.54 kg) pair (including summer baskets)

Minimum length: 28” (71 cm)

Maximum extended length: 57” (145 cm)

List Price: N/A

 

Additional Specifications (per manufacturer)

Carbide Tips

Contoured Cork Grips with Nylon straps

Anti-Shock Mechanism

Summer baskets included.  Snow baskets are available as an option.

 

The Savannahs are three section hiking poles made of aluminum.  Each pole features a carbide tip, and a removable plastic basket at one end, and a contoured cork handle with a nylon webbing strap at the other.  The baskets are attached to two metal nubs that stick out from the sides of the pole.  The baskets have notches that you slide over the nubs then rotate half a turn to lock into place.  The pole length can be infinitely adjusted within the maximum and minimum lengths and set by the simple twisting of the pole sections.  The Savannah also features an anti-shock system which can be enabled or disabled by a twist of the joint where the top section and middle section meet.  While the joint is turned half a turn or more to adjust the length, it needs to turn only slightly to emit an audible click that tells the user the anti-shock system is engaged or disengaged.

 

The anti-shock system consists of a spring loaded section in the joint which allows the pole to give slightly when weight is applied, therefore saving wear and tear on wrists.  The literature that accompanied the poles suggested turning the anti-shock system on for downhill and off on uphill climbs to allow the poles to provide maximum power.

 

The bottom two pole sections are marked with numbers to show how far extended they are.  Additionally, they are marked with a line and STOP printed in large letters to prevent removing one section completely from the next.  The numbers are useful as they prevent me from having to go through trial and error each time the poles are extended to find the correct length. After many uses the paint has worn off in a neat ring around the joints at the spot where I lock them.  I actually like this since it clearly marks my optimal length, and in no way will degrade the performance or longevity of the product.

 

In their fully collapsed position the poles fit neatly on the outside of a backpack, secured by the compression straps.  I am 6’ 2” (1.9 M) and I do not fully extend them to use.  I am confident that someone taller could use them as well.  The “twist to lock” locking system is extremely effective.  Simply turn the joint to loosen it, then slide the sections together, or pull them farther apart to achieve the desired length.  The poles maintain the set length for a full day of hiking and climbing.  The poles have collapsed on me only twice that I remember, both times were on the same trip in heavy snow.  This would occur as I would jam one of the poles into the snow with all my weight on it as I slid in the wet snow.  I am not ready to completely blame the poles however, as I was tightening the joints on icy poles with snow covered gloves and may have simply not tightened them sufficiently.  My only gripe with this system is that it is sometimes difficult to loosen them if you have snugged them tightly and your hands are either sweaty or wet from rain or snow when you need to loosen them at the end of the day.  I have actually had to get my hiking companion to hold one end while I used both hands on the other to loosen.

 

I have used these poles in a huge variety of conditions including stifling summer heat and high humidity on flat sandy soil in eastern NC, to the rocky soil of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and on a week long trip in Yellowstone in both boggy and arid conditions.  I have used them in deep snow, in rain, in dry dusty conditions and as support and balance in dozens of stream crossings.  In all conditions I have found them to be a joy to use.  They are so light as to be almost unnoticeable yet they are very stable.  Whether it is helping to drive me up a mountain or avoid a face-plant while going down a steep trail in the snow, they perform precisely as advertised.  I have found the anti-shock system to be useful, as it does save wear on the wrists.  My only concern with this feature is that it is possible to unintentionally loosen the adjustment joint on your pole while trying to simply turn this on or off. 

 

The carbide tip provides excellent traction on anything but pavement or slick rock, and shows absolutely no wear after lots of use.  The plastic baskets are useful in rainy or boggy conditions to keep the pole from simply sinking out of sight when planted.  The plastic baskets can come loose under use.  When in Yellowstone I had one come off on the trail and, had I not been in the lead, it would have been gone.

I have found that the cork grips are quite comfortable.  They are contoured, much like a bicycle grip so that they fit snugly into my palm and provide a comfortable grip for my fingers as well.  With use the cork grip has become smoother and even more comfortable, feeling as if it were custom made to fit my hand.  The nylon web strap is plenty strong enough and shows absolutely no wear after months of use.  The straps will absolutely freeze solid and stiff on a cold snowy day. 

 

I was curious if the cork handles would be sufficient to float the poles should they fall out of a canoe, or be dropped in a stream.  I went to a local lake and tested this.  In their fully collapsed configuration the answer was a resounding no.  The pole promptly sank out of sight, not to be seen again save the string I had tied onto the strap.  However, when extended the poles do possess enough buoyancy to float, no thanks to the cork grips.  I let it float around for several minutes and decided that they would float long enough to be recovered should they fall overboard.

 

I would absolutely recommend the Komperdell Savannahs for general backpacking use.  The intelligent design and excellent construction make these trekking poles an excellent value.

 

Likes:               Light weight     

                        Extremely comfortable cork grips

                        Length adjustment that provides infinite control and stays where it’s put.

 

Dislikes:            Turning anti-shock on/off can loosen joints.

                        Straps need to be a little more supple.

                        Basket attachment is undependable.