Reviews > Trekking Poles > Poles > Komperdell Trail Lite Compact Titanal > Owner Review by Tyler Nagel

Review Date: April 12, 2005

Reviewer Information

Name: Tyler Nagel
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Height: 183 cm (6' 0")
Weight: 76 kg (168 lbs)
Email address: twsnagel [at] shaw [dot] ca
City: Calgary
Province: Alberta
Country: Canada

Backpacking background: I'm an avid hiker with many years of experience in the Canadian Rockies. I am experienced on many light, moderate, and difficult hikes as well as some scrambling. I am just getting into backpacking and am in the process of upgrading and selecting equipment. I tend towards a heavier load since I enjoy a tent over my head and cherish my creature comforts, but I'm searching for ways to lighten my pack.

URL: http://www.komperdell.com
Stated Weight: 436 g (15.4 oz)
Measured Weight: 422 g (14.9 oz)
Length: Adjustable from 125 cm (49") to 64 cm (25")
Shaft Material: Titanal 7000 series aluminum
Handle material: EVA foam
Included accessories: 2 sets of baskets – small diameter solid and snow (small diameter only with 2005 poles)

Field and Test Information:
Location(s) of test: Mountainous terrain in the Canadian Rockies, in Alberta and British Columbia.
Terrain: Varied, ranging from below-treeline gravel fire roads, official trails and unofficial trails, to above-treeline scrambling, including slabs and scree.
Weather Conditions: Varied weather -- sun, snow, rain, ice fog, and ice pellets. Temperature ranged from 35 C (95 F) to -15 C (5 F).

The Trail Lite Titanal poles are sold in sets of two. They are a three-section, compact trekking pole with no shock absorber. The grips are made of EVA foam, and are long enough that they have two grips, one below the other. A compass is set into the top of one pole. The poles are equipped with padded wrist straps. On my 2004 poles, the inside of the padding is white; on 2005 models this has been changed to a black mesh lining.

These poles collapse in three sections. They are designed this way so that they take less space up inside a pack, or when strapped to the exterior. The locking is accomplished through a mechanism called DuoLock, which allows the poles to be tightened or loosened very quickly.

The poles come with removable and interchangeable baskets. The 2004 poles were supplied with large snow baskets as well as smaller diameter baskets that were solid. 2005 poles only come with the smaller baskets, but the larger ones are available as an accessory.

I have used the Trail Lite Titanal poles on every hike I've taken since their purchase. I bought them less for stability, and more to spare my knees. I have found that since their use, I haven't had nearly as much knee pain that I had before I started using the poles.

In terms of their actual design, the poles are excellent. The foam grips are durable and don't get wet with perspiration. The wrist loops are adjustable, and they are padded so that the user can put significant weight on them without cutting the circulation off in their wrists. The locks are well made and have never slipped on me under load.

The poles can also withstand significant abuse. I have put my entire body weight on a single pole in a few situations – sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. The poles bend but do not break, and they flex back to their initial shape seemingly none the worse for wear.

The poles appear to have the decorative paint applied directly to the aluminum, and then coated with a clear lacquer. The bottom sections of my poles are quite scratched from a season of hard use, but since aluminum does not rust, I'm not concerned that the lacquer is scratched off. The scratching does not affect the function of the poles in any way.

The wrist straps were a major selling point for me. Unlike more inexpensive poles which feature nylon webbing straps, these straps are sewn out of cloth and are padded. This allows me to carry most of the weight on my wrists, which means that I need to grip the pole less tightly.

I like the fact that these poles collapse to a very short 64 cm (25"). It allows me to fit them into the ice axe loops of my pack and not have them stick up above the pack, to catch on protruding branches above the trail.

I've found that these poles fill up with water when I ford streams. When I get home at the end of a trip when I've used them in wet conditions, I completely disassemble the poles and allow them to dry out before reassembly. I'm not sure if the manufacturer recommends doing this, but it eliminates any possibility of mildew forming inside the poles.

The only thing that I've found less than satisfactory about the poles is that the compass is worse than non-functional. The compass in my poles, and in every set in stock at the retailer when I purchased the poles, has a little bubble in it. The bubble sometimes gets jammed under the disc of the compass, preventing it from working correctly. It is quite difficult to free the bubble. The bubble also has the unpleasant side effect of causing the compass to faintly rattle with each pole-plant. If you're hiking in a group this is barely noticeable, but when you are hiking solo, you become much more attuned to the noise. I have, on many occasions, considered digging the compass out of the top of the pole.

I notice that the 2005 models don't come with bubbles in the compass, and I am considering asking Komperdell to replace the faulty pole.

Summary:
These poles are my favorite piece of gear. With the exception of the faulty compass, they are perfectly designed and manufactured. I never leave on a hike, no matter how short, without them.

Things I liked:

1. Their size
2. Their solid locks
3. The padded wrist straps

1. The compass

Reviews > Trekking Poles > Poles > Komperdell Trail Lite Compact Titanal > Owner Review by Tyler Nagel