Reviews > Trekking Poles > Poles > Leki Diva Antishock > Test Report by Kathleen Waters

LEKI DIVA ANTISHOCK TREKKING POLES
TEST SERIES BY KATHLEEN WATERS
INITIAL REPORT
May 26, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

I started hiking in 1998 after an eye-opening climb up Hahn's Peak in Colorado. Hooked, I return to Colorado often. I've hiked/snowshoed glaciers, rain forests, mountains and deserts in domestic and exotic locations, including Iceland, Costa Rica, Slovenia and Death Valley. At home, I plan for 2-3 hikes of 6-8 mi (10-13 km) weekly and one weekend hike monthly. Weekday hikes take place in Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, a mixture of heavily-wooded moderate hills and flat terrain. Weekend hike locations vary. My hiking style is comfortable, aiming for lightweight. Current pack averages 25 lb (11 kg) including food and water

INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Leki Year of Manufacture: 2008 Manufacturer's Website: http://www.leki.com MSRP: USD $139.95 Listed Weight: 15.6 oz (442 g) Measured Weight: 15 oz (425 g) Length Closed: 23.5 in (60 cm) Other details, including picture: (from Leki Website) Shaft:: Three Section Aluminum Grip: Positive Angle Thermo Compact Strap: Auto Comfort Finish: Ultra Sonic/Anodized Special Features: Carbide Flex Tip / Interchangeable basket system / SLS Locking System / SAS-Lite Antishock System Warranty: All LEKI-branded trekking poles are covered by a LIFETIME WARRANTY against shaft breakage.* Warranty does not cover wear and tear from normal use or damage from abuse. *One-year limited warranty on Carbon poles.

Leki Diva Trekking Poles

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Before the Leki Divas arrived, I had spent a bit of time on the Leki website. There is lots of good information on trekking poles there and I learned quite a lot. The Leki website certainly prepped me for the Divas' arrival and my anticipation was not for naught.

The Leki Divas arrived securely clipped together with what I assume is meant to be a retail "hanging" system. The neat hook would also make a nice storage option had it not broke in two when I dropped the poles indoors. Oh well! A second plastic clip kept the poles secured at the tips. Clear plastic protectors covered the tips of the Divas and could well be used during storage.

A folded hang-tag was attached to the poles proclaiming the Divas as part of the "Wildflower Series". Bulleted descriptions of the poles' features, brief explanations of the Super Lock System, instructions on pole height/length adjustments and proper strap use were all contained therein. A mini DVD titled "Fun & Secure TREKKING with LEKI" was also enclosed. The mostly promotional DVD mixed some basic tips on using poles with gorgeous scenery and narratives by famous climbers.

DESCRIPTON

The 4.5 in/11.3 cm (front) to 5 in/12.7 cm (back) grips are comprised of cushiony Thermo foam with silver caps at the tops. There are slight protrusions at the top fronts for stabilizing my fingers and more prominent ones on the bottom backs of the grips on which I can rest my hands. The circumference at the widest portion of the grips is 3.8 in/9.7 cm.

Black fleece lined wrist straps are attached to the undersides of the silver caps on top of the Thermo foam grips. "Leki" and their website URL are embossed in silver on suede labels sewn on the outside of the straps. The straps themselves are made of a woven/webbed material. The straps are threaded into the silver grip caps and appear to be adjustable.

A subtle pattern of gold on sand defines the upper section of the Divas. Black lettering proclaims the poles as "LEKI" and advertises the Divas as "Ultralight" and sporting the "Makalu Antishock" feature. The mid and lower sections of the poles are black with silver length designations in centimeters on each section. The designations range from 90 cm to 125 cm (36 in to 49 in) at which point there is a "Stop Max" warning. Each section is divided by a black "locking" mechanism.

Two and a half inches (6.4 cm) from the tips of the Diva trekking poles are removable flexible round basket that are concave towards the ground and have saw-tooth edges.

The Leki Divas culminate in a short concave carbon tip.

READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

I had high hopes the enclosed DVD would be useful in learning how to use and maintain the Leki Divas, but alas, the DVD was just basically "fluff". The printed instructions gave instructions on the Super Lock System and how to adjust the height of the poles. There was a handy chart listing hikers' height with the correct corresponding settings for the poles. Mention was made of elbow placement (90 degree angle) for proper fine-tuning.

Most puzzling to me were the graphics depicting the proper positioning of the wrist strap. It is contrary to the way I have always used my wrist straps and feel totally foreign to me. According to the Leki instructions, the wrist strap actually ends up being held in my hand against the grip. This makes the strap rather tight on the back of my wrist. I will be curious as to how that works in the field.

TRYING IT OUT

As I mentioned above, I'm not sure about the use of the Diva wrist straps, but trying out the trekking pole adjustments was a piece of cake!

The instructional chart indicated for my 5' 4" (1.6 m) height, I needed to set my poles at the 115 cm (45 in) marks. I found a smooth turn counter-clockwise loosened the lower section from the mid-section. Slowly, I pulled the lower section downward and away from the mid-section until the marker became visible. Once I reached the proper marker, I turned the lower section clockwise to tighten and lock the pole into position. I repeated the same steps to adjust the mid-section of the Diva. This produced a good fit for me. Once I'm on the trail, I will be sure to "fine tune" the heights to account for varying terrain.

Collapsing the poles was just the reverse of the extension steps. In both cases, the sections moved smoothly and easily without any "snagging" or fuss.

To adjust the wrist straps, I needed to pull upward on the straps to "pop" the black plastic tops embedded in the silver cap handles. The wrist straps were then easily loosened. A quick push on the black plastic tops then locked the newly adjusted wrist straps into position.

Upon my initial examination and testing, I can see no flaws in the craftsmanship of the Leki Diva trekking poles.

SUMMARY

I use trekking poles all the time - 5 mile (8 km) round-trip walks to the mailbox, strolls around our very hilly, rocky property in Canon City, CO, day hikes, overnights - all the time! With all the loose dirt, slippery mud, sand and hard rock I experience in any given week, I'm confident I will be thoroughly testing the Leki Divas in varied terrain and conditions. Add to that mix, my natural clumsiness and rest assured, the Divas will be amply stressed!

For the next four months, I will be looking to see how the various design features affect the Leki Divas' performance. This concludes my Initial Report on the Leki Diva Antishock Trekking Poles. Please come back in late July for the results of my first two months of testing.

Thank you to BackpackGearTest.org and Leki for the opportunity to test these "made-for-women" trekking poles!

Kathleen Waters

Reviews > Trekking Poles > Poles > Leki Diva Antishock > Test Report by Kathleen Waters