Tracks Sherlock Travel Staff

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Name: Louis Luangkesorn
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 5'  (1.65 m)
Weight: 150 lbs (68 kg)
Email: lluang at yahoo dot com
City: Morton Grove, IL USA
Date: February 12, 2003

Beginner to Intermediate backpacker.  I've have gone camping on occasion over the past 10 years.  I have started going on backcountry trips over the past 1 1/2 years mostly in Wisconsin.  I also go on day trips in Illinois and Indiana.  I am also a photographer and I try to have my hobbies go well together.  While I am lightweight for a serious photographer (Manual SLR, 2-3 prime lenses, Ultrapod, and occasionally either a compact tripod or a light (relatively) full sized tripod) the volume and weight of this effectively removes me from the ultralight category.  My total weight (everything but the clothes I'm wearing) for a weekend fluctuates between 25-40 lbs (11 - 18 kg) depending on season, how serious I happen to be about photography and cooking on that trip and who I am with.  Since I've already given up on ultralight, I give myself the luxury of a tent, sleeping pad, cooking stuff and an alcohol stove.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer:  Cascade Designs

Web site:  Cascade Designs

MSRP:  $65.00

Weight  (Advertised/Actual)

18 oz.  (500 g)/  18 oz. (500 g)

Length

Assembled (Advertised/Actual)

44.5" - 57.5" / 45" -  57.5"

(113-146cm/114-146cm)

43.67" -   56.12"  without knob top

(111 cm - 142 cm)

Disassembled part

Advertised 24" (61 cm) stored

Actual parts:  24", 21.25"  (61 cm, 54 cm)

DESCRIPTION:

(from web site)

"The Sherlock Travel Staff is a three-section adjustable-length walking staff that unscrews for compact storage and travel. Disassembled sections pack into a convenient nylon carry bag. The upper staff is encased in a soft foam sheath. Features include sure-locking push-button length adjustment, a contoured foam grip with adjustable Wedge Lock wrist loop, a camera mount beneath a walnut knob, and a removable rubber foot concealing a spike tip."

USAGE

I have used this over a period of a year on both weekend backpacking trips,  and on day hikes when car camping.   The staff has served as a backpack lifter, a camera monopod, a tarp holder and (surprise) as a walking stick.

EVALUATION

I purchased the Sherlock Travel Staff to fulfill two requirements:  1)  A walking stick for hiking 2) a monopod for photography.  This requires some compromises.  Monopods tend to be more rigid than walking sticks because of the need for stability when taking pictures (any anti-shock mechanism is out of the question).  Walking sticks need to be more durable at the foot because of the need to survive repeated impacts on the ground.  In addition, monopods typically have plain barrels, because any print on the barrel is an unwanted distraction for a photographer who wants as little attention as possible.  Finally, I wanted something that would pack small.

The first observation about the staff is its heft, especially compared to other walking sticks and trekking poles I've tried out.  The usual test for a monopod or a tripod is to extend it all the way then lean on it.  When this is done there is no observable flexing of the Travel Staff.  For hiking, this has given me confidence to use the staff to vault small ditches.  I like the use of the staff as a hiking stick.  When hiking on ridgelines, the use of the staff definitely helps me keep going, expecially when I happen to be the shortest one of the party.  Even with the rubber foot on, it is quite stable on both dirt trails and on rocky trails.  The push-button length adjustment works well.  There is an extension within the bottom section which can slide out and has a push-button thing that locks into holes in the bottom section.  The bottom section is adjustable via holes every 1.5" (3.8 cm).  The holes are covered by the foam sheath, but it is easy to feel and press the push-button thing.  For hiking I have it set on its lowest hole.  Once it locks, it stays locked in place until I purposely adjust it.  To adjust it, I press down on the push-button until it comes out of its hole, twist the lower barrel slightly then adjust the length of the lower section appropriately.  There is a white line down the extension that helps align the push-button thing with the holes when I am at the desired length.

There is an adjustable wrist strap at the head of the staff.  At the top is a walnut knob that can be unscrewed if wanted (to reveal a camera mount or to remove the strap mechanism).  The walnut knob is nice when using the staff to support a tarp.  When I use the staff to help support a tarp, I can put the staff in the middle of the tarp (instead of just at a reinforced point) and the smooth surface of the knob does not threaten to punch a hole in the tarp.  As the top is nice and symmetric, it also functions well as a backpack stand to lean a pack against when on a resting break.

Some things I do not like.  Under the rubber tip, there is a spike tip.  I find this to be almost unusable.  On softer ground, the spike seems to be good at picking up anything on the ground (such as leaves and clumps of dirt) but a spike tip does not inspire confidence that it will provide any traction on hard surfaces. (unlike a tip that is flat or has teeth at the bottom.)  After prolonged use, the screws for the rubber tip have stuck.  When I remove the rubber tip, it first comes off the plastic mount that covers the spike, then I am unable to remove the plastic mount without tools. (I do not think the plastic mount is meant to be used by itself, I think it would disintegrate rapidly.) 

As it is, the Travel Staff cannot be used as a monopod.  The screw is the right size, 0.25" (6.35 mm) however it is too long, 0.375" (9.52mm) long compared to most tripod screws which are 0.1875" (4.76 mm) long.   This is too long for the tripod socket of any camera I have.   Above the mount for the wrist strap there is a disk which can travel up the screw and could conceivably be used to shorten the screw so it is the right size.  However, when this is done the wrist strap mechanism becomes loose.  When I use the Travel Staff as a monopod I add a Bogen swivel/tilt QR (quick-release) monopod head (I think any monopod without a QR head is useless in the backcountry).  When this is done, the Travel Staff is a serviceable monopod and the long screw is not an issue.  I have used the Travel Staff as a monopod on a variety of surfaces (soft and hard) with good results and no problems when using the rubber foot. (Cascade Designs has a 13" (33 cm) camera mount extension listed on their website, but I have never seen this at any retailer site nor are there any statistics.)

As a compromise walking stick/camera monopod, the addition of a QR monopod head makes this as good as any, both durable and stable.  The push button adjustment is robust, and I have complete confidence that the staff won't suddenly collapse on me.  However, it is heavy compared to other trekking poles and walking sticks, and I would redesign the metal spike to make is more useful on trails (other than as a garbage collector).