I just received this about two hours ago. Took it out of the box, assembled it and trekked with it about 1 and 1/2 miles to the library. Traversing over sidewalks and parks. Some uphill and some down hill. Fortunately I do not have to rely on any of my LL Bean poles to walk. Half the time I am twirling the staff like a drum majors baton. Also it looks great and has a english/metric conversion numbers on it.
ProsDurable, Great Value, Performing as Expected, light but strong
I took my staff with me to Florence, Italy for four days, where I walked long days through the many museums and churches there. My staff was great for providing a bit of stability on the uneven stone streets, plus helped with the irregular stairs - AND - extra bonus - a great camera stabilizer!
I then had it for a week I spent at a rural farm in Tuscany. Fabulous on the hill trails!
My only improvement would be to have the staff collapse to just a bit of a smaller size so it can be packed in a suitcase instead of carried. But no problems getting it through airport security.
Though I have been hiking for 6 or 7 years I was hesitant about using a hiking staff. When preparing for a recent hike in Death Valley, I was encouraged by the guides to obtain a hiking staff. I selected the Panorama and used it for 5 days in Death Valley. It was very reliable on rough terrain. The extended pieces held their position and the grip was secure even in the heat of the desert. The rubber tip covered the metal nub so I was able to carry it on the plane.
