The Hikemasters – like all of Komperdell’s trekking, Nordic Walking and ski poles – are made in Austria. And while carbon fibre may be the material du jour, aluminium still has its place. In the case of the Hikemasters, that’s in both the upper section and lower two extendable sections.
It’s topped with a comfy hand grip, with padded straps, and tailed with a tungsten/carbide flex tip.
The poles measure 65cm in their ‘collapsed’ state, which, like most poles, makes them suitcase and backpack friendly, if a touch too long for most airline carry-on luggage. (The Compact version does, however, collapse down to just 58cm, if that’s a crucial factor for you.) They are adjustable from 105-140cm.
The Hikemasters weigh 586g per pair with baskets, and feel light enough not to drag after a long day’s hike, and are also elegantly styled with lime green pinstriping.
The Powerlock 3.0 mechanism is firm almost to the point of stiffness but feels reassuringly secure when you put any weight on the pole. No twisting is needed to close the clips - simply flip open and push closed to adjust as required - no fiddly extra tightening is needed.
The non-slip hand grip is comfortable and the lightly padded straps are a welcome feature to avoid chafing.
The toothed basket that is supplied with the pole is fine for dry and slightly boggy ground but replacing it with something wider for snow or seriously squelchy mud, if that’s your thing, is a simple click and twist operation.
Huge brownie points for the guarantee: Komperdell offer a 3-year repair service, free of charge, for all their telescopic poles. No matter how it happened, they repair your pole, no questions asked, no receipt necessary, at absolutely no charge for you!
