Komperdell Calima Carbon Walking Poles Review
DISCLOSURE -THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Amanda Hayes
If you live in the South of England this summer I am sure the first thing on your mind is an ice cream & cold shower, not long hikes, but if you managed to escape the heat and love walking then this lovely dry summer has been absolutely perfect.
Komperdell was founded in Austria in 1922, and so is a long established & well known manufacturer of walking poles. Unknown to me they also make ski poles, snowshoes & equestrian body protectors, so are involved in all of the sports we love & enjoy as a family. Over one hundred years later their products are still 100 % made in Austria and are the only manufacturer to offer a 3 year free repair service.
Their website is inspiring with stories of athletes using their equipment and after reading that they are a market leader for hiking- and ski poles, I was very pleased to be able to try out a pair of their renowned walking poles. When the parcel arrived from the courier, I thought there had been a mistake and that the box was empty, it was so light! But no, on opening there was a pair of Komperdell’s Calima Carbon, very stylish looking, walking poles.
The first thing I noticed was the cork grips, not only do they look good, they are comfortable to hold and not slippery when your hands get hot and sticky as they often do when walking. The Calima Carbon range is specifically made for women, so the grips are narrower than a standard grip, but are long so you can move your hand up and down whilst using on a gradient. The height is aimed at women too, more suitable for a maximum of around 5ft 10”. As mentioned before, they are also very lightweight, up to 40% less than traditional poles, just a tiny 179g per pole, making them exceptionally easy to carry. The feature I really love is that they are packable, folding down from their max length of around 130cm to less than 60cm, the perfect size for suitcase or rucksack. They also come with a good strong protective cap, so the tip won’t rip your bag whilst packed. It is really easy to shorten & lengthen the poles using the Powerlock 3.0 locking system, effectively two strong swing over clips and the height is marked off in 5cm so you can easily fix at the height that suits you. The wrist straps are easily adjustable and are lightly padded with soft foam for comfort.
Visually the poles are excellent, but out on a walk is where you really notice the premium quality of the Komperdell poles. On any terrain they really alleviate the strain on your knees and back, providing the support you need whilst being comfortable and light as a feather. When you stop for a break, you can just slide back down to their smallest length and pop into your rucksack until you need them. If you have a mishap and bend or break the poles, you have the security of knowing there is a repair service included in the cost of the poles. For a whole 3 years of ownership, no matter what has happened, you can pop the poles back to Komperdell and they will repair or replace, no questions asked.
No doubt about it, these are not cheap poles, but the quality, performance & no fault repair service combined with the packability & feather light weight makes them a must for serious walkers.
Rating: 5/5
RRP £189.99 This product can be purchased from Komperdell here: https://uk.komperdell.com/en/Calima-Carbon/K1752358 or at other good outdoor outlets.