EMS Alpinist

Review Date
August 5, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: x0clamb(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from willington, CT

Price Paid:  $60.00 at EMS

Summary:
After hearing the benefits of a pair of poles, I thought that I would give them a shot and was glad that I did. Picked up this pair at EMS, took them out the next week and loved them. I have a bad knee and the benefits were great. They are light, easy to use, and took quite a bit of abuse without any problems.

Customer Service:
EMS has always been good to me. Full explaination of poles and their function. The salesman even told me to take them out for a few weeks and if I did not like them, just bring them back for a FULL REFUND. That is unheard of!!! Very happy with the service!

Review Date
November 12, 2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Cliff(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Seattle, Wa

Price Paid:  $50.00 at EMS

Summary:
I thought about this purchase for a long time (do I really need it?) before buying. As a backpacker who is pushing Fifty with a bad back and bad knee, it's one of the smartest pieces of equipment I've ever bought. I also waited a long time before buying because I'm cheap - I refuse to pay the outrageous prices for hiking poles. They DO NOT need to be so expensive! At any rate, I got these non-shock absorbing poles on sale at EMS for $49.00. The work very well and have held up this past year to a lot of use. The angled "cork" grip really feels good in the hand. They've never collapsed and have saved my ass on a couple of occasions. I had a problem with the original baskets in that they would keep coming off in mud and foilage. I lost one of these baskets (it turned out they were for snow-not mud - my fault) and called EMS for replacements. They ended up sending me two pair - one for mud/trail and a pair for snow - at no cost. I would recommend these hiking poles to anyone.

Customer Service:
As mentioned above, EMS replaced two pairs of hiking pole snow/trail baskets for FREE when I lost mine. And losing the thing was my fault. My experience with EMS has been so favorable the last couple of years I now purchase most of my outdoor stuff from them. As a lifelong member of REI (5 digit number) I wish REI would take a few hints from EMS on customer service and can-do attitude.

Similar Products Used:
None