There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Couldn't really find another set of poles on the Appalachian Trail that were lighter- and that had the same abilities.
The handles are pretty much perfect, the straps- also perfect, pretty easy to twist down unless your hands are wet, have a solid lockup, super light at about 6.7+- oz /pole, don't make your arms nearly as tired because they are so light, and smaller in length than my bag- so they are compact enough for me. Used TWO pair of these same (compact 3) in green on my 2016 AT thru-hike. One pair was a darker green, and the newer ones are a vibrant shade of neon green- both pairs equally simple to pick out when left in a mound of other hiking poles at a shelter or hostel.
With both sets I managed to not bend or otherwise damage any of the individual sections (total of 3/pole) but the tip sockets in both poles of the first set eventually let the carbide tips fall right out. I guess the abuse was too much (1500+- miles). Despite the carbide tips clearly poking right through, I left the original bumper covers on the ends so as to increase my footprint and try to avoid postholing into the trail. When I realized I lost the carbide tips I tried buying bottom 1/3 replacement sections but no luck with massdrop or the manuf. I loved them so much I just bought another pair and had em sent out to me on the trail. Back home I put replacement bumpers of the originals on the once tip sockets- now a plastic stump and gained another life out of em! Success. Still got the second pair and they are just dandy.
They are so great I'm thinking about buying a third pair just in case they stop making em. EDIT: I did buy a pair of the new version. Best. Poles. EVER.