I had a hiking stick hidden to use on getting down and back-up an extension of a local mountain trail. Someone stole it. I looked for another. Found one. It cracked and broke on me. So, I needed something that I could carry with me. This fills the bill very well. It is well-made, and sturdy. And heavy. Over 3 pounds. I'm only gonna be using it on hills, so to carry it for a flat trail, you better build up those arms. It is do-able though. Will also come in handy to keep away dogs and other animals if necessary. The compass is accurate. It comes will a rubber tip to put on the bottom. The accessories that come with it, specifically the harpoon and knives aren't sturdy enough to be practical because of the short tangs. But overall, this is a very nice item.