Well,
I took a look at the Grivel website and this is what they had to say :
Grivel made its first poles in the late ‘80s, and we are now pleased to introduce our new collection, featuring an innovative and user friendly adjustment system (the Up&Down), dual-density grips, carbide tips and interchangeable baskets.
At the time I bought them, there were only a few models available from Leki and these from Grivel (at least 'in store' in the age before internet shopping). The Leki poles were quite different in construction and the handles (it transpired) were glued onto the stems. On the trek I went on that year ('95) I think I was the only one with the Grivels and three of my friends were using Leki. All three had some problem with them - mostly the handles dropping off!!! The Grivel handles were a bit more basic but had a screw fixture on top and - as it turns out - were very robust.
Perhaps they were made by someone else as is often the case with outdoors kit companies, but it's certainly a name that I take as synonymous with trekking poles...
John
Posted: 27/11/2008 at 13:51
