I think a single piece mast is far better. The most obvious thing is being waterproof. Anytime there is a hole drilled or a seam that is not filled, there is a potential for leakage.

The other obvious thing is UV resistance. The material Hobie uses in the CompTip is far less UV resistant than any type of alloy.

There has been debates for years as to the performance advantages / disadvantages. It was done in the name of safety. I personally thing it is a silly safety item.