Black Diamond Poles

I am becoming disenchanted with internal lock poles. I have have had internal lock poles from major brands (Komperdell, Leki, Fizan) and they all collapse a little on the trail. Not much, maybe an inch or two, but I don't like that. It is irritating on an uphill or jumping across a stream. I don't abuse them, I tighten them properly, and I take them apart and clean them with a rag and water, but they still do it. I'm thinking of switching to Black Diamond trail poles with flip locks because I've hear they don't collapse. I tried some at REI and really put a lot of pressure on them to the point where the poles bent a little, but they did not collapse or slide down. I'm just wondering if they collapse on the trail like the other poles. Anyone have any experience with the Black Diamond flip lock poles?

I have Black Diamond poles and they sometimes do as you describe.

I have a friend who thru-hiked the AT with his Black Diamond flip locks, and several years later he's still using the same set and still swears by them.

I have a pair of MSR Carbon Overland poles (internal twist-lock) that I've used for about 3 years now, and I don't have any complaints. I did run into one person who said his locks loosened and collapsed mid-hike frequently.

I have hammered away on my Gossamer Gear Lightrek 4s with no slippage, tho you should be sure they are tight before putting your weight on them.

They have also been excellent shelter poles for my tarptents and awning props for my hammock. They do not require a lot of tightening to lock, and the mechanism is totally different than the mass marketed poles. Meaning I can pull the sections apart and move the stopper down some, if the poles won't lock, and then they lock.

There have been two occasions where I have had to email Gossamer Gear - in both cases my email got a response in a few hours, and in both cases the problems were rectified within a week - they sent me a replacement lower section once after repeated failures to lock, figuring that freezing temps must have affected the poles. The other time, marmots ate one of the grips and nibbled the other - replacements will cost $15 but they replaced the first set for free. Excellent customer service, unlike the Komperdells I had - when the twist locks on the Komperdells failed there was no way to fix 'em, no phone numbers or emails I could find on their website, so no more Komperdell poles for me. I count the customer service as part of the purchase price and will probably replace the GG poles with a second pair if I ever manage to break 'em for good. They are amazing poles. Everything else feels like they weigh a ton by comparison.

The only thing about them that is mildly annoying is they are two section and do not collapse very small. But this is not a bother to me - I picked up a cheap set of Easton 3 section poles from Sierra Trading Post, those are now my Search and Rescue poles - heavy, but they too have very solid locking mechanisms.

I haven't had any slippage problems with either pair of my Leki poles (old set of Makalu and newer set of Carbonlite) slipping. Or, for that matter, the single Leki staff I bought in 1988. And I often put a LOT of weight on my poles! That's even though I often have to go visit a neighbor to get help opening jar lids.

On the other hand, I tried working the flicklocks on BD poles in the store and couldn't manage to do it. I am one of those who doesn't have much strength in my fingertips.

YMMV!

I have Leki Makalu poles and have had problems with them slowly collapsing in winter-the lock just won't stay tight. I suspect they get water in them and it freezes, but am not sure. I have used them as ski poles (XC, not downhill) and with snowshoes.

Tele skiers recommend the BD poles with the flick-lock, but I've never really checked them out.

My Leki Malaku poles have functioned just fine; I have owned and used the same pair for the past sixteen years. I would note that the lowest section must be extended to the point where it is at full diameter in order to be secure.

Yeah, I have them fully extended, but they still slip, or at least one does. I may take them apart again one of these days to see what is going on.

If you are pure of heart, they won't slip!

Hmm, so that's the problem, I knew it must be something.

I have two cheap Kswiss shock absorbing an one Lieki the wife got me for xmas last year. The lieke is a touch lighter but not noticably! They both loosen after a couple miles? Why because I twist my wrist at times and it loosens the locks! Do I care? No. sorry I am out there to relax and enjoy nature. Im not there to set land speed records. If a pole loosens I stop, fix the pole have a drink snap a few photos and enjoy! Smell the trees and enjoy the solitude. We are here for a very short visit. Remember why we backpack in the first place.
No Offence, just my perspective!

I have a set of black diamond poles (6'1" 235#) and the fliplocks are terrific. The locks will occasionally loosen, but a quick turn of the adjustment screw sets the lock to any tension you want. rock solid poles!

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I went day hiking today out of the Glenn Alpine trailhead near Lake Tahoe. It is amazing how little snow there is in the Lake Tahoe/Desolation Valley area now. I was in my trail running shoes at 8000 ft. in the middle of December with no problems. There was some ice on the trail though at times, but very little snow.

The plan was to go to Susie Lake, but somehow we got off trail headed up some steep cliffs with lots of boulder hopping. Well, we eventually had to come down the cliffs and my fancy Italian made Fizan poles collapsed a little again on the way down. When we got to the bottom of the cliffs, I tightened one pole, pushed on it hard, and the bottom section collapsed up inside the second section entirely. Not exactly confidence inspiring. I want those expanders to hold until the poles bow out. Maybe I'm expecting too much from them. I need to investigate this collapsing pole syndrome more thoroughly.

I may wait until the Black Diamond poles come on sale and report back.

I took my Lekis apart and looked at the mechanism on both of them. I think the problem with them collapsing is that with a twist lock design, if the basket catches on something and doesn't spin like it should, it will cause the lock to loosen up, just enough to cause the pole to collapse slowly. A flick-lock design may prevent that from happening.

When I was working in town I would pop across the road to the outdoor shops (all the major ones are still there next to each other) and would fiddle with gear.
With trekking poles I could jam most of the twist type no problem at all, however I could not really "jam" a Flick Lock BD.
If loose all I had to do was tighten the screw with my finger nail.
Can't really do that in winter but a flat screw driver blade will do it in no time at all .
Franco

You might consider a single piece pole, usually marketed as a "ski pole". They're obviously a bit cumbersome to strap to the pack when not used but they definitely don't slip.

Fixed length poles are a bit of a problem for those of us whose pole length needed for hiking is shorter than what we need to hold up our shelters!

OM, A couple of thin wall electrical conduit pipe for pole extenders would let you use fixed lenght poles.

I'd still rather have the collapsible, thanks! As I posted previously, I've never had problems with them slipping! But that would help those who want fixed length poles.

I use single piece ski poles. Price is the main factor though. I bought mine for $5 at the thrift store. Some day I might try those fancy smancy collapsible ones.

No issues with my Black Diamond Contour poles. Got them for a great price off of SAC a few years ago and the have had zero issues once adjusted. I use them for hiking and to support my Lightheartgear Solong 6

Suffered with twist lock poles collapsing for quite some time, the final straw was a collapse on a steep rocky pitch that nearly resulted in a granite face plant. Bought a pair of Black Diamond, "Alpine Carbon Cork" flip lock poles the beginning of 2011. To date including snow shoeing, a White Mountain Presi-traverse, a Mt Washington climb via Huntington Ravine, a Franconia Ridge traverse and a couple of hundred trail miles I've had zero collapse events. Don't even think about it, just get the flip locks and hike/climb with confidence. It would be nice if you bought the twist locks from a place that guarantees satisfaction to return them to. Otherwise give them to someone you don't like!

I'll throw in another vote in favor of the flick lock. I've had the alpine carbon cork poles, too, for a few hundred miles. They've never slipped...ever. I backed over them with my car, and a squirrel chewed off the cork handles, but they're still going strong.

Go ahead and chuckle, but my $14 walmart flip lock pole works just fine and has yet to fail under heavy use (only used for hiking however, no tent/tarp support). Quick and easy to adjust and super light.

No chuckling here...walmart poles look really well built for the price.
However, my $3 recycled ski poles have never collapsed, buzzed, failed, period. My wife's fancy schmancy poles are something I deal with almost every time out.
Something I watch for in trekking poles is "swing weight". The less hardware you have on the shafts, the lighter the pole and the less energy it takes to swing it. That's why I went to modified ski poles early on. Lighter and nothing to fail. Never had a problem traveling with them either, versus telescopic poles. They all end up in checked baggage anyway.

I have those poles and they have never colapised. I did have one of the click items break and sent it back and they replaced it cost me about 8 bucks for shipping and handling.

Other than that they are Bomb Proof. 3 years now. I do spray them with some lube everynow and then.

At the price of 129.00 for 2 walking sticks they should be rock solid.

Mark Jones

I have used the Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork flick lock poles for an entire A.T thru hike in 2011 as well as about 500 miles of other trail hiking. Not a problem yet and still going strong.

NEH:

I've been wanting to get some BD poles for the reasons above and Steep&Cheap has the Alpine carbon cork one's sporadically for 1/2 off ($70), but there are some users who say that pieces of cork break off the handle. But if you did the AT plus 500 more miles without that problem with the Ergos (that retail for $40 less than the carbon ones), sounds like the cork issue may not be an issue. (Or is it possibly the difference of the Ergo and the Alpine poles' cork handles?)

They were listed yesterday... $70 a pair. I bought pairs!