MSR  DynaLock Trail Backcountry Poles - Pair

I wanted 2-piece poles for splitboarding, and these have been great for that as well as skiing and snowshoeing. Winter baskets are great for pulling up heel lifts as well. Only two issues I’ve had with these that took just a couple minutes to fix: 1 the baskets are pretty wide so they’re awkward to strap to a backpack side by side, fixed by making one cut in each basket so they can lock into each other. 2 when fully retracted they don’t lock, so they tend to slide out to where the inner bit widens out. Just wrapped some duct tape around the bottom of each one so they could lock at the shortest possible length. And now I have some duct tape with me in the backcountry so it’s a win-win. With these fixes they only gain functionality and I don’t see the need to spend more on anything fancier

I bought the MSR Dynalock Backcountry poles for *downhill skiing* because they were adjustable: I wanted them shorter for mogul skiing and longer for skate skiing long cat walks out west. A local REI store employee knew of the brand and said they should work for downhill skiing but he couldn't guarantee anything. I used them twice. The poles, themselves, seem incredibly sturdy. The adjustments were quick, easy, and seemed very secure. Unfortunately, I use Hestra Heli gloves when I ski. They are great for cold weather but they're also really big and have a long thick gauntlet. When I pushed my gloves into the straps, the straps would slide free from the buckle on every single run. Super annoying having to de-glove and slide them back in and adjust the straps before each run. I think this issue could be easily fixed if the buckle was tighter and the straps longer,. I tried to call MSR directly for their recommendation on addressing the strap issue. MSR does not have a customer service phone line. I ended up emailing them through their web portal. To MSR's credit, they were very responsive, but also emphatic that these poles were *not* meant for downhill skiing and would eventually break. It's too bad because the poles themselves seem ideal and I really wanted to make them work. If it wasn't for the straps loosening, I would have given these poles 5 stars and I'd still be using them.

Similar to other reviews the lock slips in the collapsed position - which I was not willing to keep knowing they were brand new and I didn't want it to slip when locked in working positions as well.

I’m surprised how much I love these poles considering they’re at the cheaper end of the spectrum. Price wasn’t the reason I got them though—they just have a beautiful simplicity to them. They’re that rare piece of gear that just feels 100% right, ya know? I use them for hiking and snowshoeing in deep winter wilderness and they’ve got the bombproof durability you’re looking for breaking trail ten miles from the car. Super reliable and confidence inspiring.

I'm very happy with my new poles and was a little surprised for how lite they are.

These poles are fine when in use, but when collapsed down they're still pretty large and stick wayyy past the top of my backpacking pack when I strap them to the side; they look rather ridiculous. The locks do a good job of holding the poles in place when extended, but they don't tighten enough when collapsed, so the interior poles fall out ~6". I have to either tuck them into a pocket when collapsed or carry them tips-up; I can't lash them to the exterior of my pack with the tips pointing down. I got them used from a garage sale, and I can see why someone else wanted to get rid of them; I've used them a few times and their flaws aren't the end of the world, but are annoying enough that I'll be replacing them with something more compact and better designed.

These poles are sturdy, the lock is secure, no slip. I like the two sections as opposed to a three section pole. Snow baskets stay on securely. Highly recommend, very reliable.

I used these three times, but unfortunately they snapped in half with normal use while on an uphill stretch. I liked them a lot beforehand!

These poles are very sturdy and especially help trekking up hill with snow shoes

Got these for backcountry skiing and would not get again. Baskets fall off with the lightest touch (I’ve lost both of them now with little use) and the lock system slips over time with use. Would not get for snow spots.