Black Diamond  Trail Back Trekking Poles - Pair

I used these on the White Mountains Presidential Traverse. I am 6'1" and weight 185 lbs, carried a 28 lb pack, and the poles were set to 125mm and 130mm. At Edmund's Col while bracing against a 70 mph wind, the lower section of my left pole bent about 15 degrees. I was able readjust the pole and finish the last two days of the trip on in high wind and very rocky trails with the bent pole without any trouble. The most impressive part: I sent Black Diamond a photo and description of the problem. Just two days later, I received a free replacement section in the mail! This company stands behind their products!

Did 6 days in Yosemite backcountry. These held up well and did not have any issues with the locking mechanism. I also did not have any issues with the grips or the straps. I would rate a 5, but they were not as light weight as some of my friends poles, but if you want to cut the weight, you are probably going to have to really step up the price. I did not use the snow-shoe attachments, and ended up storing them for winter. The tips kept a solid grip on the granite, dirt, rocks, and leaves while hiking. These are a must for anyone carrying a larger sized pack. They helped with balance and became second nature after about a half-day of use. Would highly recommend for the price range.

These are lightweight, compact, sturdy hiking poles. These get the job done - nothing too fancy here. i don't always use hiking poles but I like to use them on very tough terrain, in the snow, or when i'm carrying a very heavy backpack. I didn't want anything too fancy or expensive -- I just wanted something simple and durable to get the job done. Great purchase - no regrets! Just make sure when you use the powder baskets you take off the smaller baskets and then SCREW on the larger baskets securely. They are easy to lose if you don't screw them on securely.

I hike 6 out of 7 days.....in winter snowshoe. These are my 3rd pair of poles.....my first pair of balck diamonds. The first two pairs kept slipping and poles shortened AND the spring broke at tighting machenism. This pair came highly recommended by avid hikers. Very easy to adjust! NO SLIPPING!!! I've owned them now for a few years. Only one problem, thumb basket on hand strap has broke But after many, many uses.

I know these poles aren't the most high speed poles out there. They aren't super light. They don't have shock absorbers or camera mounts, but what you get for the price is well worth it. These things are tough and durable. I have been using them all summer in the Sierra Nevada and they have been banged on trees and rocks, shoved into scree and talus and they hold up in all. They make stream crossings easy and easily support my 6'2" 185 lb frame. They have awesome adjustability that is easy to customize for the setting that works best for you. The flick lock is easy to use for quick adjusting while on the trail. The only thing I'm not crazy about are the grips. Mine are a harder rubber and they don't absorb any sweat. This is mostly an issue when I'm not using the wrist guards while going off trail in scree or talus. Other then that, you cannot find a better pole for the price. If your looking for a solid pole, but don't want to spend a lot of cash, these are the poles for you.

I bought these for day hikes in the Friulian Dolomites in Northeastern Italy. These are my first set of trekking poles. I thought trekking poles were silly, but then all the Italians here use them, so I figured I'd give them a shot. The reviews I read for these were very good, and the price point seemed reasonable. I've used them on a couple hikes, and I can say that they are what I was looking for. They definitely make steep uphill climbing easier on the knees and hips, and also add significant stability. The adjustment mechanism is very simple and fool-proof, and rapid. The hand grips are find. The hikes I've been on with them were in hot, humid weather, and I didn't get any blisters and didn't notice them getting slippery. I can't comment on the longevity, as I've only had them a few weeks, but so far, so good. I was going to just buy a hiking staff, but I think having two poles makes more sense, and I'm happy I went with these. Ciao.

I bought these a month ago for a 10-day trek through the Indian Himalaya. The terrain included trail (level, uphill, downhill), moraine (talus, scree, sand), snow slopes, crevassed glacial ice, boulder fields and dense jungle. We walked from 10,000 ft to 18,000 ft and back down again to 5000 ft, with a 30 lb pack. I used these poles virtually every step of the way, apart from some very steep scrambling and one descent down a couloir where I used an ice axe instead. I can heartily recommend these poles. They are, in a word, solid. The flicklocks did not fail or give once and were very easy to fasten/unfasten (in contrast to an earlier pair of twistlock poles I used to own where the mechanism had a tendency to come apart if you glared at it). They helped me get walking/climbing power from the upper body, supported me on downhills with a heavy pack (I have dodgy knees), and provided stability and confidence while boulder hopping and crossing streams on wet rock. They did snag often in dense vegetation, but that would happen with any poles esp. with snow baskets attached (like mine). They don't have shock absorbing springs, but I honestly didn't miss them (my old pair had them) -- they're springy enough on soft ground and on tricky hard ground I appreciated the firm support. A member of our group hurt his knee while descending a glacier. He used my poles as crutches to limp along to the next camp. He is heavier than me (I'm tall and skinny -- 6 ft, 145 lb -- and used the poles at 120 or 125 cm) and was able to rest on the poles without problems. Lastly: when going up a 60 degree mud slope, a fist-sized rock fell towards me at speed. It hit my pole before I had time to react, took a deflection, and missed another guy below me. The pole saved us from possible serious injury. It continues to work without obvious problems, though it does look a bit scratched up after all the abuse and the sliding mechanism is very slightly grittier (a good clean might solve the latter). Cons: These poles are on the heavier side, so if you're looking for ultralight gear these are probably not for you. Also, the right wrist strap would occasionally loosen a bit but was easily re-tightened.

Cheap junk. I got exactly 15 minutes of trail use out of these before one of the poles bent at a severe angle, as I attempted to prevent my self from falling after slipping on loose rock. I planted the pole in the direction of my fall, and when i put my weight on it, it proceeded to bend as my fall continued. I weigh 195 lbs., am 6 feet tall, and was carrying a day pack with food & water. The poles were extended out to 140 cms. both the lower and upper segments of the pole were permanently bent. I returned these poles to REI, and exchanged for some REI brand carbon poles. I used to trust the Black Diamond brand, but not any longer. Use these at your own risk.

Bought these to replace an old pair of REI-brand poles that had bit the dust. I was sold on the locking mechanisms - much better and smoother than the twist mechanism that other poles use (and seem to break down pretty quickly). We'll see how they last, but they are really easy to adjust/breakdown with a quick flip of the thumb. This pole has no "shock absorbers," but those seem to fail pretty easily in other poles I used, so I did not notice any particularly hard vibrations on descents. The only drawback to these are the grips - they are straight-ahead and not molded, like many other brands. Took a hike or two to develop some calluses on my thumbs, but once I had those, no problems. I don't mind the straight grips, but my partner won't use these since she likes the molded grips. Overall - great, basic pole for the money, especially if you want something that is easy to adjust/breakdown.

Used these on a recent hike involving lots of ups and downs and over 20 river crossings. The locking mechanism is excellent, and they never slipped once. Kept my balance the whole way!