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Black Diamond Trail

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
photo: Black Diamond Trail rigid trekking pole

These poles are as tough as it gets. I hiked around 1,000 miles in the last six months and I’m glad I had these poles to support me. These are so durable I never even had to tighten the screws of the Flicklocks!

I hiked while carrying an average weight of 36 pounds (16 kilos) and in all types of terrain, but the majority of it were granite and other igneous rocks.

Pros

  • Durability
  • Locking mechanism

Cons

  • None

Durability

Brilliant, superb, outstanding! There were numerous times I had put all of my weight on these poles and they never bent or seemed like they are going to. I threw them down slopes, dragged them on gravel roads and rock slabs and nothing broke, nothing turned loose. The flicklocks never failed!

Neither did I ever have to tighten the screws, for 1,000 miles! That’s unbelievable in my point of view. The carbon tips seem like they will stand at least another 1,000 miles and though there is evident wear to them, it’s not nearly what I would expect it to be.

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Comfort

I found the E.V.A foam grip very comfortable and breathable. The extra length of the grip and the plastic cup on top gives you many holding options while you’re on the move. The straps are comfortable and soft on the hand, very easy to adjust.

The flicklock system is genius. It’s the easiest most reliable locking mechanism on the market. Adjusting both poles takes about 30 seconds — just push the lever open, adjust the two segments by the length mark, and push the lever back to lock position, that’s it.

I’ve seen a lot of other people using poles with switch-locks and they were awful to handle, unreliable and needed readjustment every couple of hours; poles without marks were a nightmare to re-adjust.

The Trail poles also fold down to a pretty small size making them easy to carry.

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Weight

Lightweight — at 490 grams per pair it is light, maybe not the lightest, but surely light enough. I would rather have a bit heavier aluminum poles than ultralight carbon poles that will break on the trail.

Price

Great value for money, cost me less than 100$. There’s absolutely no reason to buy other more expensive poles.

Con

The foam grips do leaves a black residue on your hands at first, but give it a good wash only with water and you’ll see it disappear. There is also a cork version of these poles.

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Source: bought it new
Price Paid: 90$

Very secure. I use them with confidence.

Pros

  • Secure
  • Durable

Cons

  • They seem bulky compared to twist lock.

I've been using these extensively for several months. They have been very reliable with full backpack weight —65+lbs and moving quickly.  I'm very confident with these descending steep slopes.

There is a particular way to adjust the strap, but, once set, it stays in place.

I also have seen absolutely no slippage in the locking mechanisms even in steady rain.

The tips and baskets are still solid after more that 50 days of use - occasionally on gravel.

I was going to purchase Lekis initially, but a knowledgeable sales guy convinced my to buy these. While they aren't sleek looking Lekis, they are a very reliable piece of gear.

Source: bought it new

Great for smallish hands (guy and gal). Very compact and comfortable shock system. I would recommend this product.

Pros

  • Compact
  • Durable
  • Easy to use and maintain

Cons

  • Price

Great fit for my hands. I'm 5'6". These poles are easy to maintain and saved my ACL-less right knee on a 3-day backpacking trip on the AT.

Work great paired with the rubber tips. Very compact. They dropped a few times when I carelessly propped them and only had one set of scratches at the end of it. Lower grips were great on uphill climbs. Flick Locks were easily adjustable.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $58

All I can say is "Flicklock". I tried these out after another brand with the old twistlocks failed on me during a snowshoe trip. Try making it down a mountain with a foot of fresh powder and poles that collapse every time you put any weight on them. When twistlocks fail, you're done as the adjustment occurs when you lock the poles and if that doesn't work, it means the hardware failed. The Flicklock systems is much simpler and external so you can easily adjust or diagnose any hardware problems.

Aside from the great BD locking system, these poles are light, strong, and comfortable. The handles are soft and comfy as well as the straps. I often find myself leaning into the straps to rest because it's so comfortable and sturdy.

Price Paid: $80

Great trekking poles for the price. Simple and easy to use.

Pros

  • Ease of adjustment
  • Durable

I bought these poles after looking at other trekking poles. These Trail poles are simple and easy to use. The Flicklock design to adjust is perfect and quick. No twisting!

These poles are not shock absorbing, which I like. This is something that could just tear up later anyways.

The foam grips are comfortable and offer a lighter weight than the Trail Back series. The wrist straps got perfect and are easily adjustable while on the go.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $70

I can't say enough about these hiking poles. After many years of backpacking in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks my knees started acting up. I really thought my hiking and backpacking days were over. Then my wife bought me these for my birthday and all I can say is lets HIKE! I can do more miles now than I ever did before. I can literally hike with a full pack on, all day now.

I would say my only complaint about them is the material on the handles gets slimy when I get sweaty. And that's why I gave them 4 outta 5 stars...

Price Paid: a gift

Used these on a recent trip to the Red River Gorge, KY. Grips and straps are extremely comfortable. One pole length actually slipped once during a fall, but I was able to tighten the locking mechanism with a phillips screwdriver and worked just fine after that. I highly recommend them.

Price Paid: $79

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Specs

Men's
Price MSRP: $89.95
Current Retail: $109.99-$119.95
Historic Range: $43.27-$119.95
Reviewers Paid: $58.00-$90.00
Women's
Price Current Retail: $119.95-$119.99
Historic Range: $53.78-$119.99
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