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Fizan Compact 3

rated 4.0 of 5 stars
photo: Fizan Compact 3 rigid trekking pole

The Fizan Compact 3 trekking poles are extremely light, comparable to and even lighter than many carbon fiber poles, but these poles are high-strength lightweight aluminum. So you don't risk breaking them like carbon can, and they are very affordable. They are very strong and sturdy.

Pros

  • Ultralight
  • 7001 aluminum alloy
  • Strong, sturdy
  • Not breakable like carbon fiber poles
  • Budget friendly
  • Well made

Cons

  • None really—twist locks but I've never had slippage
  • Foam grips do not extend down poles below handle

This is a review of the Fizan Compact 3 trekking poles. I am not connected to Fizan in any way.

These are some of the lightest trekking poles on the market, tipping my scale at 6.0 oz per pole including wrist straps. That’s lighter than my previous set of carbon fiber poles, and yet these Fizan poles are high-strength aluminum (7001 alloy).

I was in the market for new poles because I had used carbon poles before and twice I broke a pole and wanted to explore aluminum once again. I saw these on Massdrop and jumped on them.

I love how light they are, and they are very strong as well. Overall these poles are well made, a high quality item. The EVA foam grip is comfortable. These poles are adjustable, telescoping up to 52" (132cm) in height and collapsible down to 23" (58cm) for storage and travel (small enough to fit diagonally in a roll aboard suitcase, thought I suggest for flying you should check rather than carry on any trekking pole to avoid the risk of it being confiscated). Some other specs:

  • Carbide tip
  • Twist lock (barrel adjuster)
  • Neoprene wrist strap
  • Two sets of baskets in different sizes
  • Tip covers

Their performance does not stand out for having any frills or special bells and whistles. In fact, they are pretty straightforward poles with all-purpose performance comparable to a lot of other poles out there. They do what poles are supposed to do. The big difference is the weight savings without the expense and negatives of carbon fiber.

These poles have a very solid, sturdy feel to them. In using them on various terrain and to support my shelter I have not felt them flex hardly at all.

Some people may dismiss these poles because they are twist lock, having experienced slipping before. But these poles have what Fizan calls the Flexy Locking System, an internal barrel adjuster made of Delrin that locks the segments in place. I have experienced zero slippage with these twist locks. I will grudgingly admit that flick locks can be slightly more convenient, but twisting the segments to adjust the poles really is no big deal. And you save the weight of two flick lock mechanisms per pole.

Internal barrel adjusters:

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The only other quibble I could see someone having is that the foam grip does not extend from the handle down the pole as some poles have, to allow you to grab the pole lower on uphills. That’s not a problem for me, and less foam = less weight.

There even is a new StickPic sized to work with Fizan’s pole tip housing, so I can use my trekking poles as a selfie stick on steroids while on the trail.


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EDIT - additional photos:

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Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $55 including shipping

Extremely lightweight with a remarkable ability to withstand sheer forces.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Twist Lock yet to fail like many other of similar design
  • Rigid
  • Compact

Cons

  • Plastic handles chafe sometimes
  • Straps are difficult to adjust

I didn't expect to like these as much as I do, especially for the money. I'm constantly amazed at how much downward and side pressure they can withstand. I generally treat my gear pretty gingerly, but there are times that I've thrown a lot at these poles and they show no signs of any detriment.

For the money, these are hard to beat. Should they fail at some point, they are cheap enough to buy again.

Background

moderate experience

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $60

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Specs

Price Reviewers Paid: $55.00-$60.00
Product Details from Fizan »

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