UKH

I need to get a set of ski poles (I've got skis) and it seems logical to get adjustable ones, as I may dabble in a bit of ski touring with friends.

Assuming from the outset that normal walking poles can't be used for skiing (i.e. I can't steal my wife's old set out of the garage), I quite like the look of the Black Diamond flick lock ones.

Any comments for/against those or for other ones I should look at?

I don't ski a lot, so looking at the budget-friendly end of the spectrum.

TIA,

In reply to LastBoyScout:

For resort skiing I would get a really cheap pair that come with a power basket (Salomon x Norths). You can usually pick them up for about £20. Lightweight adjustable poles are a magnet for those looking to get a free upgrade from a mountain side restaurant. 

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Some hiking poles work also for skiing. But indeed cheap is right (unless you do a lot, especially races). And If you’re not super solid, you will fall… and falling means ultimately bent or broken poles. BD traverse used to be the best bargain option. But in all honestly even normal (non adjustable) poles work… provided you can switch the Basket to a larger one, and then add some ducktape as the ”lower” handle/fixing tape.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Unless you need the ability to compact down for flying or split boarding I'd go with the the trend for long aluminium poles, about 5-10cm longer than  standard with very long grips.

Cheaper, more robust and easy to change hand positioning while skinning uphill.

Google Les Baton d'Alain, also Grivel and Black Crow have their own take. If in France a good cheaper equivalent from Chalunka chain of outdoor shops.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

No reason you can't use walking poles but you probably want flik lock style over the twist lock ones - twist lock could twist and collapse when you turn etc as the forces are somewhat different when skiing versus walking. You will likely want to add powder baskets so you can  push against the snow etc.

I use a 15 year old pair of Black Diamond Expedition flik lock poles for ski touring. They seem to have stood up to plenty abuse. I only have one set of poles and they get used for the odd hill walk (mostly for burn crossing) or snow shoe too.. I've put some tape (self amalgamating stuff) round the top metal section near the hand grip as it gives better grip when skinning on a traverse. 

In reply to LastBoyScout:

For Alpine touring, the BD expedition 2 or 3 poles are good.  Actually a decent weight for their thickness and they have extended grips.  Don't expect to swap out snow baskets easily after installation though...

In reply to crayefish:

I like BD poles for touring, although I did manage to break one several years ago, thankfully not far from the end of a day tour. But for piste skiing I have a cheap fixed length pair from Decathlon (cost <€20), I also have a fixed length pair of carbon fibre poles for XC skating but thats a very different use.

In reply to crayefish:

Mine are the original ones without longer grips, hence adding tape. I actually removed one my powder baskets and the bit that holds them on during a boggy slide/push out from the Back Corries at Nevis Range in 2008. I contacted Black Diamond (ok actually their distributor in the UK) and they sent for free all the replacement bits I needed plus a spare pair of powder baskets which I thought was pretty decent.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Not totally sure of the need for adjustable poles personally. One piece are much less likely to go wrong.

Yes they are more of a pain to carry them. However, if you are not using them the chances are you are not using your skis either. So just strap them to your bag with your skis.

On multi day tours I would consider taking a spare pole between the group. In this case I would want a collapsible pole. I would go for a light one that I could skin with and survival ski with.

In reply to Rory Shaw:

I've used a pair of cheap head poles for all my skiing, touring and resort for the past 8 years.

I chose them as they were cheap, had a grip that went a fair way in down the handle and were fluro yellow so I can find them easily in the snow

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I'm looking to sell my BD Expedition 2 section flick lock poles. If you're interested in 2nd hand PM me.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I have a pair of Decathlon ski touring poles. Fits the bill perfectly.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Have never really seen the point of adjustable ones and have seen friends break theirs in awkward places. But each to their own.

Decathlon do some good value ones approx 35e when I last bought some years ago

In reply to Rory Shaw:

Are they really though?  Typically, at least based on my experience and of friends, poles fail because they either get bent, or the tip comes off.  I've never had a flicklock mechanism fail beyond repair and haven't heard of it.

I just dont really see an adjustable pole as being more failure prone.

In reply to crayefish:

That is True. Poles get bent or snap (latter If carbon fibre). And indeed the tip/basket can come off. All three will happen to fixed lenght or adjustable ones.

indeed the only thing more to go wrong with adjustable ones is the mechanism. And good quality flick lock ones are pretty fool proof. Problems can happen, If you get cheapo twist-lock kinds off poles.

In reply to crayefish:

Maybe you are right, but there are 4 points of potential failure and if you are relying on pole plants I want to be sure that they are solid.

Also, I've never come across a time when I wish I could collapse my poles when out skiing.

For me, i don't see any advantages of collapsablr poles for the increased weight, cosy and potential failure risk.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

yes Ive used the Black diamond poles found them very good.

In reply to Rory Shaw:

Changing the length for skinning up vs skiing down?  Also handy to change lengths each if one is going to spend a lot of time going across slopes.

I also very much appreciate the collapsibility of 3 piece poles before getting to the slopes; i can just stap to my bag.  2 piece poles aren't really good for this though as they're still massively long when collapsed.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I don’t know if they still make the particular model I have, but Leki ski poles with the system they call Trigger or shark has the massive advantage for skiing of a releasable strap. Normally it is a bad idea to have your wrists in straps for adventurous skiing: it significantly increases the risk of injury in a fall. But it is nice to have the use of straps, particularly for traversing, so it’s great to be able to use them risk free. It’s also really easy to quickly disconnect your wrist from pole. I’m surprised more pole manufacturers don’t use a similar system; maybe it’s still under patent.

Now, if BD combined the whippet ready system with a decent and releasable strap, I’d have to buy yet another set of poles! 

In reply to markk: if I was the op I would snap these up . BD folk lock all the way . Also agree to picking up sone cheap solid poles  for piste sking as soon as possible. Look on eBay . £20 tops .

In reply to crayefish:

This is not an issue if you use modern long single piece poles with long grips.

Or cheap longer poles with physio tape down the upper part of the shaft.

You just naturally adjust the height of your grip not the pole length.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I got some of the Black Diamond adjustable poles a few years ago, with the plan that I'd use them for ski touring.    

However, now that I've done lots of ski touring, I tend to use my other (non-adjustable) BD poles, which have long grips.  I prefer these as they are lighter (nicer to ski with) and work just as well for skinning, with less faff.    I also found I had a habit of forgetting to re-adjust the other poles for the descent (cue more faff...).    They are also significantly cheaper, so if I was choosing between the two now, I'd buy the non-adjustable ones with long grips.

In reply to critter:

well. It sort of is. While many assume that you want shorter poles for the uphill (can be True) you might also want longer poles… and longer than you’re Happy skiing with. Of course you could also hold from the Non optimal position, but considering that I and many are touring for the downhill, that seems rather daft.

that being said, as I ain’t clockin’ big vert days, I often scrape by with just my regular cheapo resort poles.