Poles that fit IN your pack when climbing

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 TobyA 21 Jan 2018

Does anyone have walking poles that they like, don't break (or at least not that easily), don't weigh a ton, and most importantly can fit inside their rucksack when you are climbing?

I have problems with going over on my ankles, particularly walking down, and find walking poles a big advantage but the various ones I have (telescopic, not folding) even when split into three separate pieces (with the slight risk of loosing the widgets for non flick lock designs), still don't fit that well into my 40 ltr pack. Yesterday it was annoying me enough to make me think I could spend some Christmas money on a new pair if they fitted my "perfect poles" description above!

 alexm198 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I had the same problem with my old Black Diamond Trail poles. Replaced them with a pair of Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z and they are wonderful — really light and fit well in pack. Not sure how robust they are, being carbon. BD do an aluminium pair as well (Distance FL Z). 

 HeMa 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Any of the ones that fold away like probes. The BD ones Sari has are rather nice and sleek. But the cheaper Gipron 310 Mont Blanc’s ain’t too shabby either. 

 

You can get lighter with CF, but with a premium. Or If you loose the small adjustability the ones I mentioned above. 

 Pedro50 21 Jan 2018
In reply to alexm198:

I have the same, 250g and under 40cm when folded. I really like them. 

I am on my second pair however. The carbon was perfectly robust but after 3.5 years the internal connecting cord snapped. BD say irreparable which seems pretty poor IMHO and surely bad design. 

 Trangia 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I've got a pair of Eurohike Pinnacle Carbon Ultralights which are 3 section telescopic, very light and 2' 1" without the rubber tip long, collapsed which fit comfortably into my day sack. Got them from Cotswold Outdoors. Very pleased with them and they seem strong and robust.

 shantaram 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Mountain King Trail Blaze are highly recommended http://www.mountainking.co.uk/menu/21/Light%20Compact/ 

Due to an old ankle climbing injury coming back to haunt me, I use poles all the time for running and walking. These poles are very durable, lightweight and pack down to nothing. Just what you need. 

In reply to TobyA:

For small, compact poles that fit inside pack, Alpkit Z folding ones (£35 a pair) tick the boxes. Mines have lasted about 2 seasons use, before each one breaking 2 weeks apart!

Stuart

 

 top cat 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I have just arrived home [c40 mins ago] having purchased poles for the very same reasons.

I got Leki Vario Carbon STRONG.  Might be heavier than some others, but I figured the strength was a worth while payoff. 

I have fitted floating baskets [already!] for ski touring, but will use smaller baskets for climbing/walking use.

 

Clearly I have no idea how they will perform yet, but I have used Leki ski poles for years and really like the handle/grip design.

 

 Andrew Lodge 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I've been using a pair of Black Diamond Z poles for about three years now and they work really well, easily fit into my Alpine Attack 35:45.

 damowilk 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I had a set of BD carbon ski touring poles in the Z style for putting in pack during ski mountaineering to avoid getting in the way, wasn’t too impressed with durability and function, though maybe par for the course for this style of pole. Just switched to Leki vario carbon tours, though little use yet to see if any better.

 angry pirate 21 Jan 2018
In reply to Stuart the postie:

I use the same. Great for the price, though I had to Jerry rig the wrist straps as they were some funny Nordic skiing thing (newer model has more normal straps) and one failed second time out. Sorted by their excellent after sales though.

I do rate them overall though.

 Jim Lancs 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I bought some Leki folding poles at Christmas for exactly the same reasons. I favour the the shaped 'ball feature' on the tops of the Leki poles and often use these in the palm of my hands when descending as it keeps the wrists straighter. They also have interchangeable baskets with a larger ski one working well in the softer snow at the weekend.

 tjin 21 Jan 2018

Summer: Black Diamond Z-poles are excellent; just don't leave them on the mountain by accident...

Winter: I got the Rossignol Touring Pro's. (ski poles, but obviously work for snowshoeing too)

 

 Exile 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

as a couple have said - Alpkit, great value, mine haven't broken at all and had a fair bit of use, but you'll need to rig new wrist straps

 

 nniff 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Black Diamond Z in aluminium, being more resistant than carbon to abuse and take full size baskets. The weight difference is small.  The cork handles are not resistant to a young puppy's teeth, but Sugru makes an acceptable repair and give one's poles a unique piebald look that eases identification.

 lithos 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

i would have recommended the Grivel ones Himalayaa i think they were called) but they stopped making them and mine are now bust but are old, 5++ years

i have mountain king blaze poles and they are great but i dont think that'd they'd last a winter season, too fragile for heavy sacks stumbling around in snow drifts and boulders. I use them for summer hiking eg HRP.

my mate has busted 2 pairs of the BD carbon z poles, he is really heavy on poles, he's replaced them with a beefier BD pole that doesn't fold so well

i have a pair of the alpkit - older stye they now call nordic.  they seem fine and pack small, reasonably robust so far. I cant get on with the handles (want to try a 2nd hand pair for 25 quid posted ?     you cant retro fit the new handles - I asked , but cheap.

I think buying cheap and often might be a reasonable approach ie replace them every couple of years, as it seems most expensive bust quite regularly!

I am trying to mend my Grivels (snapped wire in one and buggered locking mechanism in other) as even though a bit heavier were great

 

 

 Tim Sparrow 21 Jan 2018
In reply to top cat:

I also have Leki Vario carbon strings. Seem to be very solid, light enough and due to the joint design, less likely to seize than the BD ones. 

1
 ben b 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Another vote for BD Carbon Z poles, as used by Mrs B for the last 5 years or so for skiing (on and off piste), backpacking, holding up tarps, clattering across boulderfields etc. 

No issues so far with longevity, best to not strain 1 joint over another though - much like tent poles where folding from the middle helps spread the forces more evenly.

I have also done some spectacular 'sudden stops' down between boulders to no ill effect to the poles - me, less so.

cheers

b

Post edited at 22:39
OP TobyA 21 Jan 2018
In reply to Stuart the postie:

Thanks Stuart, at that price they are attractive. We did a review of poles just under a year ago. Dan reviewed the Alpkit ones and clearly hated the XC style glove wrist loop https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/reviews/camping-trekking_gear/lightweight_c... but it seems Alpkit have changed the design. Once again the positive power of UKC review maybe? Anyway, they seriously under consideration now!

Thanks to all for your thoughts. The Fizan ones that I reviewed in that review above had been doing the job quite well. If pulled  apart they are quite compact for a telescopic style pole, but one of them has now seized completely. It happened once back in the summer and after much fighting with the pole I managed to get it to un-seize and after that was even more particular about pulling them apart and letting them dry completely before storing them after use, but before Xmas it happened again and this time I really can't unseize it. So I only have one in working order. Shame I can't add to the review now because long term durability has turned out to be very poor for the Fizans. I've had various Leki poles for over 20 years that have never seized and still work fine. One of the Fizan has failed in under a year. :-/ I had some solid strong and noticeably heavier BD flick lock ones as my main no skiing poles before the Fizans - and they are great to use, but annoying bulky to put in my pack when climbing, and its been a pretty good start to the winter with me getting up some mid-grade winter routes and remember how annoying having a bulky pack on is, particularly when you are trying get sling off from over the shoulder or are thrutching up chimneys while wearing it!

 James Gordon 21 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Gipron 310 mt Blancs as mentioned by HeMa. 4 piece. Smallest Ive seen. Pretty robust all things considered. ~60 euros from trail runner.com

In reply to TobyA:

Yip, the Nordic wrist loops were useless, I also cut mine off and made regular ones from webbing. 

The newer ones do seem to have addressed this point, probably will get another pair, since they do the job for the price!

Stuart

 

 rgold 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I have the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z poles (mostly for summer use).  The pair weighs 9 oz and the fold up to 15 inches, which means they fit into an 18 liter summit pack as well as the back pocket of my Salomon running vest. They come with summer walking baskets, and you can't fit winter baskets on them (unless you are prepared to do some modifying yourself).

I had a pair for about 3 years and broke a pole this summer when I stumbled with the pole rigidly pinned between rocks. I don't think any pole would have survived, but of course did not try to repeat the test. 

I would have said they are perfect, except that they are a bit fiddly to maintain, as the interior cords tend to tighten up, making it hard to depress the locking buttons.  I think this might be because the interior cords twist with use, thereby shortening, as the pole sections can rotate in use.  There is an adjusting screw that helps with this, but you still have to periodically try to relax the cords by untwisting them a bit.

 HimTiggins 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Another vote for BD Distance Carbon. I'v got the FLZ version. Awesome. Light, strong and pack very easily into a pack ...

 RedTar 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I have the Leki Micro Vario Carbon poles. Just 225g and really capable. Unlike many 'z' style poles, you still have height adjustment. They also take snow baskets.

 Al_Mac 22 Jan 2018
In reply to Exile:

Their new v2 have a proper handle on them - I was looking at replacing my BD poles with them for the same reasons as above but had put the original Alpkit ones off the list of possibilities for the handles. The new ones look okay.

cb294 22 Jan 2018
In reply to RedTar:

+1 for the Lekis, a class above the BD poles in terms of design and robustness.

Like all folding poles they are bit too light for my taste, but then I weigh around 100kg, so prefer to stick with standard flick lock poles.

My wife loves her Leki folding poles, though, and has never had an issue with reliability.

Komperdell also makes a folding model, and for standard poles I prefer them even over Leki (even better grip design, and I have not yet managed to smash mine).


CB

 Iain Thow 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Dan also reviewed the Camp Sky Carbon's and enthused about their lightness and how well they pack down. Also how quick to lock/unlock they are.

 Mr. Lee 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

The problem I find with z-folding poles is the lack of adjustability in length. I often use a walking pole together with an axe for when climbing steepish snow, for which I shorten the pole down.

 BedRock 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

I have black diamond flz distance poles, z-folding, light but tough enough for most things I do and length is adjustable. Only downside cant change to have powder baskets, but to be honest i use them in deep snow with no problems so to me everything else outweighs that only con.

https://www.needlesports.com/30121/products/black-diamond-distance-fl-z-pol...

 99ster 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Another vote for Black Diamond FLZ.  Mine have survived all sorts of abuse.  Recommended.

 John Ww 22 Jan 2018
In reply to BedRock:

solution to the powder basket issue - put the basket end of the pole in hot water, wait a few minutes, pull the whole tip and basket off, and replace with Leki tips and baskets (free if you happen to have a collection of broken poles). Reverse the process for summer use.

 

 BedRock 22 Jan 2018
In reply to John Ww:

Great - thanks for that. I'll give it a go!

 hpil 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

+1 for black diamond alpine FLZ - the ones with cork handles. come with powder baskets as well as trekking baskets, and spare tips, plus a handy velcro strap for wrapping them up & holding them together when chucked into your pack, so they dont snag on too much.

 vscott 22 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Worth a look at BD compactor poles - same folding design so fit in pack but fair bit tougher for a bit more weight than flz etc. which don’t take too kindly to getting stuck between rocks and twisted under snow. 

 

 lithos 22 Jan 2018
In reply to vscott:

they look good 

 Webster 23 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Well if your pack is big enough (mine is a 'large' 38L) then any pole ill fit inside when you take it apart. I just have a cotswold outdoor own brand pole (but made by Fizzan so excellent quality) which cost about £25, weighs 300 and something grams (so very light for a none carbon pole) and has lasted several years including alps and Himalayas trips. highly recommend.

OP TobyA 23 Jan 2018
In reply to Webster:

It's a Fizan one that seized on me after less than a year of use, so I'm disappointed with that one. And the various 3 piece telescopic poles I have now don't fit particularly well into either the 40 ltr Podsac or the 48 Crux that I've been using for winter climbing. They go in but stick up (normally in one corner of the closed pack) and my helmet knocks against them when I'm on steep ground and looking up.

 Col Kingshott 23 Jan 2018
In reply to TobyA:

Hi Toby, 

 

Like others have mentioned BD Alpine FLZ Treking Poles are great. I’ve got an early version of them that I’ve had since 2013. I have taken them on many treking trips all over the world and also extensively used them in the U.K. They easily fit in bags for climbing and are fairly lightweight. I’ve also used them for skiing. I do look after my equipment, but I also use it to near destruction. They used to only come with snow baskets, therefore I only use them and have no issues. 

 

I fully recommend them, friends that have bought them after speaking with me have always been pleased as well.

 

Kind regards,

 

Col. 

 


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