Is 160 too much to spend on my first set of poles?
Original post
Hey,
Im looking at getting my first pair of tramping poles and I have found the Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles https://www.packgeargo.co.nz/product/black-diamond-trail-trekking-poles/
Ill mostly be using them below the bushline mainly for downhill sections.
Does anybody have these poles and if so are they worth the money or should I get something cheaper?
Bkack diamond make top quality climbing hardwear,
I have a similar pair. they are tough.
they are robust. cheap poles break more easily, thinner, less strong steel in them
Brands such as Leki (european) and Black Diamond (american) use the better grade of aircraft aluminium. That could be peace of mind for the more frequent user. It's no guarantee it won't fail somehow. The dozens of cheaper made units available now could last as long as any. You need to decide based on your use.
Remember though, it will only fail during use, not whilst sitting in the cupboard at home. How much value do you put on having your gear last the duration (of your activity).
Check out the Black Diamond Distance FLZ poles. I’ve had them for two years and take them everywhere with me - I also run with them. Super lightweight and they fold quite a lot shorter than the telescopic poles. Macpac sell them for $180 so around the same price you are looking at.
Might pay to price check ?. Bivouac Boxing Day Sale has 20% off. So, the set you linked to (out of stock @ Packgeargo) are currently $136. The Women's Trail Pro Trekking Poles are $44 off @ $176.
https://www.bivouac.co.nz/gear/camping-and-tramping/walking-poles/black-diamond-trail-trekking-poles.html
https://www.bivouac.co.nz/gear/camping-and-tramping/walking-poles/black-diamond-womens-trail-pro-trekking-poles.html
Having been through a few sets of poles over the years I can recommend Macpac's carbon fibre poles. Super light and very strong. I have broken one recently after about 3-4 years of intensive use. Tried all the big brands but haven't had as much durability as I have from these - which I might add has surprised me given that Macpac has become "Kathmandu lite".
I have had to replace the cups a few times but at around $7 a pair it's no great hardship.
Search the forums
| Forum | Gear talk |
|---|---|
| Started by | TrailGirl |
| On | 28 December 2018 |
| Replies | 6 |
| Permanent link | |
Participation in the forums signifies acceptance of forum rules.
In order to manage spam, new members are limited to 1 post every 10 minutes.
Formatting your posts
The forums support MarkDown syntax. Following is a quick reference.
| Type this... | To get this... | |
|---|---|---|
| Italic | *Italic text* | *Italic text* |
| Bold | **Bold text** | **Bold text** |
| Quoted text | > Quoted text | > Quoted text |
| Emojis | :smile: :+1: :astonished: :heart: | :smile: :+1: :astonished: :heart: |
| Lists |
- item 1 - item 2 - item 3 |
- item 1 - item 2 - item 3 |
| Links | https://tramper.nz | https://tramper.nz |
| Images |  URL/of/image |
 |
| Mentions | @username | @username |