Trail Back Trekking Poles

The caveats: This is my first pair of trekking poles, so I don't have any comparison. Also, I'm pretty much a hiking beginner for the most part. I've only been regularly hiking for a year or so.The situation: I've been regularly hiking, and wanted some more support given that I have been recovering from a broken ankle. I'm a woman, 5'9" and on the robust side, weight wise. Sturdy. Except not, because that's why I need the poles! :)The shopping: I normally comparison shop myself blue in the face. In this case, I wanted them for the coming weekend, so I literally came on Amazon and saw what was rated highest within a reasonable price range and bought them. I was looking at a pair of even cheaper poles as my entry level, but was directed here by another reviewer.The arrival: Upon arriving, they looked sleek and sturdy. The packaging was good.The use, the good: Well, first, I was REALLY GLAD I bought them because I literally wouldn't have made it without them. I have never been over so many rocks. And what was described as a moderate 5-7 mile trek ended up being 8.5 miles and sure felt fairly strenuous to me. They were great to use for leverage climbing up and for support going down hills. I slid a few times (legs aren't what they were pre-break), and they were responsible for helping me not fall. They were supportive, and I felt like the adjustments were easy to make with the flip locks.the use, the bad: What I did NOT like was the handles. They're pretty badly designed. First, they make your hands sweaty--the plastic is kind of hard (some are foam or cork, which absorbs the sweat). Also, the piece that holds the loops to the handle easily rubs against your hand and causes blisters. It actually hurts after awhile. I looked at someone's higher priced Black Diamond poles this weekend, and on that handle (made of foam), that plastic piece is inset into the handle. Her model also had an extended grip and collapsed to a shorter size. In brief, that's all stuff I would have found out if I shopped around.I'm now considering whether I should try to modify that plastic bit or cover it (I'm thinking some tape or something) or return the poles and risk not getting a full refund. I'm also considering buying a different pair somewhere and having these as spares or to lend out...but I hate doing that.So, as long as you know about the handle situation, the rest is great...they're definitely priced well, so it really depends on what you're looking for and how much you want to spend.Update: I have used these twice more since the review, in less extreme conditions and after reading correct handling of the poles (see link under comments). When I wasn't grasping the poles with a death grip for fear of my life, the handles weren't so bad. I'm going to be sticking with these for awhile, until I am certain I'll be doing the hiking thing more and more often and with an intensity that warrants purchase of higher end ones!

Picked these up after some growing knee pain on steep descents. Worked wonders and I can now descend with much less stress on my knees. The locks are simple and solid I've put my whole 250 lbs on them to "vault" over some creeks and there is not a hint of instability. Great Product!

I used these for the first time to ascend Mt. Whitney by the Mountaineer's Route 3 weeks ago. Within the first hour, the basket and bottom rubber/tip assembly came off. It probably got stuck on a bush and I didn't see it come off. However, there was no snow so the poles still worked fine the rest of the trip.The great news: Awesome Customer Service! I called Black Diamond to tell them what happened and they sent me a new bottom basket assembly within 3 days, no questions, no cost!Most of my climbing equipment is Black Diamond brand also and it all works great. A very reputable company.The poles feel very sturdy and with the two flip-locks on each pole, are very easy to adjust. I didn't have any problems with the rubber grips getting slippery but I usually wear gloves when hiking with poles, even when it's hot.Highly recommend these poles!

These poles are great. I was debating between purchasing fixed length and colapsible poles, as well as between aluminum and composite poles. I often will hike trails which have bothnlong prat stretches as well as steep inclines and declines. I really only use poles on unsteady ground or significant hilly climbs or descends.These poles are relatively light and their locking and unlocking mechanism is outstanding. I have friends who have a screw locking mechanism on their poles and often get them stuck. The snaps on these poles are great, quick to lock, unlock and adjust.I found these poles to be durable and they have not accidentally collapsed. These poles do not vibrate much either and I did not get arm fatigue even after long treks.I would highly recommend these.

I'm a novice hiker; walking has evolved into hiking, and may lead to 'camping'. I've seen other hikers using walking sticks and trekking poles, so I checked out the offerings at a brick and mortar store. I was not impressed by either the quality or price. After searching Amazon and finding these poles with very good reviews, I decided to give them a try. Right out of the box they felt good and the extensions locked down positively.I tried them on a seven mile hike this morning. The terrain was all up and down for all seven miles. As for my first time using poles...it felt very natural and I could tell the hike was easier with poles than without. These poles worked great and I recommend them to anyone wanting good quality at a reasonable price - disregarding the price, I still feel these are a very good product. Thanks to Black Diamond!

I used these poles for the first time when we were camping/hiking recently in Yosemite. There was still a lot of snow on the ground where we were hiking, and the poles were fabulous for balance and stability, especially climbing and descending. I took them out of the package on the side of the road right before our hike and was pleased to discover that they were simple to adjust. I also got to try them out enough on trail without snow to find that they were great for that, too. They're very lightweight and didn't get in my way at all, even when I wanted to stop to take pictures, which I was concerned about beforehand. I think these will also be very useful when I'm backpacking this summer.

I decided to buy these sticks after watching a video promoting how good they were, I have not been dissapointed, I have used them a few times, they feel quality and the lever clasps are excellent

Die Stöcke sind relativ leicht und die beiden Fixierungen für die Längenverstellung halten bombenfest auch bei starker Belastung beim "Bergab-Einsatz".