Black Diamond Expedition Ski Poles

Description

FlickLock Expedition Poles give you the largest expansion range of any Black Diamond pole, and they're compact enough to fit inside your backpack or travel luggage. The ability to shrink to an incredibly compact size of 57 cm makes these Black Diamond poles ideal for trips where they'll spend a significant amount of time crammed in a bag. Their FlickLock system is easy to operate with gloves on, and it never freezes or becomes clogged with snow. Use the Expedition Poles for backcountry skiing, backcountry snowboarding, approaches to alpine climbs, or ski trips where you have to check all your gear onto a plane.

Features

• Shaft Material: Aluminum
• Grip Material: Dual density
• Tip Material: Carbide
• Extendable Range: Small - 57 cm to 125 cm; Large - 64 cm to 140 cm
• Locking Mechanism: FlickLock
• WEIGHT: 600 G (1 LB 5 OZ)
• COLOR(S): Blue and Silver

http://www.bdel.com/videos/baskets_video.html From Backpackgeartest.org ADJUSTMENT: The FlickLocks continue to impress me. Once adjusted properly with a screwdriver - and my experience is that they definitely do need a thorough initial adjustment - they just keep on working with little effort and no problems. I recently was adjusting my wife's poles with a twist mechanism, and it once again highlighted what a great design the FlickLock is. The Binary adjustment is equally simple. There is only one length for this lower section. It's either locked in place or not. This makes it an easy proposition to simply extend the section and go. A reassuring "click" lets me know it's in place. Lengthen the upper shaft to the desired length, snap the FlickLock shut and the Terra CFs are good to go for days on end. Just as important, the poles are just as simple to collapse. The poles are a snap to adjust. The ability to fine tune the pole length with a single quick flip of the lock is excellent. I frequently found myself doing this without breaking my stride as I hiked. The extended foam handles are wonderful in rapidly changing terrain, typical of Harriman State Park, where a trail can transition from level grass to a steep rocky grade, to a steep rocky descent after crossing a flat rock slab after scrambling over a couple of huge boulders in the course of a couple of hundred feet (or a hundred meters)! A pole that must be constantly adjusted borders on being a nuisance in these conditions. The Black Diamond Terra CFs are essentially a ’set it and forget it’ design, even in these conditions. The pole adjustment never slipped once adjusted. I am in the habit of checking my poles each time I use them. More of a nit, really: The Binary Locking System requires a good pinch to close. Of course, this means it is less likely to close accidentally! GRIPS: On downhills, palming the knob and pointing the poles downhill provides excellent support and control. On long trails, shortening the poles a bit and gripping the palms and pushing down on the poles is a refreshing break from hours of the same hand grip position. The extended foam on the shaft hasn't been of much use to me so far, but I haven't traversed any snow slopes yet, which I imagine is what they are designed for. Overall, the grips are the highlight of these poles. I often spend long days with poles in my hands, and the size and variety these grips offer has been a welcome change. I found the foam is superior to my former preferred handle material, rubberized cork. It is even more grippy and more forgiving of sweaty hands than the cork type handles when hiking during the often brutal humidity experienced in the northeast. VARIOUS COMMENTS: Compared to his traditional poles, the Terra CFs were much quieter. There is no anti-shock system. This is something of a surprise, given the feature-rich design of the Terra CFs. That being said, I am not a fan of anti-shock systems, finding them generally useless, and I consider the absence a real plus. It also helps keep the weight down. and each pole placement is firm and certain. In my Initial Report, I wondered why Black Diamond used the different material as it made virtually no difference to the weight of the poles. I got an e-mail from Black Diamond, explaining that the use of the carbon mid-section afforded the additional weight of the larger cork grip (see below) at no weight penalty. They also claim that it is stiffer than the aluminum poles and since the weight of the poles is concentrated higher (in the handle), that they feel much lighter than comparable aluminum poles. After using them for a couple months, I'd have to verify that all three of these notes are true. The handles are certainly larger and heavier, they do seem noticeably stiffer, and the swing weight is much less than very comparable aluminum poles. Shelter Use: I've used the Terra CFs a few nights in my GoLite Hex 3, and I honestly prefer it to the big support pole that came with the shelter. Not only is a Terra CF pole lighter, but the FlickLock adjustment is easier for me to adjust from my sleeping bag to tighten the fabric by raising the center pole a bit. Additionally, the huge palm knob sits very nicely in the fabric top of the Hex 3 and spreads out the pressure from the pole. This is my third pyramid shelter, and used with the GoLite Pole Extender, this combination is a perfect match that creates the best center pole I've used in a shelter of this type. Summary: · Fantastic grips - best on any trekking poles I've used · Ideal shelter support - easy to adjust, solid and grippy handle top · Great adjustment mechanisms - can't say enough good things about the FlickLock in particular The Terra CFs have become my instant favorites. I can see my other poles occupying a table top at our next garage sale! The combination of light weight and features make an excellent package. I am still hard pressed to find a substantive complaint or suggestion for improvement. Well, except for the old standby: it would be nice if they were even lighter (no, we are never satisfied on this point!).