Lets talk about your pole..s

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freeheelbillie
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Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by freeheelbillie » Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:29 pm

I prefer an adjustable to get the length just right.
Any input on a good set?
I always had good luck with Black Diamond and Leki years ago...just curious about a specific model that you have found durable and holds its adjusted length like it's supposed to.

Thanks!
You can't buy experience but you do pay for it.

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phoenix
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by phoenix » Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:48 am

I've had the same pair of Black Diamond Traverse for nearly 20 years, and they're still going great... resort, backcountry, bushwhacking and all. Sadly, somebody posted recently that he got a new pair and they suck; bend so easy he would't eve sell them to somebody. If that's the case, I guess I'd look at the G3's, or maybe the BD Carbons... tho the durability of carbon's could be an issue.



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Andy M
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by Andy M » Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:29 am

That was fisheater that posted about the Traverse poles being noodles:

http://telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 452#p29520

Maybe he can post some photos like he suggested in that thread, since there are a lot of different models of BD poles.

I have several BD poles, including recent ones, and I've had no problems with them. They're fairly easy to find (REI, etc.), so maybe you can check out a pair in person to see how they feel. Also, they're 25% off right now at several online stores.



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freeheelbillie
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by freeheelbillie » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:14 pm

Phoenix, oddly enough I picked up a pair of the BD Traverse Pros today.
Thanks for the input!
You can't buy experience but you do pay for it.



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phoenix
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by phoenix » Sat Feb 15, 2020 7:23 pm

First I've seen those Billie, they look good! Happy trails with 'em.



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fisheater
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by fisheater » Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:04 pm

I am attaching photos of both my BD Traverse poles. The anodized pair with orange in the grip are the pair I am most pleased with. I think I hav e nine seasons on them.
The grips, tips, and baskets are identical in my eyes. The plastic locks are cheese compared to the steel band cam locks on the older pair. I have no gouges into the aluminum on the older set. The new pair after a half season have slices in the aluminum. The slices and how they feel lead me to believe both the lock and the aluminum used for the pole have been downgraded. I am currently looking at composite poles.
FC5413E5-D839-44FA-9ABC-544F5D63A35D.jpeg
FC5413E5-D839-44FA-9ABC-544F5D63A35D.jpeg
C3678BCC-3BBE-48FA-8D47-5F2CF7067AD4.jpeg
CBD314CC-3ABB-40D3-BC12-8D68148F441C.jpeg



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Andy M
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by Andy M » Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:23 pm

Thanks for the photos, fisheater. I think your older pair, with the orange in the grip, must be a "Pro" version of the Traverse pole, at least at that time. I think this is the case, mainly due to the metal flicklock clasp in the older pair.

I have a couple of versions of aluminum Traverse poles, as well as a pair of older carbon flicklocks, going back 10 and 20 years, and all of them have plastic flicklock clasps, all of which have held up fine over hundreds of days of use.

And, currently, one of the differences between the regular Traverse and the Traverse Pro is plastic vs. metal flicklock clasps. Frankly, I think this is mainly a cosmetic difference, e.g., like steel wheels or aluminum wheels on a car.

Now, the bigger question is whether your newer Traverse poles are flexier than the older pair. According to BD, their current Traverse and Traverse Pro poles use the same diameter aluminum upper and lower shafts. If your newer poles do indeed flex more, at the same extended length, this would be helpful info.

Cute dog, BTW.



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spopepro
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by spopepro » Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:15 pm

phoenix wrote:
Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:48 am
...or maybe the BD Carbons... tho the durability of carbon's could be an issue.
I’ve had my bd alpine carbon cork poles for 4 years, used them with skinny skis at the stop line, used for touring and resort skiing, backpacking, ice climbing approaches and I haven’t babied them. I’ve skied over them, had them jammed in debris... I think everything about them is great except the price.



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fisheater
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by fisheater » Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:43 am

Andy,
I did side by side stiffness comparison. You may be correct. I flex them, and the old ones seem stiffer. I need to be honest, I may just be biased. I could design a test that would objective, I just don’t have the time or energy.
Thank you for enlightening me, it’s good to know my older set are “Pro” series. I am objective to note the steel cam lock secured the two pole sections with significantly less force exerted on the lever. I am happy to hear you have used them successfully for years. Every time I change pole length I think that this is the time I break the lock. It just seems like I am cranking on the plastic lock too hard to keep the sections locked slip free. I don’t know if anodizing makes an aluminum surface harder. What I do know is that in a half season I have multiple ski edge cuts into the aluminum into the pole. Cuts that leave a slight flat spot in the pole. I don’t have any of those flat spots in the older “Pro” series pole.
In closing I will say, that I indeed may be biased against the newer pole as to me it seems flexy. I do know after skiing the older pair for many seasons I am not pleased with the new standard model. I don’t have a lot of confidence in the new pole and am looking to purchase something else. I plan on retiring the new pole to loaner and back-up status. However Andy’s good reviews may have me doing more research on the next pole, and I will probably look for end of season sales.



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lilcliffy
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Re: Lets talk about your pole..s

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:51 am

As for an adjustable pole I have been using the Komperdell BC Trail for about 12 seasons. It has proved to be excellent and extremely durable. Personally adjustable poles continue to give me the eebeegeebees for the touring I do. I am typically at least several kilometers from an access point in remote hills and deep snow by the time I really get into a tour...

I have seen too many adjustable poles break...Not the end of the world on a day tour- but a nightmare on a multi-day tour...

I feel that I have been lucky with the Komperdells.

This season I bought a set of Asnes Ingstad poles. I am thrilled with them. They have a super long grip- with a Nordic handle at the top and well designed contours for multiple grip positions. I bought them short enough such that they are decent on the flats (I trend towards short poles for BC touring in general) and are just right for downhill skiing at the bottom of the grip. They have excellent strap system- I tend to leave them in a position to accommodate the lowest grip- so that I can choke up instantly without adjusting the strap. I am very impressed with this pole.
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