Black Diamond Adjustable Probe Ski Pole - 2004 BCS

The flicklock is totally reliable, even if it doesn't look as smooth as twistlocks. Which matters more?

I wouldn't rely on the probes in real avalanche territory, but that's okay. Reliable poles are worth the price.

While I'm happy to say I haven't actually had to use my new poles, I can say my friend would've died had that been necessary. Upon receiving my new Probe Poles a friend challenged me to actually produce a working probe, whereupon he started his timer. 5+ minutes later I figured out how to remove the baskets, after having been given a reprieve where I was allowed to stop the timer, don my ski boots, and begin again. Proper instructions for assembly may seem obvious for poles, but if the baskets don't release, your friend will die. These baskets will NOT simply slide off of the tip. They MUST be screwed off (which requires a pretty high amount of pressure) and believe it or not practice helps. I now feel more confident about my ability to conduct a search, but I'll be buying a real probe soon...

this pole rules but if your buying it for a probe i'd think it over, it works and you can use it if the unthinkable happens. removing the basket come off with a bit of practice and i think it would take as long as grabbing your probe from your pack, but it may be a bit short. the pole is extremely durable and feels great. using the pole for touring is really where i use the pole its great for when you need two different lengths.all around a great pole.

So, here is the skinny.

This was designed for secondary use or EMERGENCY use. The true nature of a probe is to probe, not to be a ski pole.

This would be great for an inbounds resort that has suffered an avalanche (There have been 4 deaths this season alone with these circumstances) and you just watched someone get swept away in an Avi and you are their first hope of surviving.

As far as back country goes, as a ski pole they are great; however, I can't stress enough the fact that ANY back country needs a separate probe. These simply will not work for a primary probe purpose.

To give a comparison, it is like having a map AND GPS. They compliment each other and you should always carry both.

Overall, these are a good buy and in closing, use as a probe for inbounds skiing for probe purposes. Otherwise, buy a probe

I got these poles to compete in the Wasatch Black Diamond PowderKeg race, but have now been using them in place of my regular poles. They are great!

For the price, I don't think you could go wrong. Seem to be pretty strong and well balanced. My only complaint is that I thought they might "collapse" to a shorter pole (found them a little long when they are strapped to my backpack while snowmobiling).

Poles seem well balanced and pretty much do what a pole is supposed to do. Good sized baskets to aid in getting up the hill. Only thing you might consider is if you want a pole that adjusts small (ex. strapping them to pack while on the sled), these are still a bit long when fully collapsed.

very strong amd light to carry. perfect both for telemark skiing and hiking.

These are nice ski/trekking poles. The grip is good, and the straps fits smoothly around your wrist, also when you wear thick mittens. I have not used them under hard conditions, but they feels very solid. As and earlier buyer wrote, these poles can not be used as an avalanche probe. It takes quite a long time to take the baskets off, and they are not long enough.

BD FlickLock poles are bombproof. Easy to adjust and solid. Carbon fiber lower makes for a very lightweight pole. Poles compress down to a packable size.

I really like the ergonomic features of these poles. The Grips are great and the straps adjust easily. A little heavy perhaps and they don't collapse short enough to get into regular luggage but over all great poles.

Very light, yet tough enough to get 'er done. I've done everything from touring to groomers and it just works. Only gripe, straps are stiff and too small.

On pist or off, these sturdy, lightweight poles have passed the test. Luckily, I haven't had to test the probing function as of yet.

After breaking the tips of of 3 different types of poles (inc 1 set of Black Diamond probe poles) I have finally found a pair that will not break while adjusting AT bindings. Aluminum tips are strong. Straps are plenty big enough for me and I am 6'5" 210lbs. Good deal

In my mind this is the only ski pole for the backcountry skier.

I use this pole for every winter activity, snowshoeing, alpine and tele skiing, touring, and hiking. I am part of search and rescue so I use this pole all the time to get me through trees and tough conditions. When I'm up at the lifts, I can make it a bit longer for my big carve turns, but can shorten it when I get on my tele's. I also like being able to adjust when I'm hiking to contour to the slope. Great pole, I'll never get anything else!