Black Diamond Traverse Ski Poles

These things have almost gotten me killed on more than one occation. OK, maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but when you're on a multi-day ski trip to some remote destination, a broken pole is a real buzz-kill. The aluminum BD uses on these does not stand up to much force. I have since moved on to their carbon or expedition weight poles and haven't looked back. Definitely worth the extra cash to prevent yourself the pain of trying to make a branch work as a ski pole for 25 miles.

Light weight durable poles that are ideal for the backcountry. Easy & strong fliplock adjustment for use on the fly. Comfortable hand grips, as well as strength in flex, and strong, light pole baskets. Also highly recommend purchasing the whippet attachment for these poles, which has a seamless fit and is a must have addition for any ski mountaineer or off-piste explorer. Have used these poles for a multitude of backcountry adventures, as well as for expedition skiing and they have performed perfectly and saved a considerable amount of weight.

During my 10+ years of backcountry skiing and adventure racing, I have used every kind of adjustable ski/trekking pole on the market in the mountain rock and snow, desert sand, jungle mud swamps. Where the screw-lock verions with their failure-prone internal components have seized up or slipped, the BD Flick-Lock mechanism with its patented cam endures.

Pros:
Cheap, easy to use, 3/4 basket is sweet, grip is very comfy, straps are really nice.

Cons:
Flimsy, constantly feel like I'm about to snap mine in half on steep ascents where my skins are beginning to slip or where I need extra balance. One of my friends bent his simply pole planting down a steep slope. I'm 6'1" and occasionally I wish that they were a bit longer - they feel even flimsier when they are extended all the way. Finally, when I get to a really steep slope I tend to switch from my poles to my mountaineering ice axe and stash the poles on my pack. These poles are slightly unwieldy to carry on a pack since they do not collapse as much as 3 segment types - they end up sticking way up in the air and knock around on my skis... Not the end of the world clearly, but worth mention.

These poles are hard to beat at the price. The flick-lock system works great even when it is cold or wet or icy. The metal tip makes adjusting dynafit classic bindings super easy- I find that the poles with plastic tips get stuck in the metal. I have not broken one for two years. I do not need to look any further.

These poles are great. Not too expensive, but still light and strong, and the flick lock adjusts even with gloves on and never freezes. I planted my pole through the hole in the tip of my ski once (not my proudest moment) and fell hard on it and it's not even bent. Jump turns, fast racing plants, doesn't matter. It'll take anything you throw at it, including yourself.

I've toured with a pair for a few years. Fallen on them, used them as tent anchors, generally abused them, and they just carry on working. The flick-lock system is reliable & easy to use too.

Bootpacking at Mt. Baker all season takes a toll on your lower back. Once I bought my MSR Denali Ascents, I decided that I need a couple of trekking poles as well. I snowboard, so all I needed were ascent poles that were strong, lightweight, and could strap down on my Heli-Pro without being too awkward. These babies fit the bill and were at a great price to boot!

When I moved to Snowmass Village, co in 1992, I purchased a pair of Black Diamond poles which are identical to the Traverse but doesn't say so on the poles. This is my 17th year working on the hill and the poles lasted until this afternoon. I had them in the PVC rack on the snowmobile and bent them when they got hung up on a boundary rope. I paid $28 on a pro-form back then and now have no reservations about paying full retail for my replacement pair. These poles are pretty much bomb proof. I am estimating roughly 2100 days of resort working/skiing and 300+ days in the backcountry with my first pair. You can't go wrong with these.

To me, the traverse is a good set of poles for the following reasons: quality (from top to bottom, the qualities of the material and craftsmanship are outstanding), adjustability, and low weight. There are couple of annoyances yes...for me, my hands are on the large side (i.e. I wear size 10 Hestra gloves), consequently, with a gauntlet type gloves, the grips end up being a bit short for me. This isn't an issue when I use my Marmot spring gloves. And I noticed when I was skiing at night below ~15F, the poles will sometimes make some sort of whistling noise. Lastly....the 3/4 baskets don't maintain their correct orientation...which makes one wonder....what's the point of having 3/4 baskets? In conclusion, this is one of the best poles you'll get for the money, and it will make you stand out (which isn't very appealing to me personally but if you need some boost for your self esteem), and your cheaper buddies will ask to borrow it for a run or two.

Have used this poles for many trips both in the backcountry and in sloopes this winter. Found out one thing about them which is bad.. they bend very easy if u fall and land on them!! Not my first choice..better spend the xtra money and get carbon poles. That's what i am gone do next time around.

These poles are a good standby or workhorse for anyone who isn't going to ask toooooo much of their poles. They've worked fine for me while touring and skiing, and also on some low-angle mountaineering. They are pretty susceptible to getting bent if used to knock snow off your boots for example, and when bent even slightly, they're hell to adjust. The asymmetric basket design is a good idea, but the baskets often seem to drift. No biggie there. The grips are quite nice, especially the broad end for going hand-over-the-top, which is nice on those long climbs.

Great poles. Easy to adjust and don't slip. I'd recommend them even if you don't need an adjustable length pole.

Great poles, just make sure you read the instructions regarding the baskets. I didn't put them on right and lost one the first day. I did it right the next time and they are fine. I alpine and tele, this pole rocks for both. If a set of regular alpine poles costs the same, why wouldn't you buy the adjustable? Poles do not lose their length setting even when planting aggressively. Very pleased

Used to use poles that would telescope for backcountry skiing, but after bending a pole, it could never change. These are so awesome and have the ability to attach a snow saw on the end of the pole for safer cornice cutting. Always remember to rope in though!

These poles are WEAK SAUCE!!!! The only reason they get 2 stars is because the half-basket create good conversation during safety meetings. Black Diamond's worst product ever...unless you prefer to duck-tape avy-shovel handles to broken pole parts to bushwack out of the chilcotin.

Not sure what one can say about poles...been using mine for a season now...they're not broken, and work as needed...this rating system should really be a binary for something so simple (all or nothing...they either work or they don't)

The flicklock traverse is an excellent choice for the bc skier on a budget, or the occasional out of bounds seeker. Easy to adjust with gloves on, the flicklock holds without slipping. If one can tolerate the hard plastic grips and dosn't need the exceptional adjustability of the expedition these are for you. A good pole at a reasonable price.

These poles are definitely high quality. I got mine three years ago and there still going strong. For what you pay your not going to find a better pole on the market.

BD Traverse poles are awesome; a worthy investment

light, tough, great extend/constract range. affordable, flicklock never slips. All the cool kids have some.

Great poles, but make sure you add the BD powder baskets. Someone mentioned the screw basket as being bad- I think they are wrong in that it' makes for easy assembly, and they do not come off! It's really hard for the basket to come off even when unscrewing them. So, take my advice- GET'EM!

The flick lock holds well and the poles have a nice swing weight to them. Leave the carbon poles for the fancy boys - poles get worked in the backcounty.

Switched to the flicklocks because I grew tired of taking my gloves off to adjust the twistlocks on a previous pair of bc poles. The flicklock is a huge improvement, easy to adjust with gloves on cold days.

Last year whilst skiing with a ridiculously heavy pack on I bent a lower shaft. I bend it back into place with my superhuman strength and survived. It was about $15 at the local shop for a new one, and I still have the "customized" one as a spare. Lightweight, durable and very easily adjusted poles, just realize they are a "lightweight" design.

These are the cheapest/best poles for the budget. Completely satisfied.

Great poles, with caveats. FlickLock rocks, period. I had a pair of Adjustable Probe poles, circa '05, made in Italy, that were bombproof, period. Left 'em on the mountain last winter (sob, whimper...). Bought a pair of Traverses, made in Taiwan. Excellent poles, with one noteworthy exception: the ferrules (the things that hold the baskets) keep coming off! I use my poles year-round, for skiing, trekking, et cetera, so I don't always need the baskets. The ferrules have come off from screwing or unscrewing the baskets from the ferrules, which are now (why???) threaded. The older poles' ferrules had no threads - the baskets simply pressed on and off. Never a problem. In total, I've had five ferrule ejections by now. A couple of ferrules came off from brushy bushwhacks - baskets were in no way involved. BD tech support dude was super nice, but suggested applying epoxy when putting ferrules back on after they've come off. Thanks, but I wouldn't exactly call that standing behind the product. Oh well - judging by the reviews, I'm the only person who ever has this problem...on both Traverse and Expedition poles.

If you are hiking at night or trying to get around the camp site at night, this headlamp does its job well. I like how light beam can be adjusted from straight to scatter with 3 different light strength levels. The quick flash option works nice when you just want to quickly locate something in the dark. While it works well for camping, etc., it isn't suited for activities like running, climbing, etc. You'll probably need something with strong output for those activities.

Lightweight, durable, and easy to adjust with gloves on thanks to the FlickLock mechanism. Perfect length for most people, but probably not long enough for touring if you are over 6 feet tall.

I purchased the poles for my wife, who absolutely loves them. They pack well and work great!

These poles are great! For backcountry and piste, they perform the same. Alpine and telemark poles that you can strap onto your bag. I am very pleased with these poles and would recommend them to everyone.

Excellent pole to use along with a whippet pole. The weight matches the (unarmed) whippet pole well and makes for a nice symmetric swing weight when skiing.

My only complaint is that the angled points on the '3/4 baskets' get caught easily and frequently on underbrush if you find yourself bushwhacking a bit on the approaches or exits.

Just bought these puppies, as I have given my old Leki poles a deserved retirement. I really like Black Diamond products, so I wasn't surprised with the quality of the FlickLock - it really cements the pole in place, so there is no slippage at all (unlike my Lekis). My complaint is around the powder basket - it just doesn't seem to want to stay on. I am this close to breaking out the duct tape - even though I ski every other weekend. I am dreading the day I lose it.

These FlickLock poles are great. I have had no problem with the poles and have been using them all this season. They are easy to adjust and stay locked. The poles seem to being holding up well to the abuse of an east coast winter. You’re not going to get a better pole for this price.

These poles feel light and are well constructed. I enjoy being able to use them for Alpine skiing, Telemark, Nordic touring and snowshoeing because of their adjustability. I read other reviews of poles and felt like the twist lock type poles tended to collapse pretty easily, which would be very annoying. I have not had that problem with these poles on the last 8 days out using them skiing. I am very satisfied.

great poles-no slippage at all and they are super easy to lock into place.

This is the second set I have bought. Got these for my wife. They simply can not be beat in this price range. We use them for everything... so incredibly versatile!!

They rock. Simple, light enough, sturdy and simply reliable. For 65 bucks...no brainer

I've bought a couple pairs of these. I like them, but somehow either me or one of my buddies breaks the lower shaft. Good thing these are replaceable! I keep buying them because they are good bang for your buck.

i am 12, i used these on a 3 day winter mountaineering trip, they were soo sick, i did not have to take off my glove to ajust them, the flicklock system never froze up even when i left them outside allnight, great poles

If you ski AT or Telemark, you need 2-piece poles because they're stiffer and lighter + the traverse is loooooonger (up to 145cm) - which is useful when you're high up on skis/AT bindings/boots (I'm 6' tall). Also the new grip is... well... grippier and the wrist loops comfier. Excellent value for 50 bucks !!

In the Sierras, land of wet snow, it is nice to have an adjustable pole at a very reasonable price. Skinning up hill I lengthen them, and then coming down I shorten them. The Flicklock is sturdy and certain in holding its position. I made all of my adjustments with a thick pair of gloves on. The grips are easy on the hands, and accommodate a number of hand positions. I removed my gloves for part of my tour and had no hand discomfort. The straps were easy to adjust with gloves on and were soft to the bare hand. Changing baskets was a breeze. Recommend purchasing the powder baskets at the same time as the poles. They also look nice, and with the reasonable price, I will not be whining and complaining when I eventually break them. A great product at a great price.

I skied over 85 days last year with these Black Diamond poles. That included BC, park, tele, alpine, trees, moguls, anything. These babies held up admirably under all conditions. They took quite a beating and came out fine. They are super easy to adjust when touring. I use mine 10cm shorter when tele skiing than alpine skiing. This is my go-to pole for both! Simple and effective.

Just got my Black Diamond Traverse Ski Poles for a backcountry trip to Idaho. Great Poles! The locking mechanism doesn't freeze up or slip. Way better than the Dakine twist lock poles I've used seasons passed. I don't have to take my gloves off to undo or thaw the Black Diamonds. I'm super stoked on these poles.

These would even be great for running around in the park and then getting into the steeps. Good for whatever and adjust in seconds....I love how I can compact them all the way down and throw them in the car.

The flick-lock mechanism does not slip at all and is easy to adjust. They feel fairly light, and have help up to my abuse so far.

These poles are great for touring. I extend them out an extra 15 centimeters when I'm skinning up. Just beware, they are not as strong as a single-shaft aluminum pole - but that is understandable given the extension option. It's not a knock on the quality of the pole.

These are ideal for backcountry skiing or even skiing in the resort. I used them once while backcountry snowboarding and they were a little long. If you ride a split board, you're better off going with a three section pole. But for skiing or touring, they're ideal. Lightweight, durable and the flicklock system is pretty much the best thing out there--don't mess with camming poles.

have had these poles for about 3 years now, the flick lock works great still, and its still as light weight as it was to begin with.

Has worked great for me for over two years and countless amount of vert in the Wasatach. Have held up great for the price. I would recommend these to anyone getting out touring.

Took these out on a 2 day Avy course near Park City. Really glad I had them - adjusted well, big help.

For the price, they can't be beat. Obviously, as with any aluminum pole, if you torque them with enough force, they'll break on you, so if you totally, like, shred really hard, bro, you might want to go with the carbon fiber.

I bought this pole for snowshoeing and backcountry snowboarding. I have had great luck with them thus far and they seem light enough for the price paid and for my use. For all that have broken them, maybe they aren't designed for full-on bombing down at 70 mph, hence the word traverse pole? This is a great pole for snowshoeing or hiking up backcountry tours as well. Overall, I would recommend it for anyone looking for a great value. Plus if they break and you buy them here, you are taken care of ASAP. Backcountry.com rules all return policies on the web, hands down.

I'm extremely fond of these. They are indeed cheap, which is always nice, and work great and don't weigh much. Do make sure you keep the flicklock thingys closed when transporting, as when they're open the screws tend to self unscrew from your car's vibration and you'll find you've got non-locking poles when you arrive at your destination.

Nice price get the job done pole. Don't fold down to a very small size but I was able to manage. Using a split snowboard and putting them on my pack I looked like a radio soldier.

These poles are extremely affordable and are very durable. I have been completely satisfied. These poles are great for off piste hiking or resort access OB. The flick-lock is bombproof and provides easy, fast adjustment. To test it out, I locked the pole and then put all of my weight on it and it did not slip at all! By far the best locking mechanism on the market!

I am a new at cross country skiing and these poles are perfect!
At the tops of hills I used the as a "parking" brake, going down the hills I used them as source of emergency balance! They flexed but never bent, very impressive considering what I put them through even if one of them did bend
I would buy them again. And as the name describes them when transversing a mountain side you can adjust the length of the poles as needed for the up or down side.

Thanks, GunnyE

These poles are such a deal for the money and get the job done. I'm a multi-sport athlete so I can use these poles for two types of skiing and for snowshoeing since I can adjust them easily. They were tight at first but some easy adjustments were made and now they are rocking. Awesome poles, BD makes great gear as usual!

If your looking for an entry level (cheap) adjustable pole. Get the Traverse FlickLock. It's burly, and for the price you won't get anything better.

I've been using these for over 2 years now and they've served me fantastically -- in-bounds and backcountry. The flicklock design never gets stuck, making adjustments quick and easy. They're quite durable too -- it took an out of control, un-braked tele ski traveling around 60 mph to bend it. Thankfully, BD keeps spare parts around, so they're easy to repair too. These poles provide excellent bang for your buck...highly suggested.

Owned for one season. Used about 20 times and no damage yet after some good spills (I usually replace poles every 1-2 seasons because of damage... I guess I have a knack for breaking poles). Also works well with snow saw (sold separate). You can't beat the product for the price.

Great poles! Have not had any issues with the flicklocks. Highly recommend!

Took poles to Mt. Rainier. Hard to travel with as bottom half barely fits into a LARGE duffel bag and is so tight that it tries to poke through. Suggest shortening by 11-2 inches on the bottom shaft. No problems with the top shaft - they could increase that by an inch or two to make up for the difference.
Other than that - these poles are great - and really took a beating -
Overall - I love them - you will too.

these are great poles that work perfectly for backcountry travel. especially for their price, a great buy,

These poles are great for what they imply: Traversing. Otherwise, they are not representative of what Black Diamond normally makes....these poles suck if you do anything beyond just touring and skiing 30 degree happy glades.

I had been happy with the black diamond poles I bought my wife so I finally decided to buy a pair for myself... I chose the Traverse Flicklocks because they would work w/ my BlackDiamond snow saw... However the first trip one of the poles bent while skiing.... Now the pole will not collapse... I have never had a pole bend before...