Black Diamond Spire Contour Trekking Pole

These are my first trekking poles I have ever purchased and I am glad I bought some. I bought these because of the reviews, really. They are light, compact well, and sturdy enough for my 6'3" 250 lb. body. I hike and snowshoe a lot and have found these to help out a lot (powder baskets are a must in snow).

I actually forgot them for one hike I did recently and was sore the next day! I guess that's a good thing and a bad thing. Good because they help make the hike more comfortable but, bad because my body seems to rely on them now. Oh well...

I do have to say, I didn't collapse the bottom part of the poles for a good 3 or so months and when I needed to collapse that bottom part to stick them on my pack, it actually took some time and hurt my hands to get them to go in. But now they work fine. So, I collapse them all the way at least once a week to keep the parts working well.

Also, when they get really, really wet from rain or sweat, it can be harder to grip them, which doesn't happen too often. And, the adjustable strap comes loose while on long hikes if I apply too much pressure. But they tighten with a quick pull so, again, not a huge deal.

Bottom line: Solid poles that make for a more enjoyable hike.

These trekking poles from Black Diamond are excellent: easy-to-use, stable, nice looking and with a much better construction than the competitor's one like Leki and Komperdell!

The best feature of the Spires is their FlickLock. The lock holds the pole in place and you know it's closed; no turning and wondering if the lock is holding like other poles. The lock does need minimal maintenance, however. The screw that holds the lock's latch needs to be checked after and before every trip. It is a standard Phillips screw, and can be turned easily with a penny, knife blade or fingernail. I consider this minimal maintenance just part of taking care of one's toys, so it is not a detractor.

For their weight, these are the best trekking poles around. The straps are a easily adjustable and large enough to accommodate gloves (but not big mitts) and have a 3D mesh to wick away moisture. Should you break a part, you can get replacement parts from Black Diamond.

I've put a 400 or so miles on mine, and they look good-as-new. They hold just as well, too.

I have used trekking poles for the past few years and until recently had been a devotee of the LEKI Super Makalu's. When I recently went to my local outfitters and found the new Black Diamond Spire, I knew I had to have a pair. The locking mechanisms and the elliptical design were what really caught my eye. They, in my opinion, are far superior to anything else on the market. The extended handle is also a major plus. I am glad I went with the new Spire and would encourage you to do the same. You won't be disappointed.

believe the reviews...they are top of the line...the eliptical design gives them more linear stability...they are lightweight (dont weigh much more than the CF models) and the FlickLock design is unique on these...most have two FlickLock adjustment points...this only has one...the lower section extends and is fixed in place while the upper portion has the FlickLock allowing you adjust the length...angled handles are very comfortable and absorb sweat well

As a novice hiker, I felt somewhat dorky using trekking poles at first, but the difference is like night and day. With these, I was able to hike for hours, and felt absolutely no fatigue aches in my knees nor back whatsoever.

I was completely happy with my choice of Spires. Absolutely no slippage with the elliptical design and locking mechanism; the wrist straps were very comfortable; and the angle of the handles allow them to swing out naturally, further cutting down on fatigue.

FlickLock is a far superior design compared to the compression twist design. These can be easily adjusted with or without gloves. They won't collapse unexpectedly. The rest of the poles offer very good quality. A little expensive for what they are.

Last summer the water was high in the Virgin River. Although my wife and I have completed such civilized hikes as the Camino de Santiago, we were new to long hikes in the backcountry. The Narrows are beautiful, but the steep walls left us confused about time of daylight left. We kept going too long. The light faded as we waded. My wife was swept away by the river and I pushed into the water after her. She made it to safety. I fetched against a rock and was being pulled under by water pressure on my pack. Black Diamond Contours allowed me to lever off without the poles slipping. Spires are stronger yet. And they don't boing as much. Great poles!

Living in Hawaii and new to backpacking; my goal was to backpack into the Grand Canyon and stay at Phantom Ranch. Researched the Grand Canyon and backpacking equipment and selected Black Diamond Spire Trekking Poles with the flintlock and binary locking system. Spire compared to other trekking poles is far superior with it solid feel when used on those switchbacks (Devils Screw), great for crossing streams and life saver on the ice and snow.

I did not think I could make it though a tough week long back country trip and a friend recommended these. They TOTALLY saved my back and knees. Now that I have a pair I am going to use them for even short day hikes.

I love my new poles...my old ones bit the dust and these are so easy to adjust, light weight and the grips are comfortable.

These are the very first poles that i have owned and they definately made an excellent first impression. The price was reasonable and they are very sturdy not to mention the fact that they are very lightweight. I was on an 9 hour long hike in germany on various terrain ranging from rocks to dirt, uphill, downhill and they felt comfortable in the hands as well as a sense of security as far as balance goes. These poles were absolutely lightweight yet so sturdy you hardly notice they're there. two thumbs up great buy.

I'm new to the world of trekking poles. My knees have been bothering me while hiking and out of desperation I decided to shell out some money on some poles. What a difference they make! These poles are very light weight and are ideal for a woman's height and hand size. Also, the locking system is easy to operate (the first few times it's hard to flip the locking switch). I would highly recommend these poles.

i have been hiking and snowshoeing for a long time and it took 20 years before i finally discovered the benefit of doing these activities with poles. and these poles are perfect. they are easy to adjust-which was a big thing for me since i was not sure where i liked them yet and the strength was amazing. i abused these the first time out and i was nervous i would break them but not even close. they are light and the grips fit my hands well. i used another set on a trip and the grips were very uncomfortable. i highly recommend these

I'm 5'1" and I use the compact pole. They have a great range for both steep uphill and downhill. They are very lightweight and easy to use, but if you put a lot of weight on them (like on steep, icy downhills) they do slowly shrink down. They feel very durable though, and there is very little vibration.

Poles are everything advertised and everything other reviewers claimed. The only problem I've had thus far is keeping the wrist straps properly adjusted. They adjust easily enough, but they don't stay adjusted. Having to readjust every 5 or 6 minutes is distracting.

These poles are exactly what all the other reviewers have talked about. They're great. Lightweight, comfortable, and easy to adjust. In addition, the price is right. The unique pole design gives the poles strength while retaining their lightweight. It would be nice however, if they collapsed smaller.