Carbon fiber poles?

[Paradox]

Komperdell makes a Carbon Trekking Pole. Does anyone have any experiance with these?

I have an expensive pair of hiking poles, but I have a proclivity for bending them. Carbon fiber makes a nice golf driver shaft and sailboat mast but I don't know if the same applies to a hiking pole. I'm worried that the same bending force that I'm frequently applying to my hiking poles will destroy the carbon fiber shaft.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

My XC poles (Swix CT3) are 75% carbon. They have some flex to them. I.e., they won't split or shatter if bent at all.

I hang a good part of my weight on them when climbing hills.

HTH,
Tim

 

[Peakbagr]

Carbon fiber poles are light, and those that have them enjoy the weight. And I haven't seen one fail.
I ding my metal poles on rocks, roots and knock snow off branches.
Carbon fiber fly rods take a tremendous amount of flexing, and can be bent almost into a circle.
Carbon fiber has a weakness, though. Ding the CF rod with a weighted fly or hook on a backcast, and that little ding then becomes the place where the CF rod eventually breaks.

Now CF hiking poles are not thin, tapered and whippy like high performance fly rods, but then I don't knock my fly rods into solid object and tree branches like I do with my hiking poles.

Just my opinion.

 

[cbcbd]

I had some Komperdell CF poles from a few years back. Loved them, very light, very durable... until I stuck them in a rock crevice and the torquing of me keeping moving forward shattered the bottom section of the pole. A shame and it eventually happened to both my poles although one of them survived a long time by me just pushing the shattered part into the other section.

So don't do what I did and they will be great.

 

[skiguy]

Carbon fiber is very light and can reduce hand and arm fatigue. Steel /Aluminum although heavier is much easier to Field Repair . When Steel/aluminum breaks it is ususally a cleaner break than Carbon Fiber, the latter has a tendency to have a ragged break with lots of frays therefore making it harder to Splint(scroll down to see Pole Splint) .

 

[kerry13]

I've owned Komperdell aluminum, titanium with shock absorber and graphite. They were all nice when they worked, but the compression locking mechanism of the Komperdell will make you wish you had gone with flint lock. No matter how frequently you tighten the locking mechanism, sooner or later they will loosen and you will snap one of the plastic studs. I finally went flint lock and could not be happier. I have BD Spire, triangular shape shaft, which is very strong yet light. Maybe a couple ounces heavier than graphite. Have not had slippage in over a year of use and no breakage.

 

[skiguy]

No matter how frequently you tighten the locking mechanism, sooner or later they will loosen and you will snap one of the plastic studs.

Plastic studs as a replacement part are available for most poles using this technology. I agrree with you on the fliplock being better but if you can't fork over for new poles having some extra studs in your repair kit is a good idea. Longer trips especially if you are skiing, having some extra shafts around is not the worst idea either.

 

[cbcbd]

I've owned Komperdell aluminum, titanium with shock absorber and graphite. They were all nice when they worked, but the compression locking mechanism of the Komperdell will make you wish you had gone with flint lock. No matter how frequently you tighten the locking mechanism, sooner or later they will loosen and you will snap one of the plastic studs. I finally went flint lock and could not be happier. I have BD Spire, triangular shape shaft, which is very strong yet light. Maybe a couple ounces heavier than graphite. Have not had slippage in over a year of use and no breakage.

I only had a problem with the twist lock mechanism in the winter, where somehow frost would show up inside and make it slide. Never had too much of an issue in the warmer months.
Now I have two CF poles, both from BD, both flick lock -FL Carbon Fiber skiing and Alpine CF.
Sure, both are no fuss and the flick lock works well in all seasons, but nothing is as light as my Komperdells - those were so sweet to swing around!

 

[DougPaul]

I only had a problem with the twist lock mechanism in the winter, where somehow frost would show up inside and make it slide. Never had too much of an issue in the warmer months.

Never had any serious problems with Leki twist lock mechanisms any time of year. All it takes is an occasional cleaning and lubrication. See http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18182 for details.

Either type of mechanism works with appropriate care.

Doug

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have had a set for years, and I love them, but not for winter. I am on my second set, the first ones had the little compasses on the top, the new ones do not.

I snapped one into 4 pieces doing Owl's Head a few years ago and was very saddened, luckily they were replaced at no charge. I stuck it into the snow, slid on my crampons, snapped it off, then fell on it.

I do use them exclusively in the other seasons though, they are very lightweight, moreso than any other pole out there, and I have bent them into a "U" when I nearly slipped into a river on the AT, among a few other times. I have hit them on rocks and they're still in great shape. But, I do watch where I place them, to avoid leveraging them into a hole while moving along at a good clip.

No problems with the locking mechanism on them so far, but the older ones would unlock on one hand, which is the way I tended to twist the pole while hiking.

The frost that accumulates on the inside is common. When the poles are inside a house, the air between the sections is warm, and warm air holds more moisture than cold. When you step outside, the air between the poles cools down and drops the moisture out, which is then deposited on the inside of the pole sections. Because the pole sections are not air tight, the constant heating/cooling of use will build up more moisture the more the poles are used. To combat this just take the sections apart, dry them thoroughly, and leave the sections separated in the back of a car, assemble at the trailhead.

 

[kerry13]

Plastic studs as a replacement part are available for most poles using this technology. I agrree with you on the fliplock being better but if you can't fork over for new poles having some extra studs in your repair kit is a good idea. Longer trips especially if you are skiing, having some extra shafts around is not the worst idea either.

Yes, there are replacement studs, but they don't appear to be an easy replacement. On my titanium and aluminum Komperdell the stud is pressed into the shaft and then a punch is used to create 4 dimples in the tube to hold the stud shaft in place. It would appear that to replace the stud you'd have to drill it out precisely, removing the indents to so that the new stud could be pressed in and then you'd have to secure the stud in the shaft with epoxy or use a punch to make new indents. Far more effort than should be necessary. If you know of an easier way to replace the stud, I'd certainly be interested in hearing it, if someone would care to share their secret.

Based on the number of second hand parts, from returned broken poles at the EMS Peterborough store, I certainly am not the only one who has had problems with loosing and snapping the studs.

 

[skiguy]

Yes, there are replacement studs, but they don't appear to be an easy replacement. On my titanium and aluminum Komperdell the stud is pressed into the shaft and then a punch is used to create 4 dimples in the tube to hold the stud shaft in place. It would appear that to replace the stud you'd have to drill it out precisely, removing the indents to so that the new stud could be pressed in and then you'd have to secure the stud in the shaft with epoxy or use a punch to make new indents. Far more effort than should be necessary. If you know of an easier way to replace the stud, I'd certainly be interested in hearing it, if someone would care to share their secret.

Based on the number of second hand parts, from returned broken poles at the EMS Peterborough store, I certainly am not the only one who has had problems with loosing and snapping the studs.

Very interesting Kerry. I have a few poles that use studs but they are quite old...but the studs screw on and off by hand with simple threading. I have since moved on to fliplock type designs therefore not being boned up on the latest designs with twistlock and didnot realize the poles that you were using were so difficult to field repair. My other gripe with twistlocks is that they can be difficult to twist and turn with certain heavier handwear.
Here is another solution for adjustable poles. I have a pair of these and use them for backcountry skiing.

 

[Neil]

I had Black Diamond carbon trekking poles. I banged it against the edge of my snowshoe about 100 times to knock sticky snow off and on the 101st time the pole shattered. I got a refund and bought less expensive metal ones.

 

[Rols]

I really like the carbon fiber poles. I have found them to be very strong. I had a pair of Koperdell. I Landed up snapping a pole after wedging in inbetween rocks while I was descending quickly to excape a lightening storm. I now use back diamond. I prefer these because of the locking mechanism....they never lip. I really prefer the carbon fiber because of their weight and strength. I have used them a couple of years in the Winter without any problems

 

[rhihn]

I recently switched from Leki to Black Diamond poles. I loved the locking mechanism and the lightness of the poles. On the first day out with them, I slipped on one of those Catskill moveable rocks (Catskill hikers know what I mean), caught myself with, and snapped, the pole. Not all my weight was on it. EMS told me I had set the pole sections at uneven intervals (true), and so they wouldn't pay for a new set, but reluctantly agreed to giving me a new pole section.

Since then I have had no problems, and continue to enjoy their weight(lessness) and flick-lock ease of setting pole lengths.

Dick

 

[Silverfox]

Carbon Fiber Poles

I replaced an older pair of Komperdell Aluminum poles with the carbon fibre looking for that elusive combination of lightweight and strength.. I had a carbon fibre snap and fray in one of those unique to hiking twisting around a rock motions..Lost confidence there and went to the komperdell Titanium which have been more than satisfactory..occaisionally one of the locking mechanisms sticks but I find it is more the cause of my herculean tighting methods rather than a shortcoming of the poles themselves..Great poles..super light

 

[Paradox]

Based on what I gathered here on VftT, I purchased a pair of BD carbon fiber poles with the flick lock feature about and month ago. After a dozen or so mountains, I must say I approve highly of both the carbon fiber and the flick lock mechanism. The foam handles are a big plus also. Thank you for your input!

 

[moonrock]

FYI: Carbon fiber is somewhat conductive and not more lightning-safe than aluminum.
Significant because fishing poles are being made from the stuff (instead of fiberglass, to evade the ever-more-sophisticated FISHRAD). And I saw a documentary about how stealth planes made with CF might require integrated fine wire mesh to safely dissipate lightning.

More to the point: Even with CF, hiking-pole sword-fighting on summit during a thunderstorm is STILL not recommended

 

[Paradox]

FYI: Carbon fiber is somewhat conductive and not more lightning-safe than aluminum.
Significant because fishing poles are being made from the stuff (instead of fiberglass, to evade the ever-more-sophisticated FISHRAD). And I saw a documentary about how stealth planes made with CF might require integrated fine wire mesh to safely dissipate lightning.

More to the point: Even with CF, hiking-pole sword-fighting on summit during a thunderstorm is STILL not recommended

Previous hiking pole ideas I've had, include using a pair of 1-iron golf glubs to lightning proof my time on the summit. Even God can't hit a 1-iron.