Being in SLC is so bad because every once in a while I get tempted by some outdoor retailer with a good deal....and a few weeks ago LevelNineSports.com sent me the bait in the form of an Email saying that they had just gotten their hands on A LOT of Black Diamond Gear. Specifically, gloves, skis, poles, and other goodies. We're pretty lucky to have not just L9 here, but Backcountry.com, a very good Patagonia Outlet, Black Diamond's flagship store AND outlet, DPS, and many others. It is insane.
Though MSRP is $120.00, and the Black Diamond Site has 'em on sale for at $59.97, LevelNine is selling them at a whopping 35 smackaroos.http://www.levelninesports.com/Black-Diamond-Compactor-Ski-Poles[b Yes, $35.00. I watched the video and was intrigued to say the least:
And yes that is $35.00 for two poles.
They only have the longer length...115-135 cm. Perfect for me and for travel. I went to the store and they had tons of them....all first quality. So it was a no brainer.
At the request of an AZer, I had to write a review:
These aren't the carbon models....these are aluminum. I will have to check back in after more use to see if there is any corrosion issues, but I highly doubt it...my other BD poles are now going on 4 seasons of good use with no issues at all in that regard.
The initial set-up is a bit tricky, but basically it is just like a tent pole in that you gently pull it out full length in order to lock in the sections and lock in the top locking pin. When that pin is locked the pole is solid--every plant was confident during my four hours of on-piste skiing. The only small peeve I had was that when you swung the pole around you might feel a tiny bit of play on the upper shaft above that locking pin...but we're talking a small bit of play and nothing noticeable or problematic at all when you made a pole plant.
These are incredibly light and were so easy to pack to and from the mountain--literally threw them in my backpack. Having a spare hand to carry stuff was an unexpected bonus. The baskets are designed to lock into each other so that they make a nice tight package for travel or storage.
The grip was the same basic grip as my Traverse poles and they were comfortable. Same with the straps...even with bulky goose down mitts I was able to slide them on and off.
The flick lock is improved even over my 2010 Traverse poles. None of the sections slid at all...and the lock was solid. No problems even in the sub-zero morning temps at Snowbird.
I also noticed that the upper shaft had textured grips instead of the rubber grip extenders to save some weight. That was a nice touch, but some might not like the sand-paper feel of that part of the shaft.
Taking them apart at the end of the day was a snap....literally. Just push in the locking pin, slide up the shaft, and gently pull apart the sections and fold.
Very, very impressed. I will use these more than expected...especially when I want to travel lighter. They are great for BC use...probably more like slack country and they are ideal for splitboarding (that is their main purpose).
Great product, great price. Go get them.
Some pics below of the poles, the textured upper part of the shaft, the locking pin, and the flick lock. Also a pic showing how small they are folded up with a ball point pen beside them.
Though MSRP is $120.00, and the Black Diamond Site has 'em on sale for at $59.97, LevelNine is selling them at a whopping 35 smackaroos.http://www.levelninesports.com/Black-Diamond-Compactor-Ski-Poles[b Yes, $35.00. I watched the video and was intrigued to say the least:
And yes that is $35.00 for two poles.
They only have the longer length...115-135 cm. Perfect for me and for travel. I went to the store and they had tons of them....all first quality. So it was a no brainer.
At the request of an AZer, I had to write a review:
These aren't the carbon models....these are aluminum. I will have to check back in after more use to see if there is any corrosion issues, but I highly doubt it...my other BD poles are now going on 4 seasons of good use with no issues at all in that regard.
The initial set-up is a bit tricky, but basically it is just like a tent pole in that you gently pull it out full length in order to lock in the sections and lock in the top locking pin. When that pin is locked the pole is solid--every plant was confident during my four hours of on-piste skiing. The only small peeve I had was that when you swung the pole around you might feel a tiny bit of play on the upper shaft above that locking pin...but we're talking a small bit of play and nothing noticeable or problematic at all when you made a pole plant.
These are incredibly light and were so easy to pack to and from the mountain--literally threw them in my backpack. Having a spare hand to carry stuff was an unexpected bonus. The baskets are designed to lock into each other so that they make a nice tight package for travel or storage.
The grip was the same basic grip as my Traverse poles and they were comfortable. Same with the straps...even with bulky goose down mitts I was able to slide them on and off.
The flick lock is improved even over my 2010 Traverse poles. None of the sections slid at all...and the lock was solid. No problems even in the sub-zero morning temps at Snowbird.
I also noticed that the upper shaft had textured grips instead of the rubber grip extenders to save some weight. That was a nice touch, but some might not like the sand-paper feel of that part of the shaft.
Taking them apart at the end of the day was a snap....literally. Just push in the locking pin, slide up the shaft, and gently pull apart the sections and fold.
Very, very impressed. I will use these more than expected...especially when I want to travel lighter. They are great for BC use...probably more like slack country and they are ideal for splitboarding (that is their main purpose).
Great product, great price. Go get them.
Some pics below of the poles, the textured upper part of the shaft, the locking pin, and the flick lock. Also a pic showing how small they are folded up with a ball point pen beside them.
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