In my last post, I discussed why you
should use trekking poles. Now I am
going to review two different trekking poles.
The Black Diamond
Distance Carbon Z is one
of the most popular trekking poles for elite ultra-runners.
I will also review the lighter Mountain King Trail Blaze poles. In this post, I will compare the two poles and
what makes them so good.
Black
Diamond Distance Carbon Z (and FLZ)
If you have researched trekking poles
or have seen videos of the elite runners, most of them tend to use Black
Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles.
The Distance Carbon Z
also comes in a version that you can adjust (FLZ) for an additional $20. Other than the adjustment option and some
weight differences because of that option, the poles are identical.
The Distance Carbon Z
is made with 100% carbon constriction and weighs in at a mere 9 ounces per pole
(10 ounces for the 120 cm version that I tested). That is really light, especially in
comparison to aluminum poles. The
poles extend very easy and lock into place with ease thanks to Black Diamond’s
Z-Pole Rapid Development System (see video demonstration below). The cord is made with Kevlar and has a blue flexible
cone shaped coating that helps guide the poles into place.
The grip is made of a lightweight,
breathable EVA foam that wicks moisture.
It’s comfortable and is molded to comfortably fit your hand. The wrist strap that is attached to the grip
is comfortable and adjustable so you can have the right fit for the size of
your wrist and preference.
The Distance Carbon Z
comes in three sections which folds up to 16” for my sized poles of 120
cm’s. There are four sizes; 100 cm, 110
cm, 120 cm, and 130 cm. The poles come
with interchangeable, non-scaring rubber Tech Tips as well as carbide Tech Tips
and stopper baskets that don’t detach from the poles.
Most of the reviews that I have seen
online are for the Distance Carbon Z. I tested the Distance Carbon FLZ,
which is almost identical with the exception of the FlickLock®. That basically lets you adjust your pole
height a little while out are out on a run.
You might prefer to have your poles shorter on uphill climbs or longer
on descents. The Distance Carbon FLZ
gives you that choice at a very small price difference.
Black Diamond made an amazing set of
poles in the Distance Carbon Z
and the Distance Carbon FLZ. The Z-Pole Rapid Deployment System is
awesome. My one issue is that if you
break a section of the pole, which can happen, you have to send it back to
Black Diamond for repair. I also wish
they came with a carrying bag. It does
come with a Velcro strap to bundle them up, but a bag would be nice. You can pick up a pair of either the Distance Carbon Z
for $159.95 or Distance Carbon FLZ
for $179.95 at the Black Diamond website.
The poles are covered under warranty for one year for any defects in
materials and workmanship. That does not
include pole breakage from use though.
Pros:
Decent price at $159.95/179.95
Awesome grip and wrist strap
Durable and lightweight
100% Carbon Fiber construction
Z-Pole Rapid Deployment System is
awesome
Mountain
King Trail Blaze
The other poles I tested were the Mountain King Trail Blaze
poles. The first thing you notice is
that they are thinner than the Distance Carbon Z
and a bit lighter. In fact, they weigh
in at 3.74 ounces for a 120 cm pole, which is less than a third the weight of
the Distance Carbon Z. That might not seem like much, but you are
talking about an extra ¼ pound of extra weight per arm for an extended amount
of time while you are running. It can
add up and I could really tell in my testing.
The Trail Blaze is simply less
complex, which is why it weighs less.
Therein lies the reason why many runners like these poles. They just work well at a really light weight.
The grip is made of an airfoam with an
open mesh type of a cover. It allowed
your hand to comfortably grip the poles and also allowed them to remain
dry. The wrist strap was also very comfortable
and adjustable so no complaints there.
The Trail Blaze
comes in five different lengths in 5 cm increments from 110 cm’s to 130
cm’s. They range from 3.63 ounces to
3.84 ounces depending on the length.
Unlike the Distance Carbon Z,
the Trail Blaze
comes in 4 sections, not three which means that it can break down into a
smaller folded footprint. The 120 cm
poles fold down to 13.78” which is over 2” shorter than the Distance Carbon Z. It helps when trying to store them in your
pack.
Similar to the Distance Carbon Z,
the Trail Blaze
comes with a carbide wear tip and has rubber tips that you can put over the
carbide wear tips. It also comes with a
mesh bag to store your poles in when not in use (which the Distance Carbon Z
do not come with). The basket on the Trail Blaze
can come off, which I typically do not run with, so I just don’t put it
on.
The Trail Blaze
comes a one year warranty, which excludes breakage from use, but is great to
have. Mountain King makes their poles in the UK where they can closely control
production to make sure that their methods and quality is adhered to. Most other brands make their poles in China
where manufacturing quality can be somewhat questionable.
Pros:
Durable and lightweight
You can get replacement sections of the
poles.
Great price at $132 plus shipping from
the UK.
Comfortable wrist strap
Easy pole deployment
4-section poles are smaller when folded
Cons:
It’s hard to find a US dealer
Comparison (120 cm versions tested)
|
|||
Weight
|
10.23 oz
|
12.52 oz
|
3.74 oz
|
Folded Length
|
16”
|
14”
|
13.78”
|
Stiffness
|
More stiff
|
More stiff
|
Less stiff
|
100% Carbon Fiber
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Adjustable Poles
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Cost
|
$159.95
|
$179.95
|
$132 + Int. Ship
|
While I love both poles, I feel that
the weight savings of the Trail Blaze is a huge benefit. With that being said, The Black Diamond poles
have their Z-Pole Rapid
Deployment System, which I feel is superior.
That superior deployment comes at a cost though, which is the fact that
it weighs 3 times as much as the Trail Blaze.
That is not to say that the Trail Blaze is difficult to deploy, but the Distance Carbon Z is just easier in my opinion. Both pole deployment systems work well though
and should not cause any problems once you have practiced a few times (which I strongly
suggest doing before race day).
Each person will gravitate toward a
specific pole based on their personal preferences. I honestly think that you would be happy with
any of the poles I talked about here. If
you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to ask and I will do my best
to answer them.
Note:
I received this product in exchange for a review. The review is my
personal opinion of the product and I was not required to give a particular
opinion of it. I am not a doctor, so
please use all of the products that I review at your own risk.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI used poles for the first time the other day up my local mountain, and blimey did it make a difference on the uphills! My legs were noticeably fresher at the top. Just wondering how the BD and MK compare on the uphills for propulsion, and then on the downhill to take some weight and save ya knees on longer 12/24hr races. I heard the MKs have fair bit of flex to them...
ReplyDeleteThanks
The MK do have more flex than the Black Diamond. I don't think that is a bad thing though. I have both love to use them both. I don't think you could go wrong with either one. I would see if you can find any local that will let you test them.
DeleteGood post but I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteNepal Trekking Packages
Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z looks great, I am going to buy a set to send to my father, I have never used a trekking pole to go hiking, and I used wooden sticks.
ReplyDelete