Black Diamond Expedition Ski Pole - 2009 BCS

Light and compact, easy to use. I'm completely satisfied

Black diamond poles are an obvious choice because of flick lock. Although other companies have similar technologies (I believe the patent ran out) BD's quality is much better.

I chose these over the 2 section BD poles because these are much stronger. The 3 section version wobbles considerably less when applying pressure. They also pack up MUCH smaller.

Can fit it a backpack easily, the adjustable length is great for hiking or skinning. Black Diamond also has a great warranty department if they break, backcountry does too :)

If you skin up on two planks, and ride back down on one, you really have one option for poles. These are light, strong, and collapse down to nothing. Mine don't ever slip or anything, even when using them as propulsion on the flats.

I have been using the same set for two years, probably 100 days on them. They never stick or break unlike a lot of three piece poles.

I have had nothing but good experiences with these poles, they are a great weight and are awesome to ski with. They are not bullet proof but they get through most situations. I would say getting them stuck in a garage door is an abnormal way to bend them- but they are still going strong despite the accident!

UVM Outing Club just recently purchased 7 pairs of these to go with the 5 we had already. I use them on every trip I lead and I take them out pretty much every weekend otherwise as well. They are a litte lit heavier than my buddy's adjustable poles (older BD trekking poles he uses for telemark skiing), but they definitely do the job.

The adjustment of my MFD risers can take an extra try sometimes with the powder baskets, but I don't think that is a big deal. You can always trim off a little bit of one of the pieces of the basket.

Overall solid and worth the money.

I love these poles because they are a piece of gear that functions like they're supposed to and I never have to worry about them. The Flicklock mechanism has never moved on me once.

I jsut receieved these last night and at first glance they appear to be great. They seem to be very sturdy and stout. I love the FlickLock system. I put on a pair of gloves and found that they are very easy to manipulate even with a heavy set of gloves. I will update after I use them for a while.

these were great, used them for a heli - snowboard trip. They were light and very sturdy.

...I loved these poles for all sorts of skiing. The other reviews tell the story pretty well...the only problem is that the bottom end of one was sheared off in a crash. I know that they are designed to be light but maybe the design is just too lightweight - the edge of my ski trapped the pole and that was an end to it. Maybe they should sell them individually in case of damage....

Had these for 5 years now as my only set of poles for work/play at the resort and in the backcountry. I've killed several other types. I didn't expect much longevity from them when I first got them - assumed the versatility of the 3-piece construction would sacrifice durability. They've had the odd mishap with the chairlift and been with me tumbling through the trees/rocks, but aside from some scuffing and a tiny bend in the thinnest section of one of them (which doesn't affect the collapsing), they've been really reliable. Love how small they pack away (often just stick them in my boots for transport) and have had no issues with the fliplock. If I had to have a gripe, it would be that the swing weight isn't as pleasing as my old Life Link V-C's, but whatever. Great for what I need it for.

lightweight and small but very durrable. easy to adjust on the go and fits perfectly on the side of the pack

These have been friends for over one hundred days without a fail.

Great poles. I had some Tubbs 3 piece that featured the twist lock vs. the snap lock found here. They were great until the froze fully extended on a backcountry snowboard mission. Nothing like riding down the hill with a couple 42 inch poles in your hands....Anyway, these don't do that, they work great and are much better than those POS Tubbs I had. If you will be splitting/snowshoeing in very cold temps, buy these poles.

These are money if you need a pole that is highly adjustable and breaks down small. These are a must have for splitboarding, easily fit into or strap to a pack. I use mine ski touring and when out on the split. The tab adjustments are where it's at, I upgraded from a twistable Leki pole.

I got these poles for back country snowboarding, and summer backpacking if I have a heavy load. These poles are great and have excellent durability. Black diamond really made a great pole, for anything, but really for skiing or snowboarding. These collapse really small, especially for snowboarding this is important because you have to carry them down on your back. I'm sure these will hold up for a long time. And the FlickLock technology is amazing, and doesn't let the pole move at all. If you want a great pole for backcountry snowboarding get these, you wont be disappointed.

A Solid pair of Poles. These have been through 3 seasons. Separate the sections, clean and dry them before storing for long periods.
Ugh!

Pretty much the standard for splitboarders....compact, light and simple...

I love these poles. I use them for backcountry snowboarding, and they've yet to let me down. The only reason they get 4 stars is that the powder basket attachment method doesn't seem like it will survive repeated removal of the basket. It looks like the basket will eventually wear down enough that it won't stay on tight. Definitely a problem if you're planning on using the BD Flicklock Snow Saw with these poles. Other than that, they're great.

I use these for skiing and hiking and they work great. The baskets fell off every once in a while when I first got them, but I made sure to really compress the baskets into place and now they're no problem. I love having these collapsed in the back of my 4Runner along with my Lowa boots -- always ready for a hike or adventure.

The adjustment feature is neat if you plan on using these as both skiing and hiking poles since oftentimes you'll want different lengths for different activities. The locks are snug as a bug caught in a spider web.

These are a necessity when you are trying to trek up a steep incline, or wedge your way between a couple pine trees on a slope. Also work for a couple of good tent stakes if you attached a cord to the tip and bury the pole a few feet deep.

nice poles use them more for hiking about, sometimes I feel like they may take a turn for the worst but somehow they always pull it off.

Very good poles, extremely light and compact. The locking mechanism is adequate, I think BD can improve a little there. My major complaint is with the basket. Upon installing, I felt like the plastic wore away a little when I screwed them in. That must have played a factor since the first day I used them one of the baskets came off as I was skiing back (luckily it held on the ascent).

Credit BD support however, I wrote them and got a replacement right away in the mail. I would probable give these poles 3 stars, but with support like that I had to give them extra credit!

These poles work great for backcountry skiing or boarding. They are lightweight, collapse down to a nice size, and are durable. Black Diamond always makes great stuff!

Versatile, strong, 3-section poles. I use my poles primarily for backcountry skiing and backpacking. The Flick-locks are the best in the industry, and are easily adjustable. Don't even consider twist-lock poles, you'll regret it! The only negative is that my 9-year-old pair of BD Probe Poles eventually wore to the point that one of the baskets would no longer stay put in heavy snow - and after a couple of new baskets I decided to buy these! Lesson? Don't change/remove your baskets if you don't have to, and you'll never have any complaints! Also, if you have any issues, simply email the reps at BD - they are extremely responsive and eager to help! Black Diamond stands by its products! Black Diamond products are fantastic!!

Very great poles, super sturdy and packs away to a really small size. Loved that they could fit on my pack.

Excellent poles! Light, extendable and packable, not to mention sturdy! Very pleased with my purchase.. Use them both for skiing and hiking.

For whatever reason, I tend to be quite hard on poles. If I'm not snapping them in half at Sugar Bowl then I'm snapping the straps clean off or even wearing the grips smooth with my death-grip.

I bought these mainly because they can pack into my luggage case, which is very helpful for me. I found them very easy to adjust to the correct length, where they (mostly) stayed - they sometimes collapse when using them to push down on bindings to release. I also found that one of the tips cracked on day 2 of my trip, but I think that was my fault, and all poles I've had do this anyway.

I love the straps, they make for a much more comfortable fit in the hand than most others I've had, and they are easily adjustable.

Overall, recommended. They are just poles and do just what you'd expect.

they are great.

I am 5'9" and bought these specifically for skinning with a splitboard. They are compact enough to even break apart and fit in my dakine heli pro pack. I have the 125 cm and just about max out the settings. They are extremely dependable and easy to adjust with the clip locks (forgoet those goofy screw locks!)

Love these poles! while skiing with young children my wife and I often swap using poles and going with out. These poles make it so we only have to have one set. They colapse small and will be great to strap to my pack for traversing steep country while backpacking especially when its wet!

I have been a fan of the FlickLock technology for a long time. These ski poles bring that into a light design with a well-designed strap system. I am 5'11" and bought the 125cm, and it's just barely tall enough for me, but it works. My husband is one inch taller than me and these poles are too short for him.

used these poles a couple times, they ripped a buckle off my pack while splitting down a tree section. soo make sure your pack ha ssolid straps for accessory strapping. but liked them alot. got another pair on there way.
compact nnicely.
strong durable.
the wuick snap buckles work good and strong.

used these poles a couple times, they ripped a buckle off my pack while splitting down a tree section. soo make sure your pack ha ssolid straps for accessory strapping. but liked them alot. got another pair on there way.
compact nnicely.
strong durable.
the wuick snap buckles work good and strong.

Very durable pole and extremely easy to adjust. The only improvement I would make is the basket attachment. They are threaded with plastic and they pop-off very easily. I haven't lost one yet but I reinforced them with duct tape just in case.

Glad I got these poles. I use them for backcountry boarding, and hiking. They're definitely durable and easy to adjust.

These are great poles. They collapse easily--even with gloves on. They are lightweight and very functional. Alpine skiing, ski-touring, backpacking/hiking--they work awesome in every kind of situation. Money well spent.