Flick-Lock Trekking Pole Recommendations for Hiking and Shelter Support

Komperdell Carbon Expedition Vario 4 poles are carbon with an aluminium bottom section. Only the top section has a flick-lock, though; the lower section are the folding type.
Edited to add: pretty expensive, too.

RE: Komperdell Carbon Expedition Vario 4

These are on sale over at Backcountry.

Thanks Will and Chad, these look great, especially on sale. Do you or anyone you know have any experience with them?

They would be perfect if they had cork grips, but I wouldn't consider that a deal-breaker.

* Just found out that minimum trekking pole length for using the Locus Gear DPTE inverted V setup for mids is 135cm, so want to stick with poles that can reach that length.

Are Komperdell and Black Diamond carbide tips and baskets interchangeable with those from Leki? Only wondering because I've only used Leki up to now and have spare Leki parts.

*Edited to add minimum pole length for inverted V pyramid setup.

I like the BD alu poles but they make some great CF poles, too.

Here are Shug Emory's thoughts about the BD poles..most entertaining-https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mF4ZHfPOB94

Have you looked at the Leki Tour Stick Micro Vario? It has a carbon fiber upper an an aluminum lower. It only has one adjustable segment (with a flip lock), so the range of adjustability isn't as large as telescoping poles, but it still goes from 110cm to 130cm in the men's version, and 100-120cm for women.

Surprisingly, though, the all-aluminum Micro Vario Ti is actually lighter. The lightest in the Micro Vario (folding with flip lock) series is the Micro Vario Carbon, which I have and like (I picked up a pair of the 2014 model on clearance; the 2015 brings an updated flip lock design and sheds an ounce for the pair.)

Wow, that's a great price over at Backcountry, if it's for a pair.
I have no experience with these particular poles. However, my wife has the all cf Komperdell C3 Carbon Compacts and I have the Komperdell Bergzeit Explorer Titanal poles and both sets are standing up well.
I've no idea if the Leki tips are compatible, but replacement tips are available.

The BD Alpine Cork are 3 piece carbon with a good reputation as sturdy poles.

I’ve had one of just about every major brand of trekking pole, and significantly prefer BD poles. I currently have the Women’s Pro Trail (slightly lighter, more compact and smaller grips than the men’s version) and love them.

I also have a pair of BD ultra-distance carbon 120cm, which I love, but since I now use my poles to support my Duplex they rarely get used as I very often need to tweak the pitch height to suit the site.

Wouldn't hesitate in recommending the Locus Gear CP3 trekking poles
http://locusgear.com/products-2/trekking-poles/cp3?lang=en

Been using and abusing mine for about 1 year now, absolutely faultless.

They've stood up as tent supports through 90mph winds, been thrown, dropped, bashed, knocked and scratched but are still going strong.

+1 Locus Gear CP3 poles

I only have about 200miles on them. No problems or foreseeable ones. I love these poles. I think they're the lightest flick lock poles. 11oz/pair? I would assume they work with the LG DPTE too.

Gotta love the costco poles, however, for certain uses — $30 a pair, include two different types of rubber tips and two types of baskets, about 15 oz the pair with the smaller rubber tips on (so a little lighter yet as normal trekking poles.

When I recently heard about these I got a couple pairs, to keep in the car, use as loaners, take on shorter trips. I'll probably take a pair of these to Spain later this year, and on the way home if I lose them in carry-on baggage — so what? ! I think also a good pole for people just starting out backpacking, or who aren't sure if they'll want trekking poles or not.

+1 Brian – the Cascade Mountain poles, also sold by Costco, are the best value out there in trekking poles. I was amazed to find they use the exact same flick lock mechanism as a far more expensive REI pair recommended by Skurka, and my wife and I have +2000 miles on two pairs. For $30 they are amazing, and Costco has a full guarantee on them – an unbeatable deal, and the quality is very good, so I use these for daily use closer to home and for loner poles to friends (have converted quite a few people to poles). Anyone who wants fully carbon poles should seriously consider them.

The only issue for longer trips or for when you may be far from retail/post office where you can get a replacement bottom section, is that the pole tips and pole bottoms are fused, and the pole bottoms are carbon.

The +2000 miles I have on these were on W Coast trails with fewer opportunities to catch and hit pole tips and bottom sections.

E Coast trails we've done on the AT and in NH (Presidentials), VT, MA, ME and NY with very rocky sections present so many opportunities to stress pole tips and bottom sections. On one trip in the Presidentials my wife had her pole tip twist off 3 times – that's by design to save the bottom pole section, which in our case was aluminum. We still have and use that twist lock pair of Leki Makalu Ti PA Core Tec poles – it's ridiculous how well they have held up. Only downside is that they are a pain to adjust because of the twist lock – they are very strong and it takes a lot of force and more time adjust them. Leki claims the twist lock internal expanders are stronger than flick locks – they may be right.

Cascade is only available in the US, and I'll be spending time overseas when it will be very difficult and expensive for me to replace bottom sections available only here.

William and Chad, the Komperdell is a great suggestion – they appear to be the lightest (15 oz range) longest (145cm) highly collapsible pole with an aluminum bottom section and carbon upper sections. There's also a similar offering from Leki with a bottom aluminum section, I forget the model name at the moment, which reaches 135cm and which is heavier (other Leki internal-cord poles reach only 130cm).

I'd like to stick to a length of at least 135cm for shelter support (at least that's what's recommended to support a Locus Gear Hapi and likely similar mids in inverted V setup).

I've never tried the Locus Gear CP3 carbon poles but have read and heard only good things about them – only complaint I've read is that some people are bothered by a rattle – but they and the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork are full carbon.

I have handled the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork and it feels super solid with very solid beefy flick locks (at least the older models).

I've tried the Leki Micro Vario all carbon poles and they are super solid as well – excellent quality as I've found using their poles for many years – and the adjustment is very easy and solid, but they were all carbon and reach only 130cm.

So it's down to the Komperdell model and Leki model that reach at least 135cm and have a bottom aluminum section. And there's that great sale price on the Komperdell.