Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z FKT Trekking Poles lightest ever…by far!

These don’t mention FKT. I can’t verify that it’s even legit. I’m finding prices on eBay for other BD poles at “too good to be true” pricing.

Ebay BD Carbon Z

The Alpinstore in France lists the poles at 147 g to 162 g per pair so maybe the claimed weights are real. https://www.alpinstore.com/en/626905-black-diamond-distance-carbon-z-fkt-poles-black.html

Correction: the Distance Carbon Z FKT poles are $280 a pair!

I’m guessing that is a misprint, and maybe that is the per pole weight, in that case they are about the same weight as normal z poles but without the leki style strap. My current z pole (I broke it’s sister pole) is 155g in 125 or 130cm – can’t remember which.

Black Diamond’s website shows a Distance Carbon FKT Pole that doesn’t break down into a Z and is instead a true fixed length pole. The 120 cm version is listed as weighing 104 g or 3.65 oz each, so you know adding the collapsable sleeve components would add weight and bring the total up to at least 4.2 oz. That’s approaching the Distance Carbon Z in weight but at a $60 higher MSRP. https://blackdiamondequipment.com/products/distance-carbon-fkt-poles?_pos=1&_psq=distance+carbon+fkt+trekking+pole&_ss=e&_v=1.0

The only way I could conceive the Carbon Z FKT’s could weigh 2.7 oz each is if the poles are much thinner than anything that’s come before, in which case they’d break the first time the tip got wedged between a rock or root. Has to be a misprint on the claimed weight.

Maybe add graphene to the carbon fiber resin to make it stronger, possibly thinner and lighter, though I doubt that’s what they’re doing. Reformulated resin?  Misprint.

Thanks Monte. REI’s page says “Z-pole construction with speed cone technology for fast and easy storage and deployment” and “Collapsed Length[s].” Misprints for sure based on BD’s own page.

It seems like they are aimed at short sky races and VKs only, since they don’t collapse — makes stowing them to use both hands to eat, etc. a problem.

Agreed, if they are that light, they may have sacrificed some durability.

Not only durability being sacrificed at that weight, but also controllability in windy conditions.