Zpacks Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles

The Cascade Mountain carbon fiber poles are a bargain and pretty durable if you mostly hike on trails – they might not hold up well on off trail jaunts over talus fields.

We have two pairs we picked up at Costco and have used them regularly for trail hikes for 8-10 years.

https://cascademountaintech.com/collections/trekking-poles/products/carbon-fiber-quick-lock-trekking-pole-cork-grip

Costco used to sell them in pairs but it appears they only list sets of two pairs on their website:

https://www.costco.com/Cascade-Mountain-Tech-Trekking-Poles%2c-2-pack.product.100480782.html

Since carbon tubing may vary in quality across a wide range, it should not be assumed that it is all of the same quality. Unfortunately, unlike tent pole tubing, trekkng pole tube is more difficult and expensive to break test (not many would buy a new pair and try to break test them, because to measure the force required at the break point, you must of course break them).

Faced with this dilemma, bought a pair of Yukon Charlie carbons, because the lower two sections were made of alloy. and replaced the cheap grips with some very firm extended foam grips taken from ski poles made in Europe. So they weigh 7 1/2 oz each, rather than around 6 1/2 oz like the Zpacks, but I no longer worry about breakage in the lower sections. Surprisingly, the Charlie’s flic locks are very durable – so no problems at all. And a bonus: the Charlies are stiffer than the ski poles and I find them more pleasant to hike with, without all the bowing on rough ascents and descents.

I think we will see more carbon poles with alloy tube at least on the lowest and narrowest section that is both weaker and subject to breakage in crevices and similar pole destroyers.

I think we will see more carbon poles with alloy tube at least on the lowest and narrowest section that is both weaker and subject to breakage in crevices and similar pole destroyers.

Particularly for off-trail, I think that it is an important consideration-

G’day Jim I had one in combination with a Locus Gear CP3 recently in wind of app 15 knots with gusts of about 25 knots over about two hours as a cold change rolled through on my Duplex. Worked fine, Have only used them about 15 times all up I suppose. Just mind they are 122 cms. So I had the zpack pole on an angle to match the 120 cm CP3 and the guy line cranked down tight and no problem. No buckling nor movement.

Cheers.

I have a pair of Zpacks carbon fiber trekking poles that I got free during a “special offer” when I bought a Zpacks Duplex tent.    I just hiked about 200 miles with them and they’re great.   No complaints.  No problems.  I did not stress them excessively, so I cannot comment on their resistance to breakage, etc.   But for ordinary hiking they’re fine and VERY lightweight.  Locking mechanisms work well.