Backcountry Ski Poles
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- I've had lots of questions on backcountry ski poles this season, so in this video I discuss what features I think make a great backcountry ski pole. I'm not sponsored by any pole manufacturers, the products discussed in this video were purchased by me, and have been tested over many seasons in the backcountry of NW Wyoming.
Poles discussed in this video"
Black Diamond Carbon Trekking Pole (2002 version) www.blackdiamondequipment.com...
K2 Lockjaw Carbon Pole (2005 version) k2snow.com/en-us/p/lockjaw-ca...
Dynafit Tour Vario 2.0 Pole (2020 version) www.dynafit.com/en-us
You know, I think those K2 lockjaws, when screwed together, probably make a great center pole for a pyramid style tent. Pretty neat!
That is a great suggestion. Thanks for posting.
I'm about to join the community of backcoutry skiers, to both explore the back country and to photograph it. Thank you for sharing all your backcountry knowledge with us. Cheers.
That is fantastic. You will have an amazing experience. Thanks for tuning in, have a great time and be safe.
Thanks for another nice video, I always enjoy them very much. Stay safe ;-)
Thanks, you too!
Happy st Patrick s day tom...great video
Thanks! You too!
Great information! Since this is my first season of XCD, I've been rocking my black diamond aluminum trekking poles. They've worked pretty well, but I think that next season I'll spring for some ski-oriented poles.
Appreciate the feedback and thanks for watching.
That was a fantastic review Tom, thanks! Oh, the scenery with the Grand in the background is not bad either….
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for tuning in and have a great ski season.
Ski-Archer Products has adjustable back country pole setup that converts into a very accurate crossbow. Great to have if you happen to see any nice game during overland jaunts.
Thank you for the video
Thanks for watching!
How about the back country deep powder ski poles with the snorkel attachment , for those fresh 6' ft dumps ..... Ha ! heard you guys got some snow up there recently ....have fun be safe !!
Great info 👏 tx
Glad it was helpful!
With practice I can convert my old BD poles into an avalanche probe only a few seconds slower than taking out and assembling a probe (leave off the silly plastic thread cover). And stats show that if you're buried more than 2 meters deep, you're dead anyway (see Auger and Jamieson, "Avalanche Probing Revisited".
Having ski poles that connect together as an avalanche probe could prove very useful indeed.
@@tomm9850 too bad nobody makes them anymore...
Hi Tom. A couple quick questions: Based on your video I am comparison shoping Dynafit Tour Vario 2 and K2 Lockjaw Carbon poles for backcountry telemark skiing. Are the baskets easily replaceable with generic baskets, or do you need to buy brand-specific baskets?
Replacement tips are another issue. Having previously destroyed tips on my carbon poles, the ability to replace tips is a significant plus. I use Goode G-carbon poles for resort skiing. They are USA made and have replacement parts, but I don’t care for Goode’s twist-lock system on their variable length poles. A reliable thumb latch is preferable in the wilderness.
I am leaning toward Dynafit Tour Vario (aluminum) because carbon poles can become brittle at low temperatures. However the wrist straps appear to be a downside of Dynafit.
Any additional thoughts after using your Dynafit poles a couple seasons?
Thanks for another terrific video.
The wrist straps on my Dynafit poles are pretty thin so I don't know how durable they will be over time, but I don't see much wear on mine. The baskets can easily be unscrewed and replaced. I'm not so sure about the tips. The tip itself doesn't appear to be a threaded tip. I tried to see if I could unscrew one with a set of pliers applying moderate force, but it didn't budge with the amount of pressure I applied, so I'm guessing that the whole bottom assembly would have to be replaced using the heat gun and glue method. I suspect that by the time the tips need to be replaced, it would probably be a good idea to just get a new set of poles. Keep in mind that my poles are a 2020 model and I'm betting the current model is different in design and construction.
@@tomm9850 Thank you, Tom.
To my way of thinking, backcountry gear must favor durability and reliability over weight or features. I never snapped a ski pole, only broke tips - which did not prevent me from returning to the trailhead.
K2’s wrist straps appear more comfortable than Dynafit’s. I guess that is a feature I can appreciate.
Do you have any specific thoughts about K2’s floating basket design, or differences in the pole extension latch usage & durability? The latch area seems to be where backcountry poles usually snap.
@@WildMidwest1 I haven't seen either of these two new poles in person, so I'm only going on a best guess from looking at the photos online. I agree, the K2 wrist straps appear a bit wider. It is hard to tell how easy it is to adjust the straps from the photos. The baskets look pretty similar in concept, but it is hard to tell which is more substantial or if one is more flexible than the other. K2 states that their powder basket is 95 mm in diameter. It looks larger in diameter than the Dynafit basket, but I went out and measured mine. My Dynafit baskets are pretty close to 95 mm so I expect the new ones are similar. I have never had any issues with the pole extension latch on any of my poles, but I have had the end of the upper carbon pole under the latch break (one on the K2's shown in this video, and a couple of the Black Diamond carbon fiber poles). I repaired those poles by cutting off the broken end and shortening the upper pole by about an inch. I cut a new slot in the pole and reassembled them. Both the Dynafit and K2 poles shown in this video are all carbon, both top and bottom. Some poles have a carbon top and an aluminum bottom. From what I understand, good carbon fiber construction should not adversely be affected by cold temperatures, so I don't think my issues with the poles were due to the temperature, just one too many times stressing the joint.