I’ve been trying out the Black Diamond Distance FLZ Trekking Poles to take the pressure off my knees when hiking mountains. Here’s my review…
Why do you need trekking poles?
I’m in my mid-thirties and up until recently I’ve never seen the need for trekking poles, preferring to hike on my own two feet. But I’ve since changed my mind.
Help in high altitude
I first gave trekking poles a go when I hiked the Inca Trail in 2019 as they were strongly recommended for the trip, due to the high altitude.
I was glad I used them on the Inca Trail as it was so easy to get out of breath at 4000m+, but back in the UK I went back to giving them a miss. However, in summer 2020, a few months of lockdown had taken its toll on my usual exercise routine.
Take the pressure off of your knees
I went to the Lake District with a friend for a long weekend of bouldering and hiking, and my knees were in rather a lot of pain coming down the first mountain. I climbed a second mountain on day two, and it took me a long time and a lot of pain to descend.
So, when planning my trip to attempt the Three Peaks in 24 Hours Challenge, I decided trekking poles were a must!
Trekking poles are great because they take a considerable amount of strain away from your knees, especially on a long and steep descent. This is the main reason to give them a try and I do find that it makes a difference to me.
Better your balance
You may find that you also get better balance from using poles, as you have four contact points with the ground instead of two. This can be very helpful when you’re tired, or if you’re carrying a heavy backpack.
Why I chose Black Diamond Distance FLZ Trekking Poles
I did quite a lot of research into trekking poles when I was looking to buy a pair, and the Black Diamond Distance FLZ Trekking Poles seemed to best meet my needs.
I was looking for something:
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Easy to extend and lock
- Comfortable to hold
Lightweight trekking poles
I needed lightweight trekking poles as I was planning to fly from England to Scotland with only hand luggage. My hiking backpack was also my hand luggage bag, so I didn’t want to add too much weight and exhaust myself before 24 hours of hiking!
The Black Diamond Distance FLZ Trekking Poles weigh in at just 415g (95-110cm) and 445g (105-125cm).
The Carbon models are even lighter, but I decided this was light enough for my purposes.
Compact trekking poles
Many trekking poles will retract or fold up, but it’s important to take note of the collapsed length – particularly if you’re planning on carrying them inside you’re hand luggage.
Many of the options I looked at were still 60cm when collapsed, which wouldn’t fit inside by bag. So I found that I needed to find a ‘Z-pole’ – which means that it collapses in a Z shape.
These Black Diamond poles are just 36-40cm (depending on the extended length you need) when collapsed.
Easy to extend and lock
I wanted poles that would be easy to extend and lock. When I was hiking the Inca Trail I was told to use shorter poles for hiking up hill, and longer poles for hiking downhill. I wanted to be able to adjust the length without too much hassle.
As I wanted Z-poles, I wanted to be able to extend and lock them quickly, so that I didn’t have to spend a long time setting them up and putting them away.
Black Diamond Distance FLZ trekking poles are perfect for this. The ‘FL’ in the name stands for ‘Flicklock’. To extend, you hold the pole by the handle (dangling the lower sections) then give the upper section a sharp tug away from the handle. The whole pole immediately locks into place and is ready to use.
It’s genius.
Comfortable to hold
These poles have a really comfortable handle that fits nicely in my (quite small) hands. They are molded to fit the shape of your hand and are a soft material.
I tend to use the poles mostly on downhill terrain, so I don’t usually loop them around my wrists (in case I slip and it causes a wrist injury). But on the occasions that I do use them on an incline, the wrist straps are comfortable and don’t rub.
What length poles do you need?
The Black Diamond Distance FLZ trekking poles come in three lengths:
- 95-110cm (also women’s Distance FLZ)
- 105-125cm (also women’s Distance FLZ)
- 120-140cm
When choosing the length of your poles, you need to ensure that your elbows are at a right angle when holding the handle of the pole, with the tip on the floor and the pole straight.
Black Diamond have a size-guide which recommends the following:
- 100cm if you are <5ft 1
- 110cm if you are 5ft 2 – 5ft 7
- 120 cm if you are 5ft 8 – 5ft 11
- 130cm if you are >6ft
This is a helpful guide, however it will still depend on your particular body dimensions. For example, I am 5ft 6 but, as I have long legs, 110cm isn’t long enough for me – so I need the 105-125cm poles, rather than the 95-110cm ones.
Would I recommend?
I’ve used these poles on a number of hiking trips now, usually in the mountains. I’ve tried other makes and brands of poles which I’ve borrowed or hired for a trip, and I much prefer the Black Diamond Distance FLZ trekking poles to any others that I’ve tried.
I find when you hire poles they are often quite basic, and heavy. These are super light and tuck away small when you’re not using them – which is exactly what I wanted.
I wouldn’t want to head up a mountain without them now! You can usually pick them up from Amazon for a good price if you want to try them out.
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