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Black Diamond Trail Shock - Discontinued

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Black Diamond Trail Shock - Discontinued

(4 customer reviews)

List Price:	$109.95
Our Price:	$87.95 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
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SKU:

BD-TRAIL SHOCK-10

In Stock

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Features

Dual-density grip, 360-degree padded webbing strap and a foam extension
Control Shock TechnologyTM
Double FlickLocks
Traditional round shape
Long Flex Tips and low-profile Trekking Baskets

Description

Incorporating cutting-edge, patent-pending Control Shock Technology, the Trail Shock's progressive, four-stage shock absorbs light strikes and heavy hits without pogo-rebounding or bottoming out.

Product Details

Product Length:	24.85 inches
Product Width:	6.28 inches
Product Height:	3.14 inches
Product Weight:	1.55 pounds
Package Length:	28.5 inches
Package Width:	5.5 inches
Package Height:	2.75 inches
Package Weight:	1.5 pounds
Average Customer Rating:	based on 4 reviews

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review: 4.5

( 4 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 found the following review helpful:

Above average poles Aug 29, 2010 By joyousdance
This review will be a comparison between the two hiking poles I have owned, the Leki Corklite Aergon Speed Lock and the Black Diamond Trail Shock Trekking Poles.

I did some research before I purchased my original pair of poles (the Black Diamond) and was confused by what features would be most important to me. There were different types of handles, some had differing degrees of shock absorption, and then of course there are the flick locks compared to the twist lock. I went to my local outdoor store (REI) to check out the different poles and immediately fell in love with the new corklite handles on the Lekis. I almost bought those until a sales person convinced me to get the Black Diamonds. I eventually traded them back for the Lekis since they have a good return policy and I am quite satisfied now.

Here are my thoughts on the different parts of the trekking pole.

Handles: I wasn't sure what feature would be most important and thought it would likely be the flick locks or the shock system. Part of the reason I decided on getting the Black Diamonds was because it had a shock system that went along with the flick locks (Leki does not currently make such a pole as they apparently haven't come up with a design that satisfies them that incorporates both those features on a pole). I thought these features would override the importance of how the handles feel, but for me that was not to be the case. That isn't to say that the Black Diamond handles are terrible. It is a decent quality pole. But they are soft and easily get warm and after about two hours of gripping warm handles in 90 degree weather it gets to where you want cooler handles. Also, the new Leki corklite handles aren't made completely of cork. It appears to be made of some sort of mix of rubber/plastic/with bits of cork mixed in that makes the handle stay cool but with enough texture to give good grip. The black that runs up through the handle is actually plastic and the very top of the handle is rubber so that if you grip it from the very top your hands won't slip off. When I first gripped this newer corklite handle in the store I immediately fell in love with the feel of this grip and it almost made me buy those poles right then. I should have. In addition, these poles feel like they have the perfect thickness for my hands (medium sized woman's hands) and would also probably work well if I ever needed to use gloves because colder weather since they have a narrower grip. There also seems to be a bit more tilt to the handle which might not seem like a big deal, but it definitely increases comfort on the trail. I actually wouldn't have minded more of a tilt, and some poles out there do have that feature. As you are going downhill, you flick your wrists up to cause the pole to go forward. Then you are pressing into the ground with your wrist locked at an awkward, vulnerable angle which doesn't feel comfortable. The more tilt the handle has, the more ergonomically useful the handle is. This is why I actually prefer to grip the poles from the top when I descend. I place my palms at the very top part of the handle and allow my fingers to wrap around the knobby part. This allows my wrists to stay at a more natural straight position. It also means I don't have to constantly be changing the height of my poles as I go up and down the trail. I keep them at the perfect height for both ascending a hill and walking level, and then when I go downhill I grab the top part of the pole and it works out perfectly for me. The Black Diamond has an extended handle so that you can slide your hands down for ascents and have your hands on the regular part of the handle for everything else, but I found that I didn't like having all that extra pole above my hands. It also has a much shorter knob at the top which makes it less comfortable grip if you prefer to grab the handles from the top.

To sum up, the handles are most important because they are what you will be holding for the entire hike and the comfort of the grip will make a difference. The ergonomic nature of the handles will also make a big difference in your comfort level.

Flick Locks: Both of these poles have flick locks and that was important to me because of ease of use. According to the information I read on the web, the twist locks can handle considerably more weight, so if you are hiking with a massive pack on your back, you will likely want to purchase a twist lock pole. I read many reviews where the person thought they had twisted their poles enough, but it wasn't and it collapsed on them during their hike. In order to avoid this, I made it a priority to get a flick lock pole since it is very easy to visually see if they are locked completely or not. I read online that the Lekis can handle 10x more weight with their flick locks compared to any other flick lock poles on the market. Part of my issue with the black diamonds was they collapsed on me several times during my hikes. One time my foot hit a soft spot on the edge of a trail. I went sliding down 5 or 6 feet. When I finally got back up I noticed both of my poles had collapsed about 5 or 6 inches and I had to readjust them. This is part of the reason that I went to the Lekis. I was hopeful that I could keep the flick lock and have them be able to handle more weight. To my surprise, the Lekis started collapsing immediately and I realized that there are two methods of adjustment. There was a screw that could be twisted to tighten the mechanism. Once that was tightened more, it made it harder to close the flick lock but the lock was so much stronger. In all fairness, I never noticed if there was that ability for adjustment on the black diamonds. It would have been helpful to know that. I will have to take a peek the next time I am in the store.

Shock absorption: There seem to be three different kinds of poles on the market. Those without any shock absorption, those with a "lite" version of absorption, and those with considerable and adjustable levels of shock absorption. For me, I didn't purchase anything with a lot of absorption because the purpose of the poles is not to give you "bounciness" on the trail, it is to support you. I certainly don't want my poles compacting if my feet are going out from under me. Also I read that those types of poles are very noisy if adjusted out to the most "bouncy" level. The Black Diamonds had the "lite" version. If you pressed down on the pole you could see the height of the pole compress. But you will likely feel no difference between a pole with this lite version and no shock absorption at all. It is not noticeable. The only reason to get the lite version is if you believe that it will make a difference for your joints in the long run. It likely won't increase your comfort level on the trail, however. The Lekis I bought doesn't have any shock absorption and I haven't noticed a difference.

Now here are some points on trekking poles in general. The reason I purchased these poles is because my knees were killing me going downhill on trails (almost 40 yrs old and way out of shape does not help my situation). I didn't want to have to stop my fun new hiking hobby so I did some internet research and discovered that the one biggest recommendation I could find was to buy some poles. They take pounds of pressure off your knees. And yes, I used to be one of those people who scornfully looked at others with poles and wondered what the point was. Now I am one of those folks who happily uses their poles. It made an amazing difference on my knees. The other surprising benefit of poles is that they give you a full body workout (you'll use 90% of the muscles in your body and burn 40% more calories). Think of a skier who uses their poles to propel themselves forward. Now think of using your poles aggressively going uphill. You will become like a four legged animal. Taking the weight off your legs will make you want to go uphill faster, and if you are aggressive about using the poles you will feel all of the muscles in your back (I did for an entire month until I realized I could use my upper body as much as I wanted and I eased up on how much I used the poles going uphill). These poles also allow me to hike in more comfortable shoes than hiking boots. You can hike in running shoes or in my case I hike in my keen sandals that have hardly any grip on the bottom. I probably shouldn't do that since my feet have slid a few times, but my poles have kept me upright, and the extra two points on the ground of stability have kept my ankles from twisting. The point is, you will be able to wear a more comfortable shoe if you want and the poles can compensate for it. (Obviously you should have a decent pair of shoes if you are on a "hard" trail.)

My recommendation is to get the Leki trekking poles. Definitely get a pair with the newer corklite handles. The Black Diamonds aren't a bad pair of poles. But the handles make a difference, and the advertisement that the Lekis can handle 10x more weight does too. The extra shock lite system on these Black Diamonds would not make me want this brand more.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:

Skeptic, Now a Believer Mar 31, 2011 By Michael Z
I used to roll my eyes when I saw people hiking with trekking poles. But my wife has knee trouble, and I had heard that trekking poles, specifically anti-shock trekking poles, reduced the impact on the knees. I was willing to try it so my wife could continue hiking with the family. They have done amazing things for my wife. She has hiked trails that she would have never hiked before. In November we hiked the Lost Mine Trail at Big Bend National Park with a 1250' elevation gain. My wife would not have attempted this trail before we purchased these trekking poles.

My 12 year old son and I took them on a 21 mile hike last summer in Glacier National Park with 1300' elevation gain. I still cannot believe how well these poles helped. On one steep 600' ascent my son used them. These poles really helped him make the climb to the pass. My 60 year old mother used them on some long hikes in Glacier as well. She loved them and could not believe how much they helped her.

We did not have an issue with the poles collapsing as was mentioned in another review. The flick lock system secures the poles very well. If it is too loose, the lock can be tightened. One thing that drew us to the flick lock system was the ability to quickly adjust the length. I've gotten pretty good at adjusting them on the go as the terrain changes.

These poles come in a men and women's version. As I understand it, the women's version has smaller grips and are shorter.

I would highly recommend these poles for hiking.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

very pleased Apr 27, 2011 By Thomas E. Koroch
I am an avid hiker and have always used inexpensive poles. This is the first pair of high quality sticks that I have tried and the difference is quite obvious. The poles are easy to adjust and they stay put once the lever is engaged. The way that the handles feel in your hand and the how the shock absorbers deal with impact is the most noticeable and welcome feature. I hike in very challenging environments and these have done a terrific job. Very good price to quality ratio.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:

Good poles Jul 26, 2011 By John A. Blackwell "johnb"
Sturdy. Easy to adjust heights. Locks stay put even when I am fully loading them up with my 190# weight. The tips grab nicely onto granite ledge without slipping even at pretty moderate angles (surprised me). The shock absorption is ok, not great... it works. The handle grip is comfortable and slip-free when hot. The grip wrist strap has a nicely done adjustment system. These are comfortable and help a lot to hold the downward load of the arm onto the grip.
Recommend to others? Yes, you bet. I have had good long hikes with these in New England rocky hills and mountains. No issues. My one wish is that they would be a hair bit more shock absorbent. They are also not the lightest poles, but they are a lot more affordable than carbon... which also means they are more sturdy.