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Black Diamond’s Compactor poles are lightweight, but that’s hardly exceptional when it comes to touring poles and it’s far from the end of the story. What sets these poles apart from the competition is their incredible packed volume.
Instead of collapsing via some telescoping lock mechanism, the Compactors can fold up like tent poles at the press of a button. But, this considerable innovation comes at a considerably larger price than average. That said, some skiers and almost all split boarders would be enticed by the ability to securely stash their poles in a pack.
The Compactor’s build is impressively light. If you’re looking to optimize it’s also available in a carbon fiber alternative, though you lose the ability to adjust the size. All told these are a bit of a specialty option and will appeal much more to the split boarding community than the vast majority of skiers.
Things we like:
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Top of class when it comes to z-pole builds -
Appreciably light even for an aluminum build
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Split boarders and traveling skiers will love the packability
Things we don't like:
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Kind of a niche product that will appeal to our elite split boarding crowd -
Awfully expensive for something you’ll only use on ascents
- 18mm, 3 section aluminum shaft
- Soft rubber touring grips
- Lightweight webbing touring straps
- FlintLock length adjustments
- Speed cone push-button deployment
- Compact powder baskets
Related Reviews
Things we like:
-
Top of class when it comes to z-pole builds
-
Appreciably light even for an aluminum build
-
Split boarders and traveling skiers will love the packability
Things we don't like:
-
Kind of a niche product that will appeal to our elite split boarding crowd
-
Awfully expensive for something you’ll only use on ascents
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