Best Light Travel Pole

If you’re already a fan of Black Diamond’s Distance Z poles and ready to spend a few extra dollars to shed some ounces, look no further than the Distance Carbon Zs. These three-season carbon fiber trekking poles have a lightweight, three-section foldable shaft built for fast adventure athletes and a comfortable foam grip. Their impressive weight and pack size make them an easy winner for Best Light Travel Pole.

The Distance Carbon Zs have 100% carbon fiber shafts, making them around 3 oz. lighter than their equivalent length in the Distance Zs. These claimed weights are 263g (9.3oz) for the 100cm trekking poles, 275g (9.7oz) for the 110cm poles, 283g (10oz) for the 120cm poles, and 295g (10.4oz) for the 130cm poles.

Carbon fiber shafts mean that the Distance Carbon Zs are both light and relatively durable, though not quite as durable as its aluminum competitors (or its aluminum counterpart, The Distance Zs). As far as lightweight trekking poles go, the Distance Carbon Zs are a very decent choice. Carbon fiber is by no means a flimsy material and these poles should be able to handle just about anything you throw at them. Like all poles in the Distance series, they can only tout three-season support, so if you’re looking for something to ski with, you may want to consider the Alpine series instead. However, if you’re a trail runner or simply love going the ultralight route, these will make an excellent addition to your arsenal.

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See Our Best Trekking Pole Review 2021 HERE!

If you’re already a fan of Black Diamond’s Distance Z poles and ready to spend a few extra dollars to shed some ounces, look no further than the Distance Carbon Zs. These three-season carbon fiber trekking poles have a lightweight, three-section foldable shaft built for fast adventure athletes. Better yet, they’ve got a comfortable foam grip. Their impressive weight and pack size make them an easy winner for Best Light Travel Pole.

Black Diamond has long been a well-known name in the hiking game, going back to the 1950s when Yvon Chouinard was selling his hand-forged pitons from the trunk of his car in Yosemite Valley. Since the company’s founding in 1989, they’ve established themselves in the climbing and skiing industries as well as many other outdoor pursuits. From helmets, crampons and, carabiners to backpacks, tents, and (you guessed it) trekking poles, they can help you scale the world.

Comfort

The Distance Carbon Z poles have lightweight EVA foam grips and grip extensions, along with what Black Diamond calls a distance strap that’s light but also comfortable. Some hikers will argue that cork is the most comfortable grip material, while others will say that foam grips are better for wicking away moisture and work better with gloves. In the end, it really comes down to personal preference. A rounded top on the grip makes it very comfortable to palm, and the foam grip extensions are excellent for tackling deep descents. A streamlined grip and narrow wrist strap sacrifice a small degree of comfort to cut down on weight.

Weight

The Distance Carbon Zs have 100% carbon fiber shafts, making them around 3 oz. lighter than their equivalent length in the Distance Zs. The poles weigh in at 263g (9.3oz) for the 100cm trekking poles, 275g (9.7oz) for the 110cm poles, 283g (10oz) for the 120cm poles, and 295g (10.4oz) for the 130cm poles. This makes them around 6 oz. lighter than both of the Black Diamond Alpine poles on this list as well as the LEKI Micro Vario Carbon poles—and those will cost you an extra $30. Ounce for ounce, the Distance Carbon Zs are an absolute steal for ultralight enthusiasts.

Packing

The three-section folding-style collapse system makes these significantly more compact than a telescopic pole like the Trail Sport 3 or even the Gossamer Gear LT5. The speed-cone deployment—utilizing SlideLock technology—means that they can easily pack away and deploy rapidly. The folding collapse style is also easier on the poles over time. By not sharing a locking and adjustment system they are less likely to wear out over time, which can sometimes be an issue with telescopic poles. Unlocking the poles is accomplished by pulling upwards on a spring-loaded slider, which is relatively easy to do even with gloved hands.

The Distance Carbon Z’s collapsed length varies depending upon your choice of length. The 100cm trekking poles fold down to 33cm (13in), the 110cm poles fold down to 36cm (14in), the 120cm poles fold down to 40cm (16in), and the 130cm poles fold down to 43cm (17in). The folding-style collapse system is noticeably superior to traditional telescopic systems like the Trail Sport 3, which collapses down to only 64cm.

Unpacking your Distance Carbon Zs to take on the trail is quick and easy—thanks to the SlideLock system. All you’ll need to do is grab above and below the SlideLock and pull both sections away from each other. You’ll hear the poles audibly lock into place. You’ll then see a lock icon on the pole below the unlock icon on the SlideLock. To unlock them, you’ll pull up on the SlideLock with one hand while shimmying the lower pole up to loosen the cord and enable you to fold the pole into the Z shape.

Adjustability

The Distance Carbon Zs utilize Z-pole’s fixed-length construction, so make sure you know what size trekking pole will fit you best. Length options include 100cm, 110cm, 120cm, and 130cm. According to Black Diamond’s sizing chart, the 100cm poles are intended for hikers less than 154cm (5’1”), the 110cm poles are designed for hikers 154-171cm (5’1”-5’7”), the 120cm poles are for hikers 172-182cm (5’8”-5’11”), and the 130cm poles are for heights above 183cm (6’). Fixed-length construction may not be the ideal if you feel the need to regularly adjust the length of your trekking poles to accommodate the terrain, but this is typically not the case with most hikers.

Durability

Carbon fiber shafts mean that the Distance Carbon Zs are both light and relatively durable, though not quite as durable as its aluminum competitors (or its aluminum counterpart, The Distance Zs). Shaft composition is indeed a contentious topic. You’ll find people who swear by the light swing weight of carbon fiber as well as those who refuse to use anything but aluminum. The fact is that hikers typically have two choices when it comes to their trekking poles: weight or durability. The most lightweight trekking poles will utilize carbon fiber shafts and folding collapse styles while the more durable poles will be telescopic with aluminum shafts, i.e. heavier. The Distance Carbon Zs obviously fall into the first category, so keep this in mind.

Typically, I’ve found the latter—who swear by aluminum— are those who have had an unlucky trip with a set of carbon fiber trekking poles at some point. Unlike aluminum poles that can be bent back into place, a snapped carbon fiber pole means you’re essentially SOL, which is a disastrous situation on a lengthy thru-hike and likely to leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. The vast majority of hikers will most likely never snap a pair of hiking poles, but if you’re looking to pack heavy or have a few pounds yourself, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.

Price

At around $170, the Distance Carbon Zs are what most hikers would consider a more serious investment. They’re near the top of Black Diamond’s price charts—at $10 more than the Alpine FLZs, $10 less than the Alpine Carbon Cork, and a whopping $70 more than the Distance Zs.

When it comes down to it, spending an additional $70 to upgrade from the Distance Zs to the Distance Carbon Zs really only has one selling point—less weight, and to be perfectly honest, the nominal weight difference (around 3 oz.) may not justify the added price tag. That said, given the choice, I would personally opt for the Distance Zs. However, compared to similar light poles like the 10.6 oz. Gossamer Gear LT5s and the LEKI Micro Vario Carbons (which weigh more than a pound), which each cost around $200, the price tag for the Distance Carbon Zs is somewhat reasonable.

Other Features

Included with your Distance Carbon Z poles are a standard carbide tip that’s ideal for hiking as well as a non-scarring rubber tip, which are excellent for pavement and sandstone, along with places where you might not want to potentially scar the landscape. You’ll also find them handy when it’s time to pack these away and you want to avoid scratching any of your other gear. Just above these tips, you’ll find stopper baskets featuring shaft catchers to secure the pole sections when folded. The poles are also Z-Pole Snow Basket compatible (they’re attached via a notch above the included baskets), making them excellent for alpine climbing but not quite sturdy enough for downhill skiing.

The Bottom Line

As far as lightweight trekking poles go, the Distance Carbon Zs are a very decent choice. Though potentially not quite as durable as the Distance Zs, carbon fiber is by no means a flimsy material and these poles should be able to handle just about anything you throw at them. Like all poles in the Distance series, they can only tout three-season support, so if you’re looking for something to ski with, you may want to consider the Alpine series instead. However, if you’re a trail runner or simply love going the ultralight route, these will make an excellent addition to your arsenal.

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