Backcountry Plinko Carbon Touring Ski Pole for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

9.3
out of 10
3 Positive, 0 Mixed & 0 Negative
from 3 Reviews
Retail Price:
$149.95
Used Value:
$89.97
Sale Value:
$134.96

Backcountry's Plinko Carbon Touring Ski Pole has that wonderful balance of uphill-friendly lightness and downhill-worthy rigidity. We made the lower shaft out of carbon to keep things light, and the aluminum upper ensures solid stiffness when you're planting and hopping down steep chutes. The shafts adjust to accommodate a comfy length for both uphill and downhill travel, and Komperdell's Power Lock 3.0 secures whatever length you want. We also lengthened the foam grip so you can choke down the pole while side-hilling something steep. At the top of the grip, a reinforced hook helps you switch heel elevators on your bindings. The Ice Flex basket adjusts its angle against whatever slope you're skinning or booting up.

Specifications

Brand:
Claimed Weight:
7.9oz
Grip:
EVA (18in), [top] plastic
Included Baskets:
Ice Flex (powder)
Locking Mechanism:
Power Lock 3.0
Recommended Use:
backcountry touring
Shaft:
[upper] aluminum (16mm) [lower] carbon (14mm)
Strap:
detachable, adjustable
Tip:
carbide
Usable Range:
110 - 145cm

Full Reviews

10
These turned out better than I could have imagined! I've been out for more than 30 days on these and I am stoked. - The length ranges from 110-145cm. Great universal fit, but also awesome for running them longer on the uphill - increased efficiency (think classic nordic) - and more stable on the up. Shorten them on the way down. I usually skin with them at 140cm, and ski with them at 120cm. My "pro" tip is to take a little nail polish and mark where your height for the up, and mark your height for the down. The nail polish will leave a little texture both visually and with feel so you can quickly switch from uphill to downhill length. -The lower shaft has a topo graphic which not only looks great, but also helps increase the friction of the shaft so the pole stays at the height it should with the powerlock. I've dealt with slippage in the past and so far, these have yet to slide, even with some pretty strong force. The aluminum powerlock is robust and locks down tight. - The extended foam grip is awesome for choking up on the skin track and sidehilling. Being able to slide down the grip and get a better handle on the uphill side is a great feature. - The molded hooked pommel is perfect for flipping heel risers. It also works pretty well with locking the toe pieces out on ION/ZED G3 bindings. It doesn't work perfectly every time but if you hook them just right, i can get them to lock out. - The straps are lightweight and soft touch. And easily removable for those who don't want straps in the backcountry. Simply push the pin through and remove the strap. I will note that it is a little tricky trying to get the strap back on if you do pop the pin out, you just need to remember how the strap folds when the pin is inserted. - Ice flex basket flexes slightly with the terrain - this is super helpful on crusty snow and prevents the pole from getting torque'd and the basket popping with each pole plant. - The carbon lower shaft is very lightweight, but seemingly very strong. I have already, accidentally, slammed these poles down in between some rocks and thought i was going to snap them when i wrenched, but they are surprisingly burly for the weight class. Big fan, and make skinning a little more enjoyable.
Alex Quitiquit, backcountry.com
December 21, 2020
10
Love the new ski touring poles. The extended padded grip is an awesome feature for the skin track and power locks hold their place regardless of how much force I put on them. On top of that they're lightweight and the hooked top cap allows you to adjust your risers with ease.
James Griffin, backcountry.com
December 20, 2020
8
These poles are awesome! Lightweight, clips hold the height securely in place, and there are included powder baskets as well. My only hang up is these are more meant for backcountry skiing rather than splitboarding, as they will not get small enough to store in a backpack for the ride down.
Jenn W, backcountry.com
November 21, 2020