[Just_Some_Hiker]

A couple years ago I found a Cascade Mountain Tech trekking pole on the trail, which I took home and added to my collection of trail booty. After my Black Diamond poles broke, I ended up using the CMT pole as my main pole, sometimes paired up with a whippet. I assumed it was an expensive pole based on the quality and features. It was a very durable and took a lot of abuse. It lasted about two years -- longer than all of my BD poles -- until the GF borrowed it and broke it in a nasty ski crash. I never got around to replacing it at the time, but I happened upon the same Cascade Mountain Tech poles on Amazon a few days ago. Turns out, they're dirt cheap poles -- $22 bucks. I bought a pair and got them delivered today. They seem to be about the same quality as the original CMT pole I found. They have the same flick-lock system as more expensive poles, and they extend long enough for a taller person such as myself. Also, unlike other cheap poles, they come with snow baskets and a variety of different tip covers. There's also a carbon fiber version for $44, if you want to save a little weight. Anyway, I'm super happy to have found a great deal and I just thought I'd pass it along.

[Malachai Constant]

Those are the ones sold at Costco. The tips wear fast but BD tips fit. My go to poles now.

[KevinDo]

Oh yea those go quickly when they show up at Costco! I believe they got a boost in popularity recently due to Andrew Skurka's review on em. Been using mine now for 2 years and only had to replace the tips. Other than that they are rock solid poles!

[iron]

definitely not as durable as BDs IME. we bought about 4 pairs and have snapped parts and pieces easily on all of the poles. meanwhile, my 12 y.o. BD CF poles are still fine, despite some good tweaks over the years.

[rubywrangler]

Agree with iron. The bottom segment of one snapped the first time I used them. Emailed the company to see if they'd replace it and they never responded. So on customer service too. I went back to BD. ETA: mine were the CF version

[Navy salad]

Hey, I lost a pair of CMT poles a couple years ago. Were they blue-ish and lost at the West Tiger Mountain trailhead, and with an extra flick-lock duct taped to them? Regardless, unlike the experience noted by others, I thought the tips were really tough! I used them a LOT on rocky ground and they showed virtually no signs of wear. I assume the tips were carbide, based on how unaffected they seemed to be. And really, they were only $22 for the carbon fiber/flick-lock version? Last I looked on Amazon, they were over $40. $22 sounds like a great deal! I just looked, and the only ones I could see for $22 were the aluminum ones. Do you have a link?

[Malachai Constant]

My tips that wore were used several hundred miles on thru hikes. I broke two center section over three years by tripping and falling on them so it is not really a fault.

[Chief Joseph]

Some are simply clumsy and/or just hard on equipment, ymmv.

[Just_Some_Hiker]

[Navy salad]

I just learned that you can buy replacement parts for these hiking poles! Broken sections, lost flick-lock, replacement tips or baskets, whatever. This is the link: https://cascademountaintech.com/collections/trekking-pole-parts

[Malachai Constant]

I had the tips wear out in California, substituted BD tips they went on easy. Much more durable on granite.