Gossamer Gear LT5 Three Piece Carbon Trekking Poles

Light and comfortable!

This is an initial review with only one day, so if durability becomes problematic, I will update the review.

I typically hate poles.  They have been an annoyance more than a help. Unfortunately, my knees disagree with that statement. I tried BD's Distance Carbon FLZ and disliked the grip, the fixed basket, and the tent pole folding mechanism. The BD Alpine Carbon Cork felt nice, but goes against my fear of heavy poles getting in the way of a nice hike.  

The Gossamer LT5's are easy to set up—just extend the bottom to the mark that says "stop" and twist. Then extend the next segment to the marked length of your choice. 130cm is max and at 5'11" I use about 125. The wrist strap is very comfortable and functional. The carbon poles have just the right amount of stiffness and flex for me at 185 lbs. They have good vibration dampening and are quiet compared to other poles I have tried.

The grips are really comfortable and perform great in the wet. I also like the easy twist lock and telescoping pole as having a poison oak phobia (for good reason) I don't want the business end anywhere near the grips.

Summary: Expensive, yes. Performance, among the best. Durability and low maintenance? Time will tell... Did I mention light?!

4/4/2023 (5-year follow up). On maintenance. I broke one pole by placing heavy items on top of it in the back of my car and driving unkown miles. The price for the replacement piece is pretty high, although fair, so just bought another set. I'm not hard on them on trail as I just use for walking and minor fall arrests: they have held up remarkably well. That said, they will break if you exceed their lightweight design parameters. I can't imagine using any others.