Has anyone taken Black Diamond’s Distance Carbon Z poles out for a proper thrashing beyond the showroom shuffle? I’m talking multi-week scrambles over scree fields and bashings against granite, not just posing for Insta selfies on polished singletrack.
The hype is real-they’re feathery at 8oz per pair and stiff enough to feel like cheating on steeps-but I’m skeptical of the “fragile flower” rep. Mine survived a 50mph gust-induced tumble last month (with only cosmetic scuffs), yet forum ghosts swear they shatter like cheap wine glasses if you dare adjust the flick-lock mid-stride. Worth the $200 premium over my old aluminums for ultralight obsessives, or just a flex for gear snobs? Drop your mileage, breakage tales, or “I told you so” mods that make ’em bombproof. Pics of failures encouraged!