sleepintent I expected carbon poles to flex less under a bigger load and save weight overall. Alloy ones stayed rigid when I leaned hard on them with a full pack, even on steep sections. Carbon gave more than I wanted on the same routes.
RidgeEcho Carbon does save weight but the flex under load is real when you’re pushing steep with a pack. Alloy’s rigidity there makes sense if that’s what you’re after.
sleepintent Alloy’s staying rigid with the full pack is exactly what I’m after on those steep bits. Carbon’s extra give is throwing off the stability I need.
shelterbuilder Alloy’s extra stiffness lines up with what you’re after when the pack weight’s pushing down on those grades. Carbon’s built-in give under compression is just how the layup works in practice.
sleepintent Tried swapping to a stiffer carbon layup on the last trip and it still bowed more than the alloy under the same pack weight on steep pulls. Maybe the diameter’s the real difference here.