Black Diamond Trail Vista Shock Trekking Poles

If long descents leave your knees, elbows or wrists complaining, this is the pole that does something about it. There is a shock system built in under the grip that soaks up the jolt at the moment the tip hits rock, and over a thousand-metre descent that adds up to a lot of impact you did not take.

What the shock actually does

Every pole plant sends a spike up the shaft into your hand. The Vista Shock puts a damping element between the tip and your palm, so the spike arrives as a push instead. Hidden under the grip and the extension, so there is nothing to adjust and nothing sticking out.

Cork grips and hand positions

Natural cork-wrapped grips manage moisture and shape to your hand, and the foam extension gives you a second place to hold on a steep ascent. Black Diamond's grip geometry angles the top to sit naturally in the palm rather than square to the shaft.

Who this suits

Walkers coming back from a knee or wrist injury, anyone carrying a heavy pack downhill, and people who simply want to finish a big descent feeling less beaten up. The trade is a few extra grams for the mechanism, and it buys real comfort.

Weight

548 g the pair (274 g per pole).

Key features

• Built-in shock system beneath the grip and extension
• Natural cork-wrapped ergonomic grips
• Foam grip extension for steep ascents
• FlickLock adjustment across 100-140 cm
• Fully lined Variwidth straps