REI Co-op Flash Carbon

Our take Our testers who use their trekking poles as tent supports reached for this telescoping model for its best-in-test adjustability. Carbon-composite keeps the Flash Carbon ultralight, despite the extra hardware needed in an adjustable pole, and, while that construction has been known to have durability problems, ours has stood up to a season of hard use. “I used the Flash Carbons on a tough trail with rocky ridgewalks and white-knuckle stream crossings along Arkansas’ Buffalo River Trail, and they handled it amazingly,” our tester says. Ding: The paint job lacks durability; length markers on the shaft wore off easily.

Trail cred “The precise adjustability of the pole really helps when I’m erecting my shelter,” another tester says. “I can easily make the micro-adjustments necessary for a perfect pitch. Plus, their low swing weight ensures I’m not wasting any excess energy on the trail.”