FlickLock Adjustable Probe Pole

Pretty good poles. Heavy. For $125, you can get the carbon-fiber version of this pole. It's only 1.5 ounces lighter, but the weight distribution makes all the difference. When you're trying to flick a long pole, even an ounce less weight at the end of the pole can make your pole plants crisper.

As far as I can tell, they are quite durable. I was dumb enough to ski without a basket on one pole (I lost it). When I planted it in soupy snow on Mount Tallac's NE bowl, it drove about 8 inches into the snow and bent as I fell. I was able to bend it back quite easily. A carbon pole probably would have broken.

The weakest point is the length adjuster. It has some moving parts, and the screws tend to loosen, meaning unintended compression of the pole under pressure, possible opening of the adjustment flap, and worst, the possibility of lost parts. My wife has Life-Link poles, and I find them lighter (though less durable) and with a more failsafe adjustment mechanism.

As an avalanche probe, I have no experience. I bet it is a bit too thick and too short to be really useful. Better than nothing, but you will probably want a real avy probe if you do a serious amount of backcountry skiing in avy-prone areas.

I have used almost every other kind of pole out there and BD makes the best. The fliplock will not get your poles stuck. Every crucila time I needed to collapse or extend my other type of poles, they would be stuck or break. I have yet to have the BD's do this. I believe that 3 of their models are only 2 section poles, and the Expedition are 3 sections. I have both (Traverse, and the X) and they both rule the earth IMO

I agree with mpbro regarding the undesired compression under pressure. Overall a very good set. My basis for comparison is a pair of REI brand trekking poles which simply bend under 'medium' pressure (like when I use them to assist myself in getting up with a backpack on).

This is a great pole. The flintlock system is the best locking mechanism I've ever used. It never gets loose and doesn't freeze.