Performance Comparison
These poles are lightweight, compact, and impressively durable.
Comfort
The Distance Z's grip is okay — not great, not bad, just average. Black Diamond understandably pairs the Distance Z with a fairly no-frills, low weight, foam grip. If you are looking for an extremely comfortable handle, go with a more ergonomic cork handle. The Distance Z, on the other hand, sacrifices a degree of comfort to save weight. Our testing team did find the handles to be more comfortable than most rubber options. After more than 20 days of testing, we were impressed with how they held up to a fair amount of abuse acquiring only a minimal amount of nicks and scratches in the foam.
Carbon fiber pole construction offers more shock absorption than aluminum, but these poles are light enough that they don't generate much momentum, and thus don't strike the ground as hard. The wrist strap is made of relatively thin fabric, and could be more comfortable, but considering that this pole is designed to be light, a thicker strap would defeat the purpose. Overall, we found the comfort to be adequate in a pole that is designed with other performance attributes in mind.
The foam handles and straps are designed for minimum weight.
Locking and Adjustability
The BD Distance Z pole locks with a spring-loaded slider, which is easy to undo with gloved hands. The most significant negative aspect of the Distance Z is that it is not adjustable. As with most z-style poles, increased packability comes with decreased adjustability. If you are between sizes and you want a perfect fit, or if you like to adjust your poles when the terrain changes, consider looking at other z-style options that include a small amount of adjustment. If you can cope with a fixed-length pole, then you'll have no issue with these.
While we think not being able to adjust a pole's overall length is a small disadvantage, we don't think it should be a deal-breaker for most folks. Tester Ian Nicholson, who typically adjusts the lengths of his poles depending on whether he is going up or downhill, said that while he was testing several of BD's non-adjustable poles over 50 days this summer, he hardly noticed not having it once it was no longer an option. So it all depends on your preference; this shouldn't be the deciding factor unless you value that extra adjustability.
The updated locking mechanisms on the 2018 model. The improvement is nice, and they are significantly easier to use with gloves on
Weight
At 12 ounces per pair for the 110 cm length, the Distance Z is one of the lightest poles on the market and feels shockingly lightweight in our hands. It's not quite as light as the carbon version, but shaving those extra 2 ounces will double the cost of your poles.
These are plenty light for most uses, and only alpine climbers or the fastest mountain runners will want to splurge for the extra weight savings. For 99 percent of users, these poles provide the best weight-per-dollar ratio of any pole we have ever tested, earning our Top Pick for a lightweight pole. Usually, lower weight means a sacrifice in durability was made on somewhere along the line, but in this case, we couldn't find one.
Packed Size
Along with all the other "tent-pole" style collapsing poles we tested, the Distance Z also crushes the traditional telescoping poles in the packed size category. These poles are awesome for any application when you might need to stow them on your backpack, such as alpine climbing or technical scrambling. They also disappear into packed luggage when traveling. The Distance Z collapses down to a best-in-class 14 inches (35 cm).
Z-construction results in the smallest packed size, but also eliminates any overlap in pole sections, increasing the tendency of a pole to wobble or bend when weighted. Considering that these poles are designed for lighter uses, they will serve most activities well, although larger folks and those carrying big backpacks might want to choose a heavier, telescoping pole.
Telescoping poles compared to z-style poles.
Durability
Despite the lightweight construction (12 ounces for the 110 cm size) and noticeably lighter-than-average swing weight, our testers were surprised by the durability of the Distance Z. For its first field test, we took it on a six-day mountaineering adventure that was nearly entirely on cross-country terrain where two other poles were broken, but the Distance Z handled it fantastically. Still, these poles aren't as tough as many of the heavier aluminum telescoping poles, but we think they're plenty durable for all but the hardest users with the biggest backpacks.
Aluminum is more durable than carbon fiber because it can bend without snapping. It also resists chipping and cracking, problems that can plague carbon poles and cause catastrophic failures. Despite the less durable "folding z" design, the Carbon Z aluminum poles are durable enough for everything we threw at them.
Versatility
The Distance Z is great for most uses, but trekkers on the gnarliest trails and carrying the most weight would want to use a heavier pole. For everything else, these poles excel. They are compatible with a snow basket (sold separately) that provides some floatation in summer snow, but they are not burly enough for downhill skiing. The standard carbide tips are excellent, and the included rubber tips are perfect for gripping sandstone and pavement, while keeping Moab's slickrock pristine.
Overall, we were surprised by the versatility of these poles. Upon first glance, it seems like they are designed purely for mountain running and lightweight hiking, but they are actually perfect for most applications. We preferred them over other poles for everything except heavy-duty backpacking and trekking to remote destinations.
The poles feature replaceable carbide tips and fixed baskets.
Value
These are the cheapest "Z" style pole in our review and one of the least expensive non-telescoping poles on the market. At such a reasonable price, the low weight and high durability of this pole offer excellent value, earning it the award of Best Value in a Lightweight Pole.
Conclusion
While not quite a do everything pole, the Black Diamond Distance Z does most things fantastically and is best appreciated by folks looking for a light and very collapsible pole. For most users, this pole is a great option at a relatively low price, for the performance and weight.
