Black Diamond

★★★★1/2 Trail £95 pair 256g each price, durability not the lightest

Materials: aluminium shaft, foam handle

Features: 3-section pole, fabric straps, flick lock system, 3-season and winter baskets supplied

Sizes: packed length 64cm, fully extended 140cm blackdiamondequipment.com

On balance, the Black Diamond Trail remains a personal favourite, despite being the heaviest in this test. It’s a 3-section aluminium pole, with instantly readable measurements in metric given on the lower two sections, and a good range of height adjustability. The sections are joined using the flick lock system, and tension-adjusted via a recessed Phillips screw. I always carry a small penknife on anything longer than a daywalk, and I prefer this lower-profile method of tensioning each joint, as they are less prone to collecting dirt or being knocked when in use. The foam handle is well suited for medium-sized hands and comes in a single, long piece, with very basic moulding for the bottom of the palm. This allows the user to move the hand up and down the pole when covering uneven terrain. I never use pole straps, but should you choose to this one has some basic padding and is comfortable. In use, the pole is weighted slightly to the tip, which gives a slight swing in forward motion. The aluminium shafts are strong and do not bend or wobble when under strain.

This new version of the classic design is a few centimetres longer when collapsed than my originals, but otherwise this is a tried and true trekking pole whose strength lies in its simplicity. In combination with a reasonable price, the BD Trail gets my Best Buy.