Black Diamond FLZ poles

[peregrina2000]

After my last camino, one of my poles had a lot of black power-like stuff inside the shaft. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/whats-wrong-with-my-hiking-pole.55568/

I wrote to Black Diamond, asking them what I should do about it, and lo and behold, they just sent me a new pair!

They are a newer version of the FLZ poles, and instead of the little button that pops out when you lock the shaft, the mechanism is totally internal, and I think that will be a big improvement.

But they still have the same annoying feature of a “rubber” tip that isn’t rubber in my book and that is impossible to take off with bare hands. I was able to get it off with a pair of pliers and put the carbide tips on. I now want to put a “real” rubber tip on top of the carbide tip so that I can switch it back and forth when the camino changes from asphalt to terrain and back again.

Last year, the consensus was that the only way to do that was to “bulk up” the diameter of the pole shaft with duct tape so that the normal size rubber pole tips will fit on the Black Diamond. Otherwise the shafts are are way too narrow.

Is that still the case? I am working on doing it now, but thought I would ask if there have been any updates that I haven’t been able to find with my googling.

And yes, I know they are ridiculous pole tips. I bought a package with two sets last year. I got a lot of grief about them from the Baztán 5. And in fact, the tips fell off when I was on the bus from Pamplona to connect to the Norte and the sticks were rolling around under the bus. But since I have another pair here at home, I will use these till I have to replace them.

But my real question is whether anyone has found a pair of rubber tips that will fit on the end of the Black Diamond FLZ when the carbide tips are on. THANKS!

 

[KinkyOne]

After my last camino, one of my poles had a lot of black power-like stuff inside the shaft. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/whats-wrong-with-my-hiking-pole.55568/

I wrote to Black Diamond, asking them what I should do about it, and lo and behold, they just sent me a new pair!

They are a newer version of the FLZ poles, and instead of the little button that pops out when you lock the shaft, the mechanism is totally internal, and I think that will be a big improvement.

But they still have the same annoying feature of a “rubber” tip that isn’t rubber in my book and that is impossible to take off with bare hands. I was able to get it off with a pair of pliers and put the carbide tips on. I now want to put a “real” rubber tip on top of the carbide tip so that I can switch it back and forth when the camino changes from asphalt to terrain and back again.

Last year, the consensus was that the only way to do that was to “bulk up” the diameter of the pole shaft with duct tape so that the normal size rubber pole tips will fit on the Black Diamond. Otherwise the shafts are are way too narrow.

Is that still the case? I am working on doing it now, but thought I would ask if there have been any updates that I haven’t been able to find with my googling.

And yes, I know they are ridiculous pole tips. I bought a package with two sets last year. I got a lot of grief about them from the Baztán 5. And in fact, the tips fell off when I was on the bus from Pamplona to connect to the Norte and the sticks were rolling around under the bus. But since I have another pair here at home, I will use these till I have to replace them.

But my real question is whether anyone has found a pair of rubber tips that will fit on the end of the Black Diamond FLZ when the carbide tips are on. THANKS!

Why don't you ask BD, Laurie? Maybe they have some other "rubber" tips...

I don't have this kind of problem because I don't use poles on tarmac and in the towns. And especially I don't use them when others are around on such surfaces

 

[peregrina2000]

I did ask Black Diamond and they said that each pair of poles comes with two sets of tips, a carbide tip for off-road walking, and a “rubber tip” for other surfaces. The problems are two-fold — first, it is impossible to switch the tips without some sort of pliers to take them off and replace them, so no one walking a camino will do that. Second is that what they call “rubber” looks, feels, and sounds like hard plastic. So what I want to do is leave the carbide tips in there permanently and just pop on and off those rubber tips, like most people do. But the shaft is so narrow that regular rubber tips fall off. These poles do not make a single noise if you use a good rubber tip on them, I know that for sure.

 

[C clearly]

I was able to get some tips at REI that fit my older Black Diamond poles quite well and I had had trouble finding them before. I don't know about your new poles. I spent hours driving across the border to look at shoes at REI, but came home with rubber pole tips instead.

I have also used the duct tape solution in the past.

 

[dougfitz]

I have seen 8mm pole tip protectors around, but they are not common in bricks and mortar stores here in Australia. The Komperdell version comes up in online stores. Try a search like 'Komperdell rubber tip protectors 8mm' to see what is available.

There may be other manufacturers making these, but when I removed the company name, the only products that appeared in the first page of results were all from Komperdell.

 

[Priscilla NC]

I bought Black Diamond brand rubber tips at REI. They just slipped on over what is there. I have BD carbon Z poles.

 

[gloria lowe]

REI had tips

 

[benny aumala]

I tried in may in your way. No go!
Maybe firest km they feel OK, but then roll off befor you know.
I had to cast them away. Then carbide tips only. Luckily I had pliers.
Now I found original external rubber tips. This seems promising.
And cheap!
Benny

 

[williamlittig]

Click, Click, Click ... Thanks for leaving the rubber tips in place.
If you take them off and on too frequently you had better bring spares.

 

[dougfitz]

I tried in may in your way. No go!
Maybe firest km they feel OK, but then roll off befor you know.
I had to cast them away. Then carbide tips only. Luckily I had pliers.
Now I found original external rubber tips. This seems promising.
And cheap!
BennyView attachment 58082

I would be cautious about these. They look remarkably similar to the rubber tips that, on the Black Diamond web site, are described as NOT being suitable for their Distance and Z poles. I have used tips like these, and the ones that I use have the 12mm diameter opening, not the 8mm diameter opening that is needed for BD's folding poles.

 

[Gail Dickson]

After my last camino, one of my poles had a lot of black power-like stuff inside the shaft. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/whats-wrong-with-my-hiking-pole.55568/

I wrote to Black Diamond, asking them what I should do about it, and lo and behold, they just sent me a new pair!

They are a newer version of the FLZ poles, and instead of the little button that pops out when you lock the shaft, the mechanism is totally internal, and I think that will be a big improvement.

But they still have the same annoying feature of a “rubber” tip that isn’t rubber in my book and that is impossible to take off with bare hands. I was able to get it off with a pair of pliers and put the carbide tips on. I now want to put a “real” rubber tip on top of the carbide tip so that I can switch it back and forth when the camino changes from asphalt to terrain and back again.

Last year, the consensus was that the only way to do that was to “bulk up” the diameter of the pole shaft with duct tape so that the normal size rubber pole tips will fit on the Black Diamond. Otherwise the shafts are are way too narrow.

Is that still the case? I am working on doing it now, but thought I would ask if there have been any updates that I haven’t been able to find with my googling.

And yes, I know they are ridiculous pole tips. I bought a package with two sets last year. I got a lot of grief about them from the Baztán 5. And in fact, the tips fell off when I was on the bus from Pamplona to connect to the Norte and the sticks were rolling around under the bus. But since I have another pair here at home, I will use these till I have to replace them.

But my real question is whether anyone has found a pair of rubber tips that will fit on the end of the Black Diamond FLZ when the carbide tips are on. THANKS!

I use these poles and find the tips for Fizan poles fit. I get from Kathmandu in Australia but the Fizan are actually Italian I think.