Pole tips and baskets

[PGH1NC]

I have seen little on the forum regarding pole tips and baskets.

Do you use either? If so, how or why?

I might think the rubber tips over the carbide tips would be better on gripping the rocks on the AT and that the carbide tips might grip the ground better but harm the soil surface on well-used trails?

Do baskets help in mud? I still have the smaller baskets but they seem to get caught between rocks typical on the AT.

Any comments?

Thanks

[Nanatuk]

I use the rubber tips. Keeps them from getting stuck in the mud and on top of rocks instead of between them

I usually take the baskets off unless expecting to hike through snow.

[RockDoc]

Use rubber tips. It's courteous to others as you hike through rocky areas. Going CLICK CLICK CLICK for hours is not courteous to those trying to enjoy the peaceful wilderness. Also, the scratches on the trail and rocks is unsightly damage.

[nsherry61]

Another topic I have strong opinions on. To bad I can't figure out which opinions are most imortant.

1) I find the small baskets most helpful in mud. Many people don't use baskets at all in the desert. All baskets tend to get caught up on bushes along the trail. Baskets do occasionally keep the poles from dropping into narrow holes and cracks in rocks, but mostly just useful for mud, or snow baskets for snow.

2) Most Leki tips are shorter (less sticking out below the basket) than most Black Diamond and most other poles. Shorter tips are really nice in mud because the longer tips tend to hold onto the mud and stop one's forward momentum irritatingly often. The Black Diamond Distance Z poles have wonderfully short tips making them extra cooperative in the mud.

3) I find rubber tips to work fantastically well and be wonderfully quiet . . . until it rains and/or the leaves fall. Then the rubber tips are death cuz they no longer hold reliably.

4) The ethics of carbide tips and trail damage, to me are pretty muddy. The trail one is walking on is already a great big linear scar across the land. A couple of stripes of churned up dirt or scraped up rocks along the edge of that linear scar seem to me to be a pretty minor addition.

5) As for the noise of the carbide pole tips. Yeah. I agree. It's grating. I have gone to using rubber tips except with it is wet, leafy, or icy. Then, I switch back to exposed carbide.

[Traillium]

Another topic I have strong opinions on. To bad I can't figure out which opinions are most imortant.

1) I find the small baskets most helpful in mud. Many people don't use baskets at all in the desert. All baskets tend to get caught up on bushes along the trail. Baskets do occasionally keep the poles from dropping into narrow holes and cracks in rocks, but mostly just useful for mud, or snow baskets for snow.

2) Most Leki tips are shorter (less sticking out below the basket) than most Black Diamond and most other poles. Shorter tips are really nice in mud because the longer tips tend to hold onto the mud and stop one's forward momentum irritatingly often. The Black Diamond Distance Z poles have wonderfully short tips making them extra cooperative in the mud.

3) I find rubber tips to work fantastically well and be wonderfully quiet . . . until it rains and/or the leaves fall. Then the rubber tips are death cuz they no longer hold reliably.

4) The ethics of carbide tips and trail damage, to me are pretty muddy. The trail one is walking on is already a great big linear scar across the land. A couple of stripes of churned up dirt or scraped up rocks along the edge of that linear scar seem to me to be a pretty minor addition.

5) As for the noise of the carbide pole tips. Yeah. I agree. It's grating. I have gone to using rubber tips except with it is wet, leafy, or icy. Then, I switch back to exposed carbide.

Perhaps another benefit of carbide tips is the noisesome clacking that _MIGHT_ warn bears of my approach.

Also, here in Ontario, carbide tips ‘grab’ our softer limestone very well. And don’t grab our much harder Canadian Shield granites etc …

[greensleep]

I've used rubber tips a lot, but in rocks like those in northern PA, the spaces between the rocks will steal the rubber tips.

[The Old Chief]

In 2001 and 2002 I lost at least 6 rubber tips between Springer and Damascus. Finally stopped using them and from what I've noticed over the years hardly anyone else uses them either. If any of you guys find mine please let me know. As for leaving scratches on rocks this is an old argument we used to hear all the time 20 years ago from Wingfoot. Please point out an area of the AT where the rocks are badly scarred from carbide tips. Is it even possible to point out a carbide tip scarred rock in Pennsylvania? And I don't believe any dirt covered section of the AT is more unsightly because of a carbon tip than it would be by the end of a wooden hiking stick or aggressive cleats on some hiking boots. As for being noisy, if you're hearing carbon tips clacking along for several hours you're hiking in a way too crowded place or it's your tips making all the noise. I'd much rather hear hiking poles once in a while compared to the noise of a hiker with a backpacking guitar who decides that everybody at the shelter or camp site wants to listen to his intolerable attempt at music. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Tipi Walter]

I never use rubber tips because I want all the traction I can get from a titanium tip. I have busted off about 5 tips over the years---but easily replaceable with a spare tip-home repair.

Btw, if you have a Black Diamond pole, Leki tips will work if you cut about an inch off the raw end of the pole---or just get Bk D. spares.

The far bigger problem on high priced hiking poles are the ones that use cork handles. Over time this cork will crack and split and break off, although coating the cork before every trip with some kind of Cork Saver helps alot. I use Birkenstock cork saver.

43687
Saving my cork---it results in a tacky surface but it's worth it to safe the cork.

[TNhiker]

Finally stopped using them and from what I've noticed over the years hardly anyone else uses them either. If any of you guys find mine please let me know




likewise....

lost originals and have lost all the ones i have put on that i have found on the trail......

i have seen a few scrapes from tips in the GSMNP but nothing too much...

[George]

i have picked up quite a few rubber tips on the rail, and some baskets - toss both

[egilbe]

I quit using rubber tips when it slipped on some newly fallen leaves and I went for a tumble. Hiking poles are a safety item ancov they dlip, they are useless to me. So...no tips. Snow baskets I use. Sand, or mud, baskets are useless to me. I use my trekking poles for my shaped tarp. The tips slide into a pocket in the tarp.

[peakbagger]

I also have found many rubber tips on the trail over the years. I do use the small baskets on my Lekis and rarely if ever has lost any. I switch to snow baskets in the winter. If you use the poles long enough the carbides will wear out. Leki sells replacement tips but if you wait too long until the aluminum starts wearing out they will not fit right.

[MuddyWaters]

I also have found many rubber tips on the trail over the years. I do use the small baskets on my Lekis and rarely if ever has lost any. I switch to snow baskets in the winter. If you use the poles long enough the carbides will wear out. Leki sells replacement tips but if you wait too long until the aluminum starts wearing out they will not fit right.
My last poles lost tips around 1500 mi. of use. Within 30 mi.of each other. Didnt wear out the carbide, carbide fell out of plastic tip. Finished hike with no carbides. Hardly noticeable most of time.

Pole tips aerate the soil next to trail. Thats why you sonetimee have a nice green border. Often grassy near top of peaks on AT.

[Grampie]

I have seen little on the forum regarding pole tips and baskets.

Do you use either? If so, how or why?

I might think the rubber tips over the carbide tips would be better on gripping the rocks on the AT and that the carbide tips might grip the ground better but harm the soil surface on well-used trails?

Do baskets help in mud? I still have the smaller baskets but they seem to get caught between rocks typical on the AT.

Any comments?

Thanks
The rubber tip protectors are not of much use. Thr poles are designed to use the carbide tips and small baskets.this was told to me by a service rep. From Levi at Trail Days. During my thru I replaced the carbide tips 3 times.

[rickb]

I've used rubber tips a lot, but in rocks like those in northern PA, the spaces between the rocks will steal the rubber tips.
A few drops of superglue works wonders.

Don’t use the poles I glued the tips on anymore, but once they were glued on they were not coming off.

But never hiked with the, in PA!

[cmoulder]

The vast majority (oh, about 99.44%) of scratches that people notice and complain about are from crampons, not trekking poles.

I don't know how people wear out tungsten carbide tips. I've got some ~30 y/o Leki Makalu Ti poles (back when all the sections were made of Ti) and the plastic and aluminum around the tip is worn but the carbide tip itself is unscathed.

I use mostly BD Distance tips with the small built-in basket. Keeps leaves from collecting on the poles. In the winter it's nice to use a large 5" basket for snow.

[Traveler]

I've a set of BD poles with well over 3,000 miles on them and the tips don't seem to be any worse for wear. I use rubber tips in summer months until leaves start to collect on the tips, at that point I remove them until spring.

My observation of rubber tips is some poles are more prone to losing them than others depending on the manufacturer of both pole and tips, type of finish on the end of the pole that allows the rubber to grip or slide,, and how well the diameter of the pole is accommodated by the tip. As Rickb suggests, using a little glue on them helps to keep them in place. My hiking buddy could not keep rubber tips on his poles and opted to drill a small hole through the tip and secure the rubber tip with aircraft safety wire, though any light wire would work.

I prefer to keep the small "fair weather" baskets on the poles since I got them, they seem to work nicely as bumpers moving around rocks and can prevent the pole from sliding into crevices. I use snow baskets, preferring the 4 to 5-inch diameter baskets (Komperdel) with leather supports for the outer ring. In my experience, these are are more effective in snow over a foot deep than the plastic baskets.

[Time Zone]

I'll chime in on the side of no tips, no baskets.

Originally I thought I should use tips so to prolong the life of the poles. Then I kept losing them - esp. in muck - they'd just get sucked off and lost. The baskets would fall off too - doesn't take much to torque them out of locked position, from which they can just fall off. Finally, I met a more experienced hiker that assured me that after years of using no rubber tips, the carbide tips of her poles hadn't even noticeably worn down. From that point on, I quit worrying about it. I have a feeling the twist-locking mechanism will go before the carbide tips do.

So far, it's been 2.5 years and all is still well. No worries, and no more unintended donations to the thermoplastic/rubber content of the forest. Sometimes I use the caps (not the same as tips) for transportation to protect car interiors, but that's it. Oh, and the carbide tips work well enough on rock. They can skitter across if you don't put much weight on them (unlike rubber tips), but they can work fine if you let them bear down in a good spot.

[rickb]

I'll chime in on the side of no tips, no baskets.
A a well held carbide tipped poll can give you a bit more confidence than one with a rubber tip when a dog comes bounding at you.

[ldsailor]

I kept losing rubber tips in mud, so I stopped. It's a real pain in the a** digging them out of the mud when they come off. I tried rubber tips on rocks and found that they didn't work for me. A bare tip fits better into crevices within the rock and I don't lose a tip in between rocks. Also, I found rubber tips on the larger boulders slipped as much as bare tips and sometimes even more.

Sorry about the noise but I kind of like the "tip clicking." I'm real slow and the clicking gives me a heads up that someone want to pass me before i can feel their breath on my neck (seriously - why don't overtaking hikers say something when they approach a slower hiker?).

[Slo-go'en]

The vast majority (oh, about 99.44%) of scratches that people notice and complain about are from crampons, not trekking poles.

I don't know how people wear out tungsten carbide tips. I've got some ~30 y/o Leki Makalu Ti poles (back when all the sections were made of Ti) and the plastic and aluminum around the tip is worn but the carbide tip itself is unscathed.

I use mostly BD Distance tips with the small built-in basket. Keeps leaves from collecting on the poles. In the winter it's nice to use a large 5" basket for snow.

The carbide doesn't wear out, it pushes up through the plastic holder and into the tube. Sometimes you can hear it rattling around in there. Once the tip is no longer sticking out the end of the plastic holder, you can't trust the pole to hold onto rock anymore. It will slip - which is very annoying.

All the scratches on the rocks, be it from poles or crampons helps reassure your still on the trail. Ever notice in the early spring the only place which is green is along the side of the trail? Poking holes in the soil along the edges keeps it loose and aerated, promoting growth.

The small baskets do help keep the pole going too far into the ground or into a hole. Still gets snagged 3-4 times a day though.

[DLP]

My sister has a drawer with a couple of dozen pole tips. She has a knack for finding them on the trail.

I've used 3 different brands/shapes/sizes on pole tips - but they all fell off and became litter - so I don't use them.
I do my best not to scratch the rocks, but I figure that being a rock scratcher is better than being a litterer. :(

[MtDoraDave]

I don't use rubber tips because I don't use the poles on pavement. If I did, I would.
I do use the smaller baskets because in Florida, the poles sink into the sand without them, and on the AT they keep the poles from sinking in muddy or soft soil as well as keep from picking up too many dead leaves. - I saw a young guy hiking just after the leaves fell with leaves most of the way up to the handle. More than a couple leaves on a pole tip distracts me.

I pick up every rubber tip and basket I come across, and either give them away directly or leave them at a shelter or hiker box.

[nsherry61]

Thinking back over this thread, I'm realizing that there is a default thinking that rubber tips mean those slip-on type rubber tips that can fall off and can also be easily glued on with a drop of super glue so they don't fall off.

There is, however, an excellent alternative option that has not been mentioned in this thread, and it is my prefered rubber tip for nice weather hiking, as opposed to wet and/or leaf covered rocks that warrant a carbide tip. Most of the current Black Diamond trekking poles all use their tech-tip technology (i.e. a threaded replaceable carbide or rubber tip). And, if you have an older pole with their older flex tip, you can replace your older flex tip with the newer flex tech tip which then accepts the threaded tech tips. . . The flex tip or flex tech tip is the plastic end on the pole that holds the basket and that you then thread your little carbide or rubber end (tech tip) into. So yes, BD poles have two things called tips, the flex tip which holds the basket and carbide end, and then the tech tip with is the actual carbide (or rubber) end piece. Are you confused yet?

Now, instead of sticking that fat slip-on rubber tip onto your pole over the carbide tip, you can just unscrew the carbide tech tip and screw in the rubber tech tip. No more tips coming off! The BD Distance Z-poles come with the rubber tech tips installed and the carbide tips as an option. Most of their other trekking poles come with the carbide tech tips (https://www.rei.com/product/104949/black-diamond-trekking-pole-carbide-tech-tips-pair) and for $6.95 direct from BD (or REI or your other favorite outfitter) you can buy a pair of the rubber tech tips (https://www.rei.com/product/104950/black-diamond-trekking-pole-rubber-tech-tips-pair) to switch out with your carbide ones.

[LucyInColor]

When I wonder if I'm still on the trail I look for pole tip holes, even before I look for a blaze. When I stand nervously at the top of steep and rocky descents, I look for pole holes and scratched rocks to guide me down. I also think pole holes aerate soil that's packed by boots. But, what do I know? I'm someone who appreciates a tree whose bark is worn smooth from helping hikers up and over or down and around it. Or a great big headstone that offers me shade and a place to rest my back after collecting water from a cemetery water spigot on a hot day.

[LazyLightning]

I'm sorry but if I used the rubber tips I would need to carry a big 2LB bag of them... I wore through 5 whole sets of tips and right into 3 bottom shafts on the AT so far.... Imagine how fast I'd blow through the rubber tips. Also rubber tips end up putting bigger holes in the mud and soft ground so I have to beg to differ with those that say "you should use rubber tips for the benefit of the trail"

[colorado_rob]

Just another data point: I was told years ago that rubber tips, not the sharp metal ones, because they leave scuff marks on rocks are less desirable from a LNT standpoint.... Now I'm hearing the opposite (because of scrapes from metal tips). Who you going to believe? Sigh.

In any case, I'll continue using metal tips because in the terrain I frequent, I need their gripping power (way better than rubber). I try my best when hiking on easy terrain to not make that annoying "clicking" sound nor to scratch rocks (plant in dirt whenever possible), as yep, that constant click is annoying. I only "pole" every other step normally, which I suppose helps.

[nsherry61]

. . . I wore through 5 whole sets of tips and right into 3 bottom shafts on the AT so far....

You should reconsider the poles you using if you've worn through more than one or two pair of tips on any of the long trails. Frankly, it's rare to hear of people wearing through even a single pair of good carbide tips on the AT. Wearing through one pair is more common on the PCT. What crappy pole tips you appear to be struggling with?


. . . In any case, I'll continue using metal tips because in the terrain I frequent, I need their gripping power (way better than rubber). . .
I've spent a fair bit of time in a wide range of terrains and I gotta say, when it comes to most rock, rubber is as good or better than carbide and way, way better than steel . . . unless it's raining, then carbide is notably better. In most places, either type of tip works pretty well. On leaf covered ground, rubber sucks.

So Rob, in rough rocky terrain or scree, are you suggesting that carbide is better than rubber? Not my experience. What terrain is it that you find the metal tips clearly superior?

[colorado_rob]

You should reconsider the poles you using if you've worn through more than one or two pair of tips on any of the long trails. Frankly, it's rare to hear of people wearing through even a single pair of good carbide tips on the AT. Wearing through one pair is more common on the PCT. What crappy pole tips you appear to be struggling with?


I've spent a fair bit of time in a wide range of terrains and I gotta say, when it comes to most rock, rubber is as good or better than carbide and way, way better than steel . . . unless it's raining, then carbide is notably better. In most places, either type of tip works pretty well. On leaf covered ground, rubber sucks.

So Rob, in rough rocky terrain or scree, are you suggesting that carbide is better than rubber? Not my experience. What terrain is it that you find the metal tips clearly superior?

I think I know what Lazy Lightning might be talking about.... Are those Leki poles per chance? I bought a pair of Leki's about 3 years ago, and have ripped through 4-5 sets of tips. The first two pair of replacements was free at REI because they wore out so fast; maybe 600-700 miles? just a guess, but about a half a year. I've since replaced them myself a couple more times (past the 1-year REI thing....). The problem is not in the carbide metal, it's in the plastic base where the metal pokes out of. See the attached pic, one still-good tip and one old plastic POS with the tip long gone. Basically, the plastic fails and the carbide tip pokes back into the pole. A devil to get the old piece of carbide out! But, at least the tips are super easy to replace.

I'm talking about basically technical or semi-technical terrain where I place my sharp little carbide point into a little rock feature for support. I would have to do a side-by-side comparison on less technical terrain nsherry, perhaps my next set of poles. Heck, if I can get rubber tips for these damn Lekis, I could try one type on each. Good discussion.

[nsherry61]

. . . I would have to do a side-by-side comparison on less technical terrain nsherry, perhaps my next set of poles. Heck, if I can get rubber tips for these damn Lekis, I could try one type on each. Good discussion.
Two thoughts:
1) If that carbide tip in the picture is an actual Leki tip or other genuine carbide tip instead of a steel look-alike, that poles has some serious wear on it. I'd have replaced that tip long ago with a new sharp carbide tip cuz that one doesn't look like it would bite into much of anything other than dirt or skree.

2) Leki has a great reputation for customer service and their poles are guaranteed for life. I'd hit them up for replacement tips if the tips are broken and not just worn out.

3) Because I really get tired to the clicking pole tips against rock for extended periods of time, and I've been doing more more low-angle stuff with lots of rocks (as apposed to high angle stuff with rocks moving slowly enough that the clicking doesn't drove me crazy, or as apposed to low angle stuff with dirt/gravel, etc, typical of the Pacific NW) . . . anyway, I've been experimenting quite a lot lately with rubber tips on one pole and carbide on the other. To my surprise, the rubber works as well or better than the carbide on dry rock, dirt, gravel, etc. Rubber works better in leafy soil as it doesn't collect leaves as much . . . but, leaves on rocks are crazy dangerous with rubber tips, as are wet rocks. In mud, I prefer either the carbide tips or the Black Diamond Rubber Tech tips because they don't get stuck in the mud as much.

In summary, for me anyway:
When wet, icy, or higher angle stuff with leaves - carbide (preferable nice sharp carbide) all the way!
When dry - Rubber all the way, even on high angle stuff, and I've been really appreciating the Black Diamond rubber Tech Tips lately as they are small, durable(ish), quiet and hold surprisingly well (although, I would suggest all the rubber tips hold surprisingly well in dry conditions without leaves). Finally, since the BD Tech Tips are less than $10, it's really easy to keep a spare pair of both rubber (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/trekking-poles/rubber-tech-tip-BD1121180000ALL1.html#q=tech%2Btips&start=2) and new sharp carbide (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/trekking-poles/carbide-tech-tip-BD1121190000ALL1.html#q=tech%2Btips&start=1) around to switch out whenever you need to.

As for replacement Leki tips:
Carbide (https://www.rei.com/product/603191/leki-carbide-universal-flex-tips-pair)
Rubber (https://www.rei.com/product/750120/leki-rubber-walking-tips-pair)

It looks like Leki is a bit prouder of their tips than BD - $13.50 and $20 vs. < $10.

I would love for someone to measure the tapers on the ends of the Black Diamond Poles and the Leki poles and see if the tips might be interchangeable. I know that Komperdell poles do not have the same taper as Black Diamond as I compared them last night.

[colorado_rob]

Two thoughts:
1) If that carbide tip in the picture is an actual Leki tip or other genuine carbide tip instead of a steel look-alike, that poles has some serious wear on it. I'd have replaced that tip long ago with a new sharp carbide tip cuz that one doesn't look like it would bite into much of anything other than dirt or skree.

2) Leki has a great reputation for customer service and their poles are guaranteed for life. I'd hit them up for replacement tips if the tips are broken and not just worn out.

3) Because I really get tired to the clicking pole tips against rock for extended periods of time, and I've been doing more more low-angle stuff with lots of rocks (as apposed to high angle stuff with rocks moving slowly enough that the clicking doesn't drove me crazy, or as apposed to low angle stuff with dirt/gravel, etc, typical of the Pacific NW) . . . anyway, I've been experimenting quite a lot lately with rubber tips on one pole and carbide on the other. To my surprise, the rubber works as well or better than the carbide on dry rock, dirt, gravel, etc. Rubber works better in leafy soil as it doesn't collect leaves as much . . . but, leaves on rocks are crazy dangerous with rubber tips, as are wet rocks. In mud, I prefer either the carbide tips or the Black Diamond Rubber Tech tips because they don't get stuck in the mud as much.

In summary, for me anyway:
When wet, icy, or higher angle stuff with leaves - carbide (preferable nice sharp carbide) all the way!
When dry - Rubber all the way, even on high angle stuff, and I've been really appreciating the Black Diamond rubber Tech Tips lately as they are small, durable(ish), quiet and hold surprisingly well (although, I would suggest all the rubber tips hold surprisingly well in dry conditions without leaves). Finally, since the BD Tech Tips are less than $10, it's really easy to keep a spare pair of both rubber (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/trekking-poles/rubber-tech-tip-BD1121180000ALL1.html#q=tech%2Btips&start=2) and new sharp carbide (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/trekking-poles/carbide-tech-tip-BD1121190000ALL1.html#q=tech%2Btips&start=1) around to switch out whenever you need to.

As for replacement Leki tips:
Carbide (https://www.rei.com/product/603191/leki-carbide-universal-flex-tips-pair)
Rubber (https://www.rei.com/product/750120/leki-rubber-walking-tips-pair)

It looks like Leki is a bit prouder of their tips than BD - $13.50 and $20 vs. < $10.

I would love for someone to measure the tapers on the ends of the Black Diamond Poles and the Leki poles and see if the tips might be interchangeable. I know that Komperdell poles do not have the same taper as Black Diamond as I compared them last night. Cool, good info. Yep, the "good" tip in that pic is very old, for some reason that one didn't poke back through the plastic housing, and yes, it is genuine Leki, just old. Still grips reasonably well though. Seems like I can buy a pair of compatible rubber tips, I will try them out again, it's been many years since I've used one. Probably because I got lectured to by some LNT guy about how "evil" rubber tips were, probably didn't really know what he was talking about.

[Another Kevin]

The vast majority (oh, about 99.44%) of scratches that people notice and complain about are from crampons, not trekking poles.

I mentioned to Elf once that the LNT people were going on about avoiding using poles or at least making sure you used rubber tips, because of scratching up the rock, and he said, "yeah, they don't hike in winter, do they?" In winter I use ascent snowshoes or crampons, and carbide pole tips or an ice axe, and yes, I have to dry tool sometimes, and yes, it's going to scratch up the rock, and that's just the way of it. You're a Catskill hiker too, so I know you know how nasty the conditions can get up there.

On a lot of trails, you also see TERRIBLE scratches from snowmobiles cruising when there's not really enough snow for them. The snowmobile trails around here (or the hiking trails were people snowmobile unlawfully) are ten times as scratched up as any of the hiking trails that are too rugged for power sleds.

[LazyLightning]

You should reconsider the poles you using if you've worn through more than one or two pair of tips on any of the long trails. Frankly, it's rare to hear of people wearing through even a single pair of good carbide tips on the AT. Wearing through one pair is more common on the PCT. What crappy pole tips you appear to be struggling with?


I've spent a fair bit of time in a wide range of terrains and I gotta say, when it comes to most rock, rubber is as good or better than carbide and way, way better than steel . . . unless it's raining, then carbide is notably better. In most places, either type of tip works pretty well. On leaf covered ground, rubber sucks.

So Rob, in rough rocky terrain or scree, are you suggesting that carbide is better than rubber? Not my experience. What terrain is it that you find the metal tips clearly superior?

Those would be Black Diamonds crappy "flex tip technology" tips there putting on the poles, and I agree the problem is in the plastic. First plastic flexes from being straight little by little then eventually the carbide breaks off and they where right down because its just hollow plastic under that. I'm going on 3 times wearing into the bottom shafts before I could replace the tips.... I didn't expect such crap from Black Diamond but I met a lot of others having problems with there tips.

[Slo-go'en]

I believe tips are not warrantied. That's why they sell replacements. I've put a lot of miles on my poles and have gone through at least a couple sets of tips.

[nsherry61]

Those would be Black Diamonds crappy "flex tip technology" tips . . . First plastic flexes from being straight little by little then eventually the carbide breaks off . . . I'm going on 3 times wearing into the bottom shafts before I could replace the tips.... I didn't expect such crap from Black Diamond but I met a lot of others having problems with there tips.
Wow, what are you doing with your poles? Are the tips not screwed in snuggly enough? Are the tips coming loose? Are you using the older flex tips that don't have replaceable carbide or the newer flex tech tips? Are you saying the new tech tips don't last as well as the older flex tips that did not have replaceable carbide ends?
Replacement carbide tech tips from BD tech tips are $6 and weigh almost nothing. If I were going through tips like that, I'd carry a spare set so I didn't wear out my pole flex tips if the tech tip popped out.

For what it's worth, every flex tip I've every looked at, Leki, BD, Komperdell . . . they ALL use hollow plastic flex tips, so I'm not sure where the hollow plastic problem identification is coming from unless you have the same problem with all the poles you've ever had.

I wouldn't be surprised if the BD Flex Tech Tips with replaceable carbide could loose their carbide end easier than the non-replaceable ones. BD still sells their older flex tips if you don't want that carbide replaceability, you could put the older tips on instead.

[Traveler]

I'm sorry but if I used the rubber tips I would need to carry a big 2LB bag of them... I wore through 5 whole sets of tips and right into 3 bottom shafts on the AT so far.... Imagine how fast I'd blow through the rubber tips. Also rubber tips end up putting bigger holes in the mud and soft ground so I have to beg to differ with those that say "you should use rubber tips for the benefit of the trail"
I've found it depends on the brand of poles, what type of pole tips are on them, and what type/brand of rubber tips are being used. Not all tips are made in the same diameters and lengths, so "one size fits all" rubber tips are likely going to fail. Having had a few sets of rubber tips disappear during use, I have taken a pole with me to compare fit in the store and found a specific brand and size that works on the BD pole tips I have. As a result, I have hundreds of miles on the set currently on the pole, which are removed when leaves start to cover the treadway and ice/snow develops.