Innovation is what drives everything at Black Diamond. If tehy are not making gear better, stronger, lighter, faster, more durable and easier to use, then they believe they are not doing their job. In this ongoing series of monthly posts, they’ll be giving you an inside look at some of our most innovative products through one-on-one interviews with the team of industry-leading product designers and category directors.
This month they talked with Pole Category Director Thomas Laakso to get the scoop on the Ultra Mountain Carbon Z-Pole, a super-compactible, 4-season pole for everything from day hikes to ski tours.
What was the design goal in creating the Ultra Mountain Carbon Z-Pole?
We introduced our original Z-Pole technology on a 3-season ultralight pole designed more for trail running and fast-and-light backpacking. However the innovation with super compactability grabbed the attention of users with much wider intentions. From split-boarders to snowshoers to hikers that were out in the snow or early spring hikes but where the trekking-specific baskets and ultralight construction were not intended to go. So we created a 4-season version of these poles that were stiffer and more robust and that had a more year-round tip and basket design. They gain a bit in weight, but they gain a 4th season of utility.
What kinds of applications are the Ultra Mountain Carbon ideal for?
The Ultra Mountain Carbon is built for year-round use. We have thinner and lighter 3-season Approach Z-Poles that are optimized for fast-and-light travel. But these Mountain Series poles are fit for the full gamut of mud, dirt, rock, and snow. They accept both the smaller trekking baskets that are ideal for wooded and bushy travel, and the wider Powder Basket for snow travel. They have grip and strap features that reflect this year-round approach as well, rather than a ski-specific style like the Compactor poles, which also share in the Z-Pole Technology but are geared towards pure winter-time use.
