Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z.

The Gavler Review.

Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Review: The Trekking Pole That Folds Away

The Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z sits at number two on our Best Trekking Poles list with a 9.5, and it solves a problem that pure weight-minimization poles like the Gossamer Gear LT5 don't address at all: what happens to your poles when you don't need them. Using a Z-fold mechanism that collapses to roughly 14 to 17 inches depending on size, and an internal cord that tensions the joints into a rigid pole in about 2 seconds, the Distance Carbon Z is built for trail runners and fast-and-light hikers who alternate between poling and not. Buy it if stowability matters as much to you as weight. Skip it if you need on-trail length adjustment — this is a fixed-length pole, and that tradeoff is real.

What it actually is

The Distance Carbon Z is a Z-fold carbon fiber trekking pole built around three sections that fold at hinge points rather than telescope inside one another. Pull the folded sections apart, and an internal cord — similar in principle to how tent poles self-assemble — tensions the joints and locks the pole rigid. Fold it back up, and it collapses down to a length short enough to strap to a running vest or a small pack's side pocket, which a conventional 24-28-inch collapsed telescoping pole simply cannot do.

At $180 and roughly 8.7 to 10.4 ounces per pair depending on size, the Distance Carbon Z sits at a real but modest weight premium over the category's lightest fixed poles. Because the Z-fold mechanism trades adjustability for packability, it ships in six fixed lengths from 105 to 130 cm rather than offering the on-trail micro-adjustment that telescoping designs allow.

In use

The core value proposition shows up the moment you need your poles stowed rather than in hand — scrambling a short technical section, ducking under blowdown, or just tucking poles away during a running-focused stretch of a fastpacking trip. The 2-second deployment is fast enough to use mid-outing without meaningfully breaking your rhythm, which is precisely the use case a telescoping pole, with its screw-lock or lever-lock extension process, can't match.

OutdoorGearLab's testing is specific about both what the design gets right and what it gives up. On packability: "the Carbon Z packs down small thanks to its three-section Z-pole design, folding into a compact length that's easy to stash in a running vest or attach to the outside of a pack." On the fixed-length tradeoff, the same review is direct: "the main downside is that you can't adjust the length for different terrain or users of different heights." And on the grip, a more minor note but a real one: "the slim EVA foam grips are comfortable enough for quick movement and provide a secure hold without excess bulk, but they lack the plush, ergonomic shaping found on heavier trekking poles." Taken together, the reviews describe a pole that makes a clear, deliberate tradeoff — comfort and adjustability for packability and speed — rather than trying to be everything at once.

Where it shines

• Packability nothing in the fixed-length category matches. A 14-to-17-inch collapsed length, depending on size, is short enough to disappear into a running vest or small pack pocket — genuinely useful for anyone who needs poles available but not always in hand.
• Fast, reliable deployment. The internal cord tensioning system locks the pole rigid in about 2 seconds, quicker than extending and locking a telescoping pole, which matters for hikers who stow and deploy poles repeatedly rather than just once at the trailhead.
• Carbon fiber stiffness for technical terrain. The rigid, non-adjustable joints that enable the fold also provide solid poling stiffness once deployed, holding up on technical ground despite the folding mechanism.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

This is the best folding pole in the category, not the lightest or the most adjustable, and the honest reasons to buy something else are specific:

• You want on-trail length adjustment. The fixed-length design is the clearest limitation reviewers flag. If you regularly shorten poles for climbs and lengthen them for descents, or share poles between hikers of different heights, a telescoping pole with lever-lock adjustment is the better fit.
• You're chasing the absolute lightest setup. At roughly 8.7 to 10.4 ounces per pair, the Distance Carbon Z gives up about 4 ounces to the Gossamer Gear LT5. If you never need to stow poles mid-hike, that packability doesn't buy you anything and the weight penalty is pure cost.
• You want a plusher grip for long days. The slim EVA foam grip is functional but, per OutdoorGearLab, lacks the more ergonomic shaping of heavier poles like the Leki Makalu FX Carbon — a real consideration for hikers prone to hand fatigue on long, poling-heavy days.

How it compares

Within its own list, the Distance Carbon Z's closest rival sits directly above it. The Gossamer Gear LT5 at rank one is about 4 ounces lighter per pair and uses a twist-lock micro-adjust rather than a fixed length, but it's a straight telescoping design with no folding capability at all — and OutdoorGearLab's testers broke an LT5 pole during review, a durability question the Distance Carbon Z's design doesn't carry in the same way. The Leki Makalu FX Carbon goes the opposite direction from both, prioritizing a lever-lock adjustment system and a more ergonomic grip at a real weight cost, for hikers who value durability and control over minimum weight or maximum packability.

The Distance Carbon Z's case is specific: it isn't trying to be the lightest pole on the list, it's trying to be the one that disappears into your kit when you don't need it and reappears in 2 seconds when you do — a use case the LT5 and Makalu FX Carbon simply aren't designed around.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.5, reflecting the strongest tested performance of any folding trekking pole in the category, with the fixed-length tradeoff weighed honestly rather than buried. The Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z is the right pick for trail runners, fastpackers, and any hiker whose trips involve regularly stowing and redeploying poles rather than setting a length once and leaving it. If on-trail adjustability matters more to you than packability, look to a telescoping alternative — but for the specific stow-and-go problem it was built to solve, this remains the class leader.

Common Questions

Is the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z worth it in 2026?

For trail runners and fast-and-light hikers, yes. It ranks second on Gavler's Best Trekking Poles list with a 9.5, and it solves a specific problem the category's lightest poles don't address: what to do with your poles when you're not using them. Folding to roughly 14 to 17 inches depending on size and deploying in about 2 seconds, it's built for hikers who alternate between poling and not, not just for minimizing static weight.

How much heavier is the Distance Carbon Z than the lightest trekking poles?

A modest amount. OutdoorGearLab measured 8.7 ounces per pair at 110 cm, with Black Diamond advertising 9 to 10.4 ounces per pair depending on size — roughly 4 ounces heavier per pair than the Gossamer Gear LT5, the lightest pole on Gavler's list. That's a real but small penalty for gaining a folding design that packs down to a fraction of a fixed pole's collapsed length.

Can you adjust the length of the Distance Carbon Z poles?

Not on the trail, and this is the pole's clearest limitation. The Z-fold mechanism that makes it foldable also makes it a fixed-length design — it comes in six sizes from 105 to 130 cm, and you pick the closest match rather than fine-tuning length for climbs, descents, or different users. OutdoorGearLab flags this directly: 'the main downside is that you can't adjust the length for different terrain or users of different heights.'

Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z or Gossamer Gear LT5?

Buy the Distance Carbon Z if you need to stow poles quickly and repeatedly — for trail running, scrambling sections, or a running vest where a fixed-length telescoping pole simply doesn't fit. Buy the LT5 if minimum weight is the only priority and you don't need to stash poles mid-outing; it's about 4 ounces lighter per pair and slightly cheaper, though OutdoorGearLab did break an LT5 pole during testing, a durability risk the Distance Carbon Z's design doesn't carry in the same way.