🔧 Rubber Tech Tips for Black Diamond Equipment Review

This is exactly what I ordered but not exactly what I wanted. If I had seen them in person I would not have bought them. Yes they are rubber so less dangerous than carbide tips but I really needed a bigger rubber pad for stability on granite and pavement.

The description says "Quiet, non-scratching rubber tips. Rubber Tech lugs provide superior grip and durability. These are definitely not quiet. They are made of hard plastic, not rubber, and are just as loud as the original metal tips on my Black Diamond sticks. They offer less grip, not more.

Carbide tips for trekking poles really don't make much sense unless you want that much bite. like this one for dirt roads. They are quieter than carbide and have no holes. The little rubber sleeves that come with most trekking poles are really just there to cover the tips when you're carrying the poles so they don't bite anyone. They are not designed to stay on the bars while you use them.

Replaced the tips on my bars after 3 years of use (should have done it sooner). With them my sticks are like new! It's very easy to change them (just clean the existing tips of dirt/crust first) and then remove them with pliers. Clean the rod tips again to remove any residue and then use pliers to fit new rod tips. Did! Perfect for my Z sticks. I have a set of carbide tips that I have never used because they are very noisy. It is great.

When using your poles on hard rock, rubber tips are much, much better than steel. Save them for ice and/or muddy terrain! Also, rubber tips damage the track much less, not to mention the boardwalks. They really should be the standard tip on most running poles, with tungsten tips when conditions warrant. They are very easy to put on and take off with the simplest pair of pliers. Obviously they're less durable than metal tips so you'll have to change them from time to time, but they're still…

These are good quality and look nice on hangers but I prefer the ones that go over the carbide tip. They're cheaper and less likely to get stuck in a crack because they're larger, softer, and don't slip easily. You can also switch from rubber to carbide faster. The advantage of these rubber tech tips is that they screw on and don't fall off. If you never use carbide tips, they might be a good choice. Keep in mind that they are quite small. UPDATE: If you have Black Diamond Z sticks, this is…

They wear out quickly. Look how tiny they are. There is not much between plastic and metal. A season isn't much hiking when you're in the mountains and you'll be up to the metal. If you run it too long (perhaps because you're 20 miles away) your expensive sticks will break. If you're on level ground, these pea-sized spikes will sink into the ground, even if it's a little damp. Which answer? Put significantly larger nozzles on it. They may be slightly rounded with a checkerboard pattern to make…