The Durstone Iceline Trekking Poles Review
Having logged over 1000 kilometers with the Durston Iceline Trekking Poles, I can confidently say that their stiffness and lightweight design combination has completely spoiled me for other options. These poles have become an indispensable part of my trekking gear. Their 135-gram base weight means they are the lightest 3-piece trekking pole being made to date, so whether you love or hate trekking poles, you will not even know you have the Durston Iceline Trekking Poles with you.
The Durston Iceline Trekking Poles at a glance:
- Material: High Modulus Carbon
- Handle: EVA Foam
- Sections: 3
- Adjustability: 95cm to 125cm (49cm when broken down)
- Single Pole Weight: 135 grams
- Country of Origin: Austria (Komperdell)
Who is Durston Gear?
Durston gear results from Dan and T Durston’s over 20 years of experience as hikers, gear nerds, and adventurers. Who are Dan and T Durston?
According to Dan’s Wikipedia page, he has “hiked the 2600 mile Pacific Crest Trail (2014), the first yo-yo of Canada’s Great Divide Trail (2200 km, 2017) and is the 5x fastest finisher in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Open.” He began “building his own gear for over a decade before he started this company, including building one of the first Dyneema tents back in 2009”
T is also “an accomplished hiker and trail runner, having hiked the PCT and GDT with Dan and then going on to solo hike the Great Divide Trail (2019-2020)”
These are massive accolades, and their experience shows through in the quality and popularity of their gear.
What is the Iceline?
These poles are named after a gorgeous hike in Yoho National Park, The Iceline Trail. The trail is best hiked over 13.5 miles and is a 3100-foot trail that offers fantastic close-up views of Emerald Glacier and the magnificent Takakkaw Falls. It is one of my favorite hikes in the Canadian Rockies.
A 3-Piece Combo with a side of Innovation: Quick Connect
The Durston Iceline Trekking poles are a 3-piece pole that presents as a 2-piece pole. They take a unique path to being a three-section pole by eschewing dual adjusters or the Z- pole style held together by a tension chord.
The middle section of the Iceline Trekking poles slides into and stays in the upper via the external quick-release lever. This is also where the length of the poles is adjusted between 95 and 127cm. Micro adjustments to the tension of this lever can be made with a Philips driver, flathead driver, or, as was my case, a 2 Euro coin. The ease of adjustment here is very welcome, especially having seen the microscopic Allen key required to adjust some other poles on the market.
At the bottom of the mid-section is the receiving side of the Quick Connect. The lower has, for lack of a better term, the male end of the Quick Connect. Push the lower into the middle, and it clicks into place. Push the button on the side of the Quick Connect and the two sections come apart. There is no worry of ever pushing this by accident. This is a thick connector, lending itself to looking very strong, and allowing Durston to use a thicker lower section.
The only time I felt the need to take apart the mid and lower sections of the pole was when stashing it on the side of my pack or when traveling and needing to put the poles in my luggage.
At one point, the female end of the Quick Connect came out of one pole. I could still use the pole, only having to take extra care when separating them to put them away. A quick splash of super glue solved this problem.
Lower Shaft Size Queen
The lower section of the Durstone Icelines is thicker than other carbon fibre poles, at 16 mm vs. 12mm. This helps make for a stiffer pole. I noticed this most easily when I loaned my Iceline Trekking poles to guests who had been recommended poles that were far too long for them. Theirs would often vibrate and wobble, while the Durstons remain straight as an arrow.
Strapless EVA Foam handles
The upper of the Iceline trekking pole is home to a firm but comfortable EVA foam handle. This lightly curved handle is not super thick and will be suitable for various hand sizes. I would only be concerned if I had massive hands. The top is comfortable enough to palm on the downhill, though it could be a little larger to help spread body weight. After over 1000 km, It has yet to leave any black marks on my hand nor any blisters. This is something that I can not say for the few days I borrowed a pole or two from guests.
The original run of Iceline Trekking poles do not come with straps, nor do they have a way to attach straps. This is fine with me. The first thing I do with all poles is remove the straps. These are carbon fibre poles, and like all carbon fibre poles, they do not like to be forced sideways or levered against rocks. I like to be able to let go of them quickly. These quick hand movements are easy without a wrist strap. I am also constantly adjusting where my hand is on the pole with the varying height of the surrounding terrain. With a strap, that becomes harder.
The online backlash to the strapless handle was swift and vitriolic at times. The good news for strap lovers is that a new version of the Iceline will be released with a strap in the autumn.
Baskets
The Iceline trekking poles do not come with baskets; it’s one of the reasons Durston can call the Iceline Trekking poles the lightest 3-piece pole on the market. In all fairness, most trips will not require baskets. If you suspect you will be hiking in a lot of mud or on snow, then you will need baskets and will have to factor this into the overall weight and cost of the poles. Baskets also help keep the poles from sinking in between some rocks.
That’s where the range of Komperdell baskets comes in handy. I have used three different styles, one of which I bought and two I found along the trail. Finding Komperdell baskets does not mean they are more prone to falling off, as I find A LOT of various baskets while guiding. It’s more a testament to folks not installing baskets properly.
The Snow basket is an adequate size to keep the poles in the upper third of the snowpack while snowshoeing. It is too big for hiking. Next up was the solid circular basket. This would be good on harder snow. I found the mini UL Vario to be the sweet spot. Lightweight and just big enough to keep the poles from plunging too deep into the mud or old snow or between small gaps in rocks.
Stowing the Poles
The Iceline Trekking Poles come with a Dyneema stuff sack made from scrap Dynema fabric left over from Durston X-Mid Pro tents. This is to keep the three sections of the poles together when they have been broken down into two or three separate pieces for travel. The stuff sack does not register on my kitchen scale it’s so lightweight. I am honestly shocked I did not lose it this summer.
Matte Carbon Fiber Finish
The Iceline Trekking poles have a matte finish. Shiny things in the mountains rarely stay shiny. Despite the matte finish, my poles have still gotten quite scratched. I was not gentle with these poles. They are a tool, not a jewel. Ninety percent of my use case is in the alpine rocky terrain, so they see a lot of abrasion. I am not surprised I scratched them up a lot.
Initially, I had the adjuster ever so loose. When I used the pole to probe a snow bridge, the midsection slid into the upper. This removed most of the markings on one pole. In reality, this is not a big deal. I rarely measure my poles to make sure they are the same length. I hold them side-by-side.
The Durston Iceline Trekking Poles in Use
I’ve taken the Durston Iceline Trekking Poles on the Tour du Mont Blanc twice, The Walker’s Haute Route thrice, and various other endeavours throughout the Alps and lent them to various people throughout the summer. These are fantastic trekking poles and have ruined me for other poles on the market. I initially thought the weight savings would not be that much of a difference, but it is. I carried them every day. Some days, I did not use poles just to make sure I did not become too reliant on them for balance. I still brought the poles with me. When lifting my loaded pack, I really could not tell whether the poles were attached or not. When hiking sections of trail that I did not need poles, I’d just hold them in my hand.
These are very stiff poles. Push down on them, and you will be propelled forward. They do not flex at all, at least under normal use. I can see how they would be great at holding up a trekking pole tent. I switched back to my old favourite aluminum poles, and all I could feel was vibration while propelling myself forward.
The added width of the upper shaft meant I could move my hand up and down with varying terrain and get a decent grip on the pole.
Thanks to their adjustability, I was able to loan them to guests as short as 5’2” and as tall as 6′ 2.” This is a fantastic height range for one single pole.
Who are the Durston Iceline Trekking Poles for?
The Durston Iceline Trekking Poles are for anyone looking for a sturdy, ultra-lightweight trekking pole that will last a very long time as long as you pay attention to not levering your poles against rocks. Sure, I’ve scratched them quite a bit, but poles are tools, not jewels. I even managed to bend the connector a little, but they just kept on going. I’ve lent them to at least four different guests who have either broken their poles or neglected to bring their own, and the Icelines show no sign of slowing down.
These are now my new favourite Finish poles. I use them every day, and even if I don’t think I’ll need them, I bring them because they weigh so little. If they went slightly longer, I’d even start using them splitboarding, but I like a longer pole for flat traverses out.
Interested in picking up the Durston Iceline Trekking Poles? Head on over to Durston Gear and get your pole on.
…Disclaimer…
Black Sheep Adventure Sports was provided with a free sample of the Iceline Trekking Poles. This in no way affected our opinion and review.
