At my height, very few trekking poles extend as long as I need them to (especially on descents) while still being securely rigid.
A number of years ago, I bought CNOC poles (these poles under the previous branding) and got some great years out of them before they were lost while moving to a new house. I searched for them and couldn't find them anywhere and thought CNOC had stopped making poles. So I got a Zpacks carbon fiber staff and used that instead. I liked it, but sometimes you just do better with two poles.
Recently I found out that the CNOC poles just changed their name to Diorite, and I bought my pair the very same day.
I think these are amazing poles for anyone, but for the hikers well north of 6' tall, these are by far the best.
The cork grips are genuine quality - nothing beats solid cork - and the straps are very comfortable.
Solid quick lock grips - after initial adjustment they haven't slipped once and I have a couple hundred miles on them now.
Awesome job to the CNOC/Diorite team - never stop making these!
Disappointing to see these premium poles use plastic clasps instead of metal like other poles in this price range. Other than that they are nice. Could also shave some weight by keeping the main part of the cork grip as cork, but the lower section could be foam (like the Black Diamond poles)
I Maintain a portion of the AT in Georgia and section hike weeklong trips each year on the AT, currently in Virginia. I use these poles exclusively for trail maintenance recon trips and my section hikes. They perform well and are a perfect balance between slightly lighter carbon fiber poles that are not nearly as tough and heavier models from other materials. After 3 years of heavy use, there was a problem with one of the sections resulting from aging glue. Out of warranty but shipping and the repair were well worth the price given the toughness and performance of these poles and the cost of a pair. Once received Diorite repaired performed a general tune-up and wrote back asking if I wanted to add the upgraded clip mechanism for a fully updated and stronger system. I agreed and the poles were promptly returned and steady for several more years of service. They are excellent poles for multiple uses. The customer service is timely, friendly, and just stellar.
Finally got the chance to test out my new trekking poles. So far they have been durable and helpful. At 6'6" needed longer poles, so tall people these will work!
The Diorite Telescopic Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles have some great features, like being lightweight, sturdy, and having comfortable cork handles. They’re adjustable too, which is essential for hiking different terrains. But for how much these cost, the unreadable measurement marks are a huge letdown.
What’s Good:
Lightweight and Durable: Easy to carry and tough enough for rough trails.
Cork Handles: Comfortable to hold and reduce sweaty hands.
Adjustable Length: Ideal for hills, flats, and everything in between.
What’s Not:
The measurement marks on the poles are illegible that adjusting them quickly and evenly is a frustrating guessing game. For poles at this price, it feels like they skimped on quality control. Something this basic shouldn’t be overlooked.
Bottom Line:
These poles are good in many ways, but the lack of readable markings is a major flaw. For the money, I’d expect more attention to detail. If you need to adjust your poles often, you might want to look elsewhere.