A close look at two trekking poles buyers cross-shop. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ | Gossamer Gear FT3 | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 78✓ | 77 |
| Weight (pair) | 12.0 oz✓ | 12.4 oz |
| Packed length | 40 cm | 38 cm✓ |
| Max length | 125 cm | 130 cm✓ |
| Min length | 110 cm | 110 cm |
| Price | $240✓ | $245 |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Fold style | Folding | Folding |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Distance Carbon FLZ in blue, FT3 in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Min length is shown for context and is not scored. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full trekking-pole comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
Put the Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ next to the Gossamer Gear FT3 and the trade-offs are clear. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The Distance Carbon FLZ is a little lighter and $5 cheaper. The FT3 is a little shorter packed and a longer reach (130 vs 125 cm). Their GearScores land within a couple of points (78 vs 77), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the Distance Carbon FLZ if you care most about low weight and price, which makes it the better call for counting grams on long miles. Pick the FT3 if packability and reach matter more to you, or you are focused on saving space in your pack.
The Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ. It is a little lighter than the FT3.
The Gossamer Gear FT3. It is a little shorter packed than the Distance Carbon FLZ.
They are nearly tied at 78 and 77 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Distance Carbon FLZ for low weight, or the FT3 for packability. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.