Durston - Iceline RS Trekking Poles

New for 2027, the Iceline RS poles are a more rugged version of our Iceline poles designed for off-trail use and all season conditions. Like the regular version, they offer the compactness of a 3 piece pole and the simple reliability of a single external adjuster, while using larger tubing to increase the strength and stiffness. Where the RS version differs is by using thick walled aluminum for the lower two sections. This further increases the strength and better handles rugged use like talus field crossing and shoulder season conditions, while remaining pleasantly light at just 185 g (6.5 oz).

The Iceline RS poles start with the same core concept as our regular Iceline poles where the design uses larger diameter tubing for added strength and stiffness. In particular, the non-telescoping design allows us to use much thicker 16 mm tubing at the tip section (where it is the most exposed to stresses) rather than 12-14mm like most poles, which substantially lowers the risk of breakage.

With the RS version, we increase the strength by switching the middle and sections from ultralight carbon shafts to thicker walled aluminum. This adds weight but is substantially stronger - including being able to support over 75 lbs per pole in a highly stressful horizontal span test. In particular, the aluminum tubing holds up well to accidental impacts and point loads that can be encountered in off-trail conditions like talus fields.

Three section poles are ideal because they can easily stow in your pack and luggage, but most 3 section poles also use dual adjusters which are inefficient because they are unnecessary yet add weight, potential to slip, and more hassle to set the pole length. 

With our Iceline poles we use a simpler and more reliable approach, where a single upper external adjuster provides ample adjustment range, while a lower quick connect saves weight, complexity, and eliminates the potential to slip. In normal use they operate like a 2 section pole, while being able to pack up as short like a 3 section pole. The result is a pole that is simpler, lighter, and more reliable.

This focus on efficient extends throughout the pole - such as the custom designed lightweight polymer tip and the re-engineer strap attachment to save further grams. Everything is distilled into its' simplest form to invest more weight into the areas that matter.

The Iceline poles are built from premium carbon fiber and 7075 aluminum with a custom shaped grip, while uniquely incorporating O-rings into the joints for silent operation. Even the sack is high quality, as it re-purposes otherwise scrap Dyneema® fabric from our Pro series tents to provide a superlight (5g) way to store the poles.

A key goal with the Iceline poles was to improve reliability and ease of use, because other lightweight poles commonly use internal 'twist' adjusters that are prone to slippage, or when they use external adjusters they use plastic parts. Either way, having dual adjusters decreases the reliability of the poles. 

With the Iceline poles, we use a single adjuster and use the reliable external type to increase reliability and lower the risk of slippage. The second adjuster is replaced by a quick release connection that is simpler, impossible to slip, and has been further refined for the second generation with increased strength and reliability. 

The result is a trekking pole with impressive strength and stiffness for all conditions. They remain light at 6.5 oz (185 g) each, while having strength similar to heavier poles - making them both highly capable and more pleasant to use. They are the ideal choice for demanding adventures from a traverse of Alaska's Brooks Range to a shoulder season trek on the Appalachian trail.

Features:

• Lightweight: The Iceline RS poles weigh just 185 g (6.5 oz) while offering similar strength to many other poles around 230 - 270 g (8-9 oz) which makes them more agile on the trail.
• External Adjustment: The upper adjuster on the Iceline is a proven external adjuster (commonly referred to as flick locks) which is more reliable, easier to repair, and easier to adjust compared to internal ("twist lock")  adjusters. It uses premium aluminum parts.
• Dyneema Stuff Sack: A Dyneema stuff sack is included for secure storage of the poles. These sacks are build from scrap Dyneema fabric from our X-Mid Pro tents.
• Large Diameter Tubing: The Iceline poles use larger diameter tubing because it is more weight efficient (stiffer and lighter). The upper section is 18 mm carbon (compared with 14 - 16 mm for competing poles) while the middle and lower sections are 16 mm aluminum (compared with 12 - 14 mm). This larger diameter tubing makes the Iceline poles both sturdier and lighter, especially at the tip where trekking poles are most likely to break.
• Compact: The Iceline poles collapse to just 49 cm (19.5") to easily stow on the side of a backpack. Other 3 piece poles typically pack to 22-25".
• Quick Connect Mechanism: The lower connection uses a simple and reliable quick connect mechanism that is well proven and dampened by an O-ring for silent operation.
• Premium Quality: The Iceline poles are custom made for Durston by Komperdell who are based in Austria and one of the world's foremost manufacturers of premium trekking poles. They build them for use using their best tubing, and our custom designs for the grip, tip, and other hardware.

Specs:

• Weight:
  • Pole: 185g | 6.5oz
  • Dyneema Stuff Sack: 5g | 0.2oz
  • Basket (each): 11g | 0.3oz
• Length:
  • Collapsed: 19.5" | 49cm
  • Minimum: 37" | 95cm
  • Maximum: 50" | 127cm
• Diameter (Upper / Middle / Lower): 18mm / 16mm \ 16mm
• Materials:
  • Shaft: High Modulus Carbon + Aluminum
  • Grip: EVA Foam
  • Tip: Polymer + Carbide
• Adjuster Types: External (upper) and quick release (lower)
• Warranty: 2 years