REI Flash Carbon Trekking Poles Review

Bottom Line

The REI Flash Carbon is a good trekking pole for the everyday hiker. They are lightweight without feeling fragile and have the necessary features to support your strides. 

During testing, we found that these poles had a lighter weight than average, thanks in part to their carbon fiber shafts. While they do feel prone to snapping when leaned on, they survived one of our gear testers falling on top of them as well as use on a very rugged off-trail hike. 

One thing that bothers us about these poles is how difficult they are to expand or collapse. The telescoping poles have a lot of friction, making them difficult to adjust. Even still, they work well for use on day hikes and weekend backpacking trips. See our guide to the best trekking poles to see how the flash carbon poles compare to our other favorites.

Durability

We were a little surprised by the durability performance of the REI Flash Carbon trekking poles after testing was completed. These poles sustained more cosmetic damage than most of the other poles in our lineup, both over the course of side-by-side testing and in the field. They are carbon and they are focused on being lightweight, so they should be treated with some care.

We threw them like a javelin, dropped them on a boulder, and hiked with them through Arizona’s pokey brush. While the damage from these tests and usage was just cosmetic, their performance in our bend test was not as good. These Flash Carbon poles were quite easy to bend and felt as though they would be pretty easy to break. But bending is better than breaking so, take our opinions and factor them into how and the type of terrain you hike over.

While we have some reservations about their lifespan when used regularly in rugged terrain or for winter activities, they performed well in the field. While backpacking in the Chiricahua Mountains one of our gear testers tripped on a bush and fell flat on top of these poles. Surprisingly, there wasn’t any damage to the poles. They also did well being used in an off trail wash where it was necessary to climb over burnt trees and down small rock waterfalls.

Weight

The Flash Carbon trekking poles are lighter than average, although they are slightly heavier than most of the other carbon fiber poles we tested. We place these poles on a kitchen scale to see if there are any disparities from the listed weight. They weighed in at 6.6 ounces per pole, slightly lighter than the weight listed on REI’s website. While hiking with these poles in Arizona, they definitely felt lighter than the aluminum poles that we are more used to using.

Comfort

Just like weight, the REI Flash Carbon poles are slightly above average for comfort, thanks to a comfortable grip and better-shaped wrist straps. We counted the number of features that make each trekking pole more comfortable and added them together to better compare the poles we tested. 

REI opted for foam handles, which typically allow sweat to accumulate on the outside and get the hands dirty. Foam also does not absorb shock from the ground as well, though this feature is usually less noticeable. The shape of the grip was natural and comfortable.

We appreciate that the wrist strap is slightly wider than those of some other poles we tested. We find that wider straps are more comfortable to wear, especially when used for full days of hiking. 

There is also a liner sewn onto the inside, which is soft for increased comfort. While we prefer padded wrist straps more for comfort, REI managed a nice balance of comfort and weight savings.

Ease of Use

The Flash Carbon is one of our least favorite trekking poles to set up due to the sticky shafts. We based most of our rankings on the time it takes to expand a pole to walking height. This allowed us to better compare ease of use across the various poles in our lineup. Even though the Flash Carbon poles had a respectable setup time, we had to move them down on the list because they are just really annoying to fuss with. 

The flick locks are okay; it is the shafts that are the problem. When telescoping shafts are being extended, it is not uncommon for some friction to occur. In fact, this is a good thing because it keeps them from easily sliding all the way out. 

However, the shafts on the Flash Carbon poles have a ton of friction. The lowest shaft in particular takes significant effort to slide open. Another problem is that the bottom shaft does not have any measurements listed. This makes it harder to determine when the pole has been set to the correct height and typically results in more time spent tweaking the length. On the bright side, these poles do have built-in adjusters for the flick lock tension. The flipping pieces can be turned to adjust the tension.

Packability

Overall, the Flash Carbon poles are slightly below average in terms of packability, but about average when compared to other telescoping poles. We measured the length of each pole when fully collapsed so that we could find out which is the most packable. 

After measuring the Flash Carbon poles, they came in at exactly 25 inches. This is the same as what is listed on the REI website. Because this length is longer than some of the others we tested, these poles will be less ideal for activities such as trail running or flying with the poles. For the average backpacker, it shouldn’t make a huge difference. 

We had these poles stowed away on our pack for two days while hiking in the Chiricahua Mountains. The length of the poles was not noticeable while they were attached to our pack.

Features

We found the REI Flash Carbon poles to be surprisingly lacking in features. After tallying the number of features each pole has and comparing them, we found that these poles are below average. The Flash Carbon poles come with the bare minimum, including wrist straps and a pair of summer baskets. 

We also appreciate that the tension of the flick locks is easily adjustable without the need for tools. That said, we are disappointed that these trekking poles do not have replaceable carbide tips like most other poles. This decreases the overall value of the poles because the lifespan of these trekking poles will be shorter as a result. These poles also do not have a grip extension. This is somewhat forgivable, as not having them helps to save weight.

Should You Buy The REI Flash Carbon Trekking Poles?

The Flash Carbon is great for folks who want a lightweight, no-frills trekking pole. One of its strongest performance areas is weight, as it is one of the lightest poles we tested. It also is a fairly simple trekking pole with few add-ons. 

For the average hiker using this pole on day hikes and weekend backpacking trips, this pole should be more than sufficient to get the job done. That said, other poles are more affordable for beginners or higher caliber for intrepid adventures.

What Other Trekking Poles Should You Consider?

The REI Flash Carbon trekking poles are just one of the many styles we tested. Here are a few others that we love!

Black Diamond Pursuit Review: We love the Pursuit because it is extremely versatile and performed at or above average in all of our tests. This pole is made of aluminum instead of carbon fiber. The result is that it is much stronger than the Flash Carbon trekking poles, but also weighs about two ounces more. 

MSR DynaLock Explore Review: Another great telescoping option is the MSR DynaLock Explore. While it weighs a bit more due to its aluminum frame, it is also much easier to use thanks to shafts that easily slide. This pole also has a few more features and a more affordable price tag.

Durston Iceline Review: If weight and a simplistic design are your requirements, consider giving the Durston Iceline a try. The Iceline trekking poles are among the lightest we tested, making them nice for longer adventures. One thing that is a bit different about these poles is their unique hybrid design: they have a folding section that completely detaches as well as a telescoping portion. Overall, we really loved these poles for their high level of performance across the board.