Foldable carbon running poles for technical terrain
Silva's Carbon Z running poles are built for trail runners and speed hikers tackling steep, technical ground where extra stability matters. Available in two sizes, the lightweight T800 carbon fibre construction means they're tough and adaptable while weighing less than Harry Potter's wand, and the Z-fold design lets you collapse them down to around 40cm long for compact storage on flatter sections. Many folding poles come at a set length, but these ones have 20cm of adjustment for different preferences and gradients, with a secure flick-lock mechanism. The ergonomic cork handles can be used with a range of gloves or straps (they come with lightweight wrist gloves), and Silva's 'Blueberry' system lets you switch them in and out with minimal fuss. The concave carbide tips are easy to replace when you eventually wear them down, plus they've thrown in both small and medium mud baskets.
- Adjustable carbon poles
- Z-fold design for compact storage
- Flick lock for fast, secure length adjustment
- Ergonomic cork handle with glove and strap support
- 'Blueberry' system lets you switch straps easily
- Interchangeable concave carbide tips
- Small baskets assembled, medium mud baskets included
- Gloves in breathable material included
- Lightweight T800 carbon fibre
- Weight (per pair, with gloves): 384g
- Suitable for users who are approximately 170 to 200 cm tall. To find your recommended length, multiply your height in centimetres by 0.7
It’s a bit of a cliché to say, ‘this brand needs no introduction…’, but sometimes it really doesn’t. If you ever did scouts, guides or cadets, got epic blisters on a D of E expedition or went on an outward bounds residential, chances are you did it with a Silva compass in the pocket of your boil-in-the-bag cagoule.
Like so many world-changing inventions, the Silva compass began as a problem that needed solving. Back in the day, your standard compass wobbled all over the shop, making it tricky and time-consuming to get a decent reading. That is, until 1933, when four Swedes invented a liquid-filled compass. The resistance from the fluid slowed and stabilised the needle, meaning you could nail a reliable bearing in seconds. Navigation was never the same again.
But iconic as the compasses are, they’re only one part of the Silva story. They were one of the first companies to make reliable electric head torches for the outdoors, and they’ve also branched out into optics, trekking kit and other navigational gear. Tried and tested for the better part of a century, Silva’s precision instruments have literally been the difference between life and death for generations of outdoor adventurers – and as brand pedigree goes, that’s pretty much impossible to beat.
