Staff Gear Review: Black Diamond

Tahoe Mountain Sports staff members, Matthew Beals and Kendra Bell, test Black Diamond's Distance 22 Backpack and Distance Carbon Z Poles on the Tahoe Via Ferrata at Palisades Tahoe. Matt and Kendra tested the two products by running and climbing in them. Matt leans more heavily toward outdoor climbing pursuits and Kendra prefers running but recently started getting into climbing, too. Read below to hear a detailed review from each of them. Stop by Tahoe Mountain Sports for a chance to talk with one of the staff reviewers about their experience and to shop these featured products.

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Distance 22 Backpack

Overview

The Distance 22 Backpack is Black Diamond’s offering in sphere of ‘technical daypack’ designed for “all-day alpine adventures.” Incorporating design elements of a running vest with a generous 22L capacity, on paper it seems like the best of all worlds but we’ve seen some packs like this flop. We did our best to put it through it’s paces as we tackled Alpenglow Expedition’s Via Ferrata, a day at Lover’s Leap, the Crystal Range Traverse in Desolation Wilderness, and more…

What were some of your favorite features of the pack?

Kendra: I appreciated the dual front pockets and the side chest(ribcage) pockets. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to loading my vests. I could keep my bottles, snacks, sunscreen, gloves, etc. where I am accustomed to reaching for them. The light weight mesh in the vest body breathed really well yet was stiff enough to provide extra structure with heavier loads. The pole straps were the biggest surprise. It took some getting used to but it’s a simple and effective way to stow poles when they are not in use. Not having to buy an extra piece of equipment for quick pole storage is brilliant. The pack is also incredibly comfortable for up to 15 lbs(the most I tried). Definitely can't say that about my other running vests. I also appreciate the attention to detail in the stitching and the little ways BD has thought of ways to tuck in loose ends. It is a smooth clean vest with a large capacity pack.  

Matt: I’m with you, the front really feels like a running vest, everything is where it’s supposed to be. It’s also a completely symmetrical design so it’s easy to arrange it all however you need to. The side cinches for the main compartment were super effective, and it carried well even when loaded with extra water and tons of gear. Very surprised how well the pack kept it’s shape and fit even when packed to the gills or carrying shoes. I’ve had issues with other large-capacity vests sliding back but the chest harness was pretty effective at preventing this. When climbing, the pack sits high and clear of my harness and fits well enough to just disappear. I could forget I was wearing it and I wasn’t worried about scraping the burly UHMWPE fabric either.

Product Features

Any flaws or issues with the design or execution? 

Kendra: Sizing was definitely a challenge for me. Based on the size chart, I’m a women’s medium, yet I was able to cinch it within an inch of butting and it shifted when weighted. Women’s small is a bit small so the bottles ride close to my armpit however the pack never shifts under weight. Even though the bottles do occasionally rub a bit on longer downhills due to my floppy arms akimbo running style, the small is by far the best fit and gets bonus points for reminding me to be more efficient while running. A small dedicated key/trash pocket on the front of the vest would be a nice addition. 

 

Matt: The ice axe carry is just okay. I like the modern toggle-style, but it would be much better to use shock cord instead of webbing here. The flap over the top of the cinch-style closure seems like it could be a rope carry, but I don’t recommend it. So you’re stuck doing separate backpack coil over the top, which is fine. The skimo-style pole carry is actually excellent when storing both poles, but felt a little insecure stowing just one (on some terrain I like to have one hand free but still have one pole). The side pockets for the poles are a little tricky to use once the pack is loaded, but I suppose it’s a tradeoff – once the poles are in they’re very secure.

 

Distance Carbon Z-Poles

Overview

Matt: I’ll admit I’ve never really had ‘running poles’ and don’t use poles hiking or backpacking, so this was a learning curve for me. I ended up using them more on terrain where I was forced to slow down or even walk. Think silt, scree, snow, steeps. But in that use case I felt like they did a great job of keeping my ‘slow’ from getting too slow. Maybe the best feedback I can give, as someone new to using poles in this way, is that everything felt pretty natural. And they are so light! Also a bonus that alternate tips and baskets are included.

Kendra: It’s been a hot second since I’ve used poles running. A couple years ago, I was doing more short vertical runs where poles are super helpful. Lack of practice aside, I find these poles to be a great addition to the running fleet. My other running poles don’t rely on straps so hands in hands out took a bit of relearning. That being said, compared to my old  BD hiking poles, the straps on the Distance are significantly easier to adjust, more comfortable and less bulky. Carbon shafts make these poles incredibly light and given how many rock pockets they’ve been jammed in already, I’d also say they are quite durable. Originally, they felt slower to deploy and lock than my other poles however after a couple of uses that is no longer an issue. These are currently my go-to poles right now for steeper rockier runs. 

You can find more staff and ambassador reviews like this one on the Tahoe Mountain Sports Gear Review blog page. 

About the Authors:

Matt Beals is acting Warranty & Services Manger for Tahoe Mountain Sports, Personal Trainer for Trout Creek Rec Center, and guides for Alpenglow Expeditions. When he has time off from the hustle, he enjoys long walks to cold lakes, naps with his dog, and all the usual Tahoe climb/ski/blablabla. Originally from Riverside, California, he’s lived and adventured all over the Southwest and even in Mexico and Argentina. He’s been lucky enough to call Truckee home for almost 5 years. 

Kendra Bell is currently recovering from her theater art career as a retail associate at Tahoe Mountain Sports and Tahoe Mountain Life. She spent her childhood growing up wild in the backwoods of Michigan and after years of exploring the joys of major metropolitan areas, Kendra rediscovered her love of the outdoors in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In 2018, she got the opportunity to switch coasts and hasn’t looked back. You can find her wandering the trails in the Tahoe area with her copilot and miniature  heeler, Stig.