MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon Backcountry Poles

2026-06-18T20:00:00

As a first-time hiking pole user, I'm impressed by how much these have helped me in the field and exceeded my expectations for how sturdy and reliable they are. My legs feel like they are no longer alone in their battles against the mountain slopes! I've been finding myself needing to take less time to recover and catch my breath when I use these poles. They work perfectly no matter if I'm traveling through rocky fields or cushy pine forests, climbing over logs, or making my way through thick bushes. I love that I can adjust the length to suit the specific grade of slope I'm traversing! And the strength is enough to let me use it to hold stiff branches out of the way. On top of all that, they fit in my backpack when I'm not using them. My main complaint is that, as someone on the smaller side and thus using small-size poles, the hand grips feel just a little bit too big. I can't get my hands around them to the extent that would be ideal. It's not causing any blisters or anything (though it may if I were to use it for all-day hikes), it just takes some getting used to. The strap also keeps sticking to the velcro used to keep everything folded together, which is mildly annoying while walking but also slowly tearing the strap apart fiber by fiber. They've been accumulating some scratches as well, making them look less than pristine after a few weeks of heavy use. That all being said, the support provided by these poles and their reliability thoughout many tough environments is so great that I can't give them any less than five out of five stars. I feel that I can rely on them for years to come!

Pierre H.

Originally posted at

2026-06-09T20:00:00

I have MS and my right leg and arm don't work great. Balance has become an issue. I love these poles. I only use one on the left side. They are great for balance. If you put too much weight on them they will not slide to a shorter length. I've had this problem with other brands. Be sure to buy the correct height. This makes all the difference in the world. Great poles.

Lawrence J.

Originally posted at

2026-05-18T20:00:00

The strength and weakness of these poles are how robust they are. I'll be reluctant to to use them due to their weight. But, I know I'll be able to depend on them when I do. There seems like some weight that could be shaved off and still be dependable. Providing trail and snow baskets to begin with is greatly appreciated. Grips and length adjustment seem on par or better than similar poles.

Dearric W.

Originally posted at

2026-04-22T20:00:00

Very light

Adam B.

Originally posted at

2026-04-02T20:00:00

These are great poles. Light weight and can stow them in my pack or even folded up under the brain with barely anything sticking out. Used them on 78 4k peaks over this winter season without any issues at all.

Ken

Originally posted at

2026-03-06T19:00:00

Wow. First I'm not a trekking pole guy. But after strong recommendations for climbing Kilimanjaro, I rent a pair of poles. OMG that was useful so now I ordered those MSR ascent carbon and ? SO light, SO packable, SO easy to adjust on the go. I use them a lot since I got them couple weeks ago. I don't know about long term use but for the moment, easy 5 stars ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? on quality, conception and comfort.

Mathieu L.

Originally posted at

2026-02-11T19:00:00

Love them

David L.

Originally posted at

2020-04-04T20:00:00

Would highly recommend these poles to anyone. Very quick and intuitive action for deploying. They're extremely light but also very rigid. The snow baskets help store poles together in a tight format. Stowable velcro straps are very clutch. Five Stars

KLSN

Originally posted at

2019-01-27T19:00:00

I have been using the Dynalock Ascent carbon poles for over a year now and have taken them all over the world. From a solo eight-day mission in Svalbard to a 26-day crossing of the Greenland Ice cap. These poles are easily the best I have ever used and are incredibly durable and have withstood some of the harshest conditions for poles - seriously. We are falling, tripping and catching our entire body weight on the poles. Also, the poles plunge through cracks, get stuck in ice blocks and a million other things. Of course, it's also very cold (-25 this year at the start) which is also very hard on gear. Most things break. These poles, however, did not break. They are strong and durable and easy to adjust. The adjustment also is tight enough that I didn't experience any slippage. The baskets are easily just as tough. The are flexible enough not to break but durable enough to significantly help pole flotation. I was also surprised by the paint / finish. No scratches whatsoever. Best poles I've ever used. And while I am an MSR ambassador, I have used enough 'other' poles to know when certain gear is great. And these poles are great!

EL E.

Originally posted at

2019-01-22T19:00:00

I've used the MSR Ascent poles in a variety of conditions for almost two years now. The biggest test they underwent was on a recent expedition this last fall to climb and ski Lhotse, the 4th highest mountain in the world. I chose these poles because of their weight and the ability to fold them small enough that they could fit in my backpack. In order to be successful I had to pay attention to every detail of my gear. I admittedly was a little worried about the pole not having enough torsional strength to withstand the rigors of climbing an 8000m peak, let alone skiing down on a variety of conditions from ice, to breakable crust to windslab. Alas, they did the trick. The locking system was super easy to use with gloves on and in below-freezing conditions. The weight, or lack of weight, was imperative. While I was skiing down the poles still had a good weight balance for swinging into each turn. Overall, I was super impressed with these poles and will use them on my next expedition. In full disclosure, I am an MSR ambassador. For that reason, I have been using these poles a little longer than they have been on the market and have been a part of the feedback loop with the designers.

Hilaree N.

Originally posted at

2019-01-03T19:00:00

Super lite and compact. No reason not to carry them on your Denali trip or your favorite day hikes. I think that the Carbon over long periods of time would draw less fatigue due to less impact vibration than aluminum poles.

omar

Originally posted at

2018-12-26T19:00:00

Lightweight and very compact when folded down. More flexy than my aluminum Leki poles, but plenty strong. Performed well on several hard winter trips. Pole locks very well executed, solid quality throughout. Well done MSR!

Christopher

Originally posted at