MSR

Deploy TR-3 Winter Poles

Beat-up aluminum poles are totally cool, and even give you some street cred if you're more of an in-bounds skier, but you need a bit more than a simple pole-planting stick when you spend most of your time outside the resort boundaries. If an adjustable, collapsible, tricked-out backcountry pole is more up your alley, the MSR Deploy TR-3 is worth a gander.

Unlike most poles, the TR-3 has a glove-friendly one-handed Trigger Release adjustment system, allowing you to easily adjust your poles to the terrain—anyone who's skinned up more than three switchbacks in their life knows that stopping on every one to adjust your poles just isn't worth it, but the TR-3 is so easy to use that you might start rethinking your system. It also has a freeze-resistant SureLock System that won't slip at the most critical time, or become impossible to adjust in icy conditions. Even the grip is thoughtful and well-designed, with a easy-adjust Breakaway Winter Strap that force-releases if the pole gets lodged, saving your shoulder and your gear from inopportune destruction. MSR also gave the grip a small hook, making it easy to adjust tech bindings and climbing bails, or to scrape heavy snow off your skis. Throw in a light and strong shaft made of aerospace-grade aluminum, and you've got a pole that's more useful than you are, and probably tougher too.