REI Co-op Swiftland TT Carbon Folding Trekking Pole Review
Updated:
Jan 20, 2025Moving fast in the mountains sometimes requires cutting as much weight as possible, which is where REI Co-op’s Swiftland TT Carbon ($189) comes in. This three-piece folding carbon pole weighs a feathery 11.2 ounces for the pair—that’s the same weight as just a few sips of water. I’ve taken the Swiftland TT on adventures ranging from basic day hikes to Hawaiian backpacking trips involving river crossings and rugged terrain. Despite its skinny shaft and ultralight build, this pole holds up well to the elements. However, like all single-length carbon poles, we don’t recommend the Swiftland TT Carbon if you routinely haul a lot of weight or use your trekking poles to support a shelter.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
Weight
11.2 oz.
Type
Folding
Shaft Material
Carbon
Grip Material
Foam
Max/min Length
45.3 in.
Collapsed Length
14.5 in.
Pros
Cons
REI Co-op Swiftland TT
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Trekking Poles.
The REI Co-op Swiftland TT Carbon’s barebones build isn’t our top recommendation for those prioritizing comfort. The grips and straps are plain, black, and minimal—a far cry from the ribbed cork grips and padded straps we see on more comfort-oriented poles. However, the simplicity posed no issue for me, and for a weight-conscious user, the Swiftland’s feather-light weight makes for a luxury of a different sort.
The REI Co-op Swiftland TT Carbon’s EVA foam grips felt stiff and sturdy yet soft to the touch. I loved how the index finger has a divot to help grasp the pole without my hand sliding, and the top of the grip features a larger surface area for holding during steep descents. What’s more, the straps are easily adjustable, soft, and built with lightweight woven nylon and an additional layer of soft fabric that provides a hair of cushion where it makes contact with my wrists. In short, these trekking poles are nothing special in the comfort department, but they’re perfectly serviceable and certainly not uncomfortable.
The Swiftland TT’s shafts are made of carbon, the key element of all ultralight trekking poles. Carbon is incredibly lightweight but has some shortcomings: Unlike heavier aluminum poles, it doesn’t allow for much bend and is prone to snapping under a heavy load. The Swiftland is also thin in diameter compared to beefier and more traditional telescoping trekking poles, which doesn’t help the cause.
As a result of its streamlined, carbon build, I didn’t trust the Swiftland as much as my thicker and heavier aluminum poles. I’ll admit that I initially was more hesitant than I needed to be, nervous to apply my full body weight or use the poles while hiking with a heavy pack. Over time, though, I gained confidence in the Swiftland and learned to trust its strength. While it’s still certainly not as durable as a heavier pole and will snap under a major force, it handled my full weight (plus the weight of a backpacking pack) over and over again on tricky terrain. What’s more, the folding design means the pole is less prone to failure than a telescoping pole, which can suffer from slippage and collapsing under weight.
One further note on potential downsides here: REI doesn’t offer any tip replacements for the Swiftland TT Carbon. Some poles, like Black Diamond’s Pursuit, Alpine Carbon Cork, and Distance series, offer screw-in tips for easy replacement. I haven’t yet needed to replace the tips on my Swiftlands, but tips are usually the first part of a pole to wear out. While it’s likely possible to find universal tips that might work on this pole, an obvious in-house tip replacement could go a long way toward enhancing its longevity.
The Swiftland TT Carbon’s weight is far and away its standout feature. At 11.2 ounces for the 115-centimeter pair, the Swiftland isn’t the lightest of the light—but it’s close (especially impressive given the $169 price tag). You can shave off about two ounces with a pole like Black Diamond’s Distance Carbon Z, but the marginal weight savings comes with a $20 price penalty. Compared to a more traditional pole like the Black Diamond Trail Back, the Swiftland saves you over half a pound. This low weight pays dividends on long days on the trail: Because a pair of Swiftlands weighs so little, it doesn’t take any extra energy or strength to carry. Even when I’m not actively using the poles, I often run with them in my hands just because I more or less forget they’re even there.
Packed size is another highlight of the Swiftland: If regular trekking poles are sticks, the Swiftland is a twig—this pole packs down to only about 14.5 inches. That’s minuscule compared to a pole like the popular Black Diamond Pursuit, which collapses to 24.4 inches for a similar size.
REI achieves this streamlined packed size through the Swiftland TT’s three-piece folding design: Unlike telescoping poles, which generally feature three shafts that collapse into one another, the Swiftland pops apart and folds into three pieces. This design does not require twist or lever locks, which also contributes to the minimalist package. As a result, a pair of REI Co-op Swiftland TT is easy to stash in any pack but the tiniest of running vests—even then, you can don a pole sleeve like Salomon’s pole quiver and you’re good to go. Heck, we’ll often fold them up and keep them in our hands while running.
Overall, the Swiftland reaches featherweight status by cutting out just about everything extraneous, meaning the pole is about as simple as it gets in terms of features. For the do-it-all hiker, a lot is missing: Unlike more versatile trekking poles like REI’s Traverse or Black Diamond’s Pursuit, the Swiftland TT doesn’t come stock with powder baskets, plush and padded wrist straps, choke-up grips, or even adjustability. To be fair, I didn’t find that I missed most of these add-ons (my ambitions weren’t for carrying heavy loads or traveling on snow), but I did wish for a choke-up grip in steeper sections of the trail. However, all these sacrifices come in the name of weight savings, which to me is worth it.
It’s worth noting that the Swiftland TT’s lack of adjustability will be a dealbreaker for many. Adjustable trekking poles come in handy when you anticipate sharing your poles, enjoy the ability to alter the length of a pole while traversing or hiking uphill, or—most importantly—plan to use your poles to pitch a trekking pole shelter. If this sounds like you, we recommend an adjustable pole. Black Diamond’s ultralight Distance Carbon comes in an FLZ version, which allows for almost 6 inches of adjustability.
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Longevity
Choosing durable outdoor gear and keeping it in use for longer is one of the best ways to reduce environmental impact. Our proprietary longevity rating assesses factors like overall build quality, materials, fabric denier, component durability, and real-world performance. A green check indicates that we expect the product to be long-lasting relative to its peers, a yellow check mark indicates average longevity, and a red X indicates a product that may have a limited lifespan.
Recycled Materials
Recycled materials are prevalent in outdoor gear, with nylon, polyester, wool, and down among the most common, but the composition varies widely. A green check mark indicates the product is made with a substantial amount of recycled materials (100% recycled or the core fabric that makes up most of the product is recycled), a yellow check means it contains a moderate to small amount of recycled materials, while a red X means there are no recycled materials in the product.
Replacement Parts
Replacement parts help extend a product’s lifespan by allowing consumers to repair damaged components—like ski goggle lenses or trekking pole clips—rather than purchasing a new one. A green check indicates a brand offers a robust selection of replacement parts, a yellow check indicates a more limited offering, and a red X indicates no replacement parts are available for this product.
Responsible Manufacturing
This criterion evaluates a brand’s commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing environmental impact through certifications and programs like Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), and the Fair Labor Association, while also recognizing brands that manufacture primarily in the U.S. or Europe under strict labor and environmental regulations. A green check mark indicates a brand meets our responsible manufacturing criteria, while a red X means it does not.
Recycled and/or Reduced Packaging
Packaging can add significant waste to outdoor gear purchases, so many brands work to reduce its impact by using recycled materials, incorporating Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, and minimizing plastic and paper use. A green check mark indicates a brand uses recycled or reduced materials across all of its packaging, a yellow check indicates moderate or limited use of recycled or reduced packaging, and a red X indicates the brand does not make either of these efforts.
Carbon Footprint Tracking
This criterion evaluates whether a brand measures, reports, and works to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions using established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. A green check mark indicates a brand publicly reports greenhouse gas emissions data, sets clearly defined reduction targets, and uses established tracking frameworks such as Higg or The Change Climate Project. A yellow check mark indicates the brand tracks emissions and outlines reduction goals but provides limited data, lacks science-based verification, or does not clearly report progress. A red X indicates the brand does not appear to track greenhouse gas emissions or provides so little information that its efforts cannot be verified.
Annual Impact Report
Annual impact reports provide transparency and accountability by outlining a brand’s sustainability efforts across areas such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water use, supply chains, and packaging. A green check mark indicates a brand publishes a detailed, brand-specific impact report that closely aligns with our sustainability criteria and leaves little room for ambiguity. A yellow check indicates a brand provides some relevant sustainability reporting but lacks detail in key areas or is covered only briefly within a parent company report. A red X indicates a brand does not regularly publish an impact report.
The REI Co-op Swiftland TT is a fixed-length pole and comes in 105, 115, and 125-centimeter versions. At first glance, the three sizes might feel fairly limiting; Black Diamond, for example, offers five length options in its similar Distance Carbon Z. But I found that my body adapted quickly to the Swiftland’s fixed length. I’m 5 foot 6 inches and used the 115-centimeter version, which is recommended for hikers and runners between 5’4” and 5’10”.
Other brands like Black Diamond and Leki offer fixed-length running poles similar to the Swiftland TT but complement those designs with adjustable options. For example, the Distance Carbon FLZ from Black Diamond and the Cross Trail FX Superlite from Leki offer the weight-savings of a three-piece folding design combined with a healthy range of adjustability (5.9 and 7.8 in., respectively). It would be nice to see an adjustable yet still very lightweight offering from REI. However, if you don’t need an adjustable pole (i.e. you don’t plan to share your trekking poles and don’t need them to set up a trekking pole shelter), I’ve never had an issue finding a good size fit in a fixed-length pole.
Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z ($220): Go a Little Lighter
Black Diamond’s Distance Z pole is comparable in almost every way to the Swiftland TT. It’s a folding, ultralight pole made for moving quickly, covering big distances, and stowing away into a tight package. The Distance Carbon Z costs a good deal more than the Swiftland, but it does have two major things going for it: It’s 1.9 ounces lighter (for the 125-cm version) and features interchangeable, screw-in tips, which are often the first part of a pole to wear out. While not a wild weight difference, 2 ounces is significant when the full package is under 10 ounces. Along with the ease of replacement, the Distance Carbon Z gets the edge for us and we think is worth the extra $20 investment. For more, read our review of the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z.
Leki Ultratrail FX.One ($220): Lightweight With Some Extras
Leki’s Ultratrail FX.One is another folding trekking pole that’s nearly identical to both the REI Co-op Swiftland TT Carbon and the Black Diamond Distance Z. At 12.6 ounces for the 115-centimeter option, it’s about 1.4 ounces heavier than the Swiftland—and a whopping $50 more expensive. The price and weight bump does come with a few unique additions, including cork grips (which mold to your hands over time and wick moisture better than EVA foam) and Leki’s glove-like “trail shark” grip system that helps make the pole feel like a new appendage while offering convenient “on” and “off.” If these amenities justify the extra 50 bucks, we say go for it. For more, read our review of the Ultratrail FX.One.
Ounce counters and runners, look out! REI Co-op’s Swiftland TT is a solid offering that feels like a feather and still holds up great on the trail. But while it has a lot to offer, it can’t compete with the performance or price of poles in Black Diamond’s Distance series.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
If you're moving fast or far, the Distance Carbon Z is the pole to get. Our testers swear by this ultralight offering for mountain and trail running, fast-and-light mountaineering, and fastpacking—despite its high price, middling durability, and lack of adjustability.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
The Ultratrail FX.One is a fast-and-light hiker’s dream, featuring Leki’s glove-like Trail Shark grip system that offers next-level control and power transfer between body and pole. However, it’s heavier than the BD Distance Carbon Z and $20 more.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
Is the Swiftland TT for You?
The REI Co-op Swiftland TT Carbon is a near-ideal trekking pole for runners and hikers focused on fast-and-light movement. It’s one of the lightest poles on the market and collapses smaller than any other model we’ve reviewed, making it great for ultralight kits or for those who like to stow their poles in their packs. And compared to the uber-popular Black Diamond Distance Z, it’s $20 cheaper, which for some might be worth it. However, we recommend looking elsewhere if you don’t have a compelling need for such a lightweight pole, as the Swiftland isn’t anything to write home about in terms of features and durability. The lack of snow baskets limits it to three-season use and the fixed-length design means it cannot be used to set up a trekking pole shelter. Finally, while we had no issues with the Swiftland’s thin, carbon build, we’d recommend a beefier pole if you’re regularly backpacking with a heavy load.
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