To date I have a total of about 60 miles over 5 outings on these poles so the verdict is still out on longevity, and I will update this review accordingly. That said, I feel comfortable in taking a position on these as a result of my experiences this far. I was originally looking at the flick-lock Carbon poles from Cascade, but upon discovering this new product offering, I purchased these since I heavily prefer the folding design as a result of deep-seeded distrust of the flick-lock system. Even though it may be an irrational fear, I have taken a fall due to equipment failure in the past and would prefer not to do it again. Although these do have an upper section which is flick-lock for adjustability, even if that were to fail it would only compress a small amount, likely not enough to cause a fall. In the context I love this feature, as it allows me to adjust the height easily, with the added security of the folding design preventing a lock failure from causing a collapse. While mentioning this though I would be remised if I did not mention that these poles at their shortest setting may be a touch long for shorter hikers (44”). I am about 5’9”/5’10” depending on the day of the week, and even at their shortest length they are nearly long enough for me. I usually only extend them an additional 1”-1.5” which fits me perfectly for most terrain. Having this adjustability combined with the peace of mind that comes with folding poles makes these an ideal fit. Being that they are folding poles, they do not collapse and strap to my pack quite as quickly or easily as fully collapsible poles, but this comes with the territory of folding poles and a concession I am happy to make. The carrying case provided is sturdy and feels very durable. During a heavy rain summiting peaks at night in western North Carolina, the bag was strapped on the outside of my pack and did not retain much water. Even though it was raining very hard and persistently (it was a long night) the inside of the bag was mostly dry upon opening it. The poles remained tactile and allowed a good purchase on the cork handles even in heavy rain with soaked gloves. The Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber Folding Trekking Poles do not have a shock absorbing system, but do have a moderate amount of flex, although I never questioned their stability. The only issue I have had was with the locking mechanism. The connections rely on a plastic nut sliding up and over inclines when screwed together to create tension on the outer pole section. One of the connections on my original pole would not lock together. At first I assumed I had a faulty mechanism on that connection, though they do have a snug fit and the elastic tension holding it in place pretty well. I hiked many miles with this being the case and experienced no separation, but when I got around to it I contacted the manufacture and they promptly sent me out a replacement pole section with no hassle at all. High praise to the customer service team over at Cascade Mountain Tech. To my surprise though, the replacement pole section I was sent did the exact same thing, so I thought to myself that there is no way I am this unlucky. Upon investigating a little bit further, I found that that small plastic nut was not catching on the threads and was free floating. The fix was as simple as just getting the nut started on the threads. When I then pushed the poles together it locked tight just as expected. This is not really a problem, as it is not due to any defect, but is worth noting. I went back and saw that the same thing had happened to several other reviewers who, like I, thought they received a defective product. I would not really say this is a problem that should be addressed in manufacturing, but may be a good idea to include a footnote about it in the documentation that accompanies these poles. Both poles together come in at under a pound. When you receive them there are 3 different feet included which are a great addition, though I rarely use anything other than the carbide tip itself. As you would expect snow baskets are also included, and the plastic of the snow baskets and smaller baskets both feel very durable and well made. I have used these in heavy mud, and it protected well against over-penetration under load. This is a newer company, at least to me, and thus far I have been impressed with the quality of the product ad will check out more of their products in the future. I would not hesitate to recommend these poles to anyone looking for a high quality product at an outstanding value.