Due to a worldwide shortage of carbon fibre, Alpkit have stopped making their CarbonLite poles (all is explained on their website).

They've got a few remaining at the higher price of £50 (again, all is explained on their website).

Why didn't I buy a pair in January like I meant to...?!

Thanks for the tip-off. Just played safe and ordered some spare sections for mine...

Oh, great. That's a kick in the teeth that is. Not only do I hate windfarms with a passion, but now I know that they are sitting there in all their ineffective ugliness using up carbon fibre that could be helping me get up the hill. Gits.

rollocks was going to order some.

I'm sure they'll just make some aluminium ones instead.

Bad news for camera people though. Carbon fibre tripods were already extremely expensive now the prices will shoot through the roof! Luckily I had ruled out any chance of ever being able to afford one anyway...

glad Kate got me mine for Christmas.

just looked at the backpackinglight.co.uk site (or the home of podcast Bob as it is known), and he is selling a pair of carbon trekking poles for £45.

Calm down guys! Don't panic!

We haven't ceased production we are just looking at our options. Because we sell direct this has hit us first, this will filter through to other manufacturers and brands over the next year or so.

Don't worry in terms of spares, repairs etc we will continue to service and provide a spares services for all those people who have already brought poles from us.

Bob is indeed selling TrekMates carbon poles at a greatly reduced price which look great but to our knowledge these are not made in the same factory as the Alpkit poles.

Cheers, Jim from ALPKIT.