After reading tie-die's review, I would like to know how we can replace the tips if our carbide tips wear out or fall out. Is there an established replacement policy and supply?
ccchansGood questions. Most companies offer replacement tips, and they are generally interchangeable. You'll need to heat up the tips (place in boiling water for a while) to loosen the glue underneath and remove the old tips, and then can put new ones one with a bit of fresh glue. You couldeven switch them out for BD's Flex Tech Tips, which allow you simply unscrew the carbide tip to replace as needed, rather than the whole tip. This would be best for someone doing a ton of hiking (like a long thru hike) where you'll want an easy way to replace the tips on the go.
That being said, I've been using the same carbide tips for the last five years. I don't find the duller edge to be noticeable. Far greater things I could do to improve my backpacking experience.