Button assemblies for extension poles

A telescoping pole comprising:

• an inner section having an inner button opening extending through a sidewall thereof;
• an outer section having an outer button opening extending through a sidewall thereof, the inner section being coaxial with and slidably disposed within the outer section;
• and
• a button assembly in the inner section, the button assembly having a plug, a button, and a biasing member, the plug comprising a raised lip radially-extending therefrom that defines a bottom end of the inner section when the plug is positioned in the inner section, the button being slidably received in an opening in a sidewall of the plug for movement between a locked position and an unlocked position, the biasing member biasing the button to the locked position, the button having an axially-extending land region comprising a concave contour for engaging a user's digit, a cammed region, and a radially-extending locking edge, the cammed region being sloped from the land region in a direction towards the locking edge and the raised lip,
• wherein, when the inner and outer button openings are in registry with one another and the button is the locked position, the button extends through inner and outer button openings, with the locking edge abutting the outer button opening,
• wherein, when the inner and outer button openings are in registry with one another and the button is depressed to the unlocked position, the button extends so that the locking edge is free from abutting the outer button opening, and
• wherein, during retraction, a user can start with a digit on the cammed region, slide the digit up the cammed region towards the land region while depressing the button into the outer section until the locking edge clears the outer button opening with the digit resting on the land region in a position that is remote from any pinch point formed when the inner section retracts into the outer section between the locking edge and the outer button opening.