Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trekking Poles for Hiking and Walking

Stewart Loving-Gibbard: I've been through multiple sets of poles in the past few years, having spent 130+ days on trail. These have proven very durable and comfortable, and I'm super pleased with them. I was worried cork would prove more fragile than plastic/rubber, and while that may be true as a general principle I've had no problems. I appreciate that the handles feel comfortable (warm) to the touch in cold, wet, and hot.

I'm on the heavier side so I don't trust carbon fiber to hold my weight in an emergency, and these have supported me through many slips and near-falls perfectly fine.

The acid test for pole tips is volcanic rock like that found in Oregon's mid-cascade region, but I haven't tried this with these poles yet. Otherwise, I'm very content with these poles. Nice job Black Diamond.

United States on Aug 11, 2023

David Sanders: Very happy with these. Good quality with easily adjustable length locking mechanism.

Australia on Jul 21, 2023

rrr: I find the handles very comfortable and the length easy to adjust. I wish they came with rubber tips (I still have not bought any) as the sharp tips can tear up a trail. Seem to be very sturdy, but they tend to vibrate a bit when planted, which I find a bit annoying.

I wish they compressed to a shorter length, but I knew that when I bought them. This would be more of an issue if I wanted to pack them. It's no problem for day hikes, if you plan to use them for the whole hike.

United States on Jul 23, 2022

Pawel: Those are really good hiking poles. The cork handles make them pleasure to hold for day hikes. Those are sturdy and locking mechanism is robust so u can safely assent and descend. I used them on +2K m peaks and those work great on the paths rated as "expert" no komoot app.

Germany on Dec 10, 2021

Amadeus: Used it a few times already. They are quite nice to hold and easy to carry. Before I had some poles for 30€... And the difference is huge. As it should be

Germany on Dec 07, 2021

Richard Palmer: I ordered to replace my old ones after just 1 year of putting them through constant and rigorous use. The things I like best are the Black Diamond poles are the ergonomically angled hand grips, how rigid the poles are and the consistently stable locking mechanism. They're light, durable, dependable and functional. Adjusting the hand straps are a breeze. I like that feature because I hike year round and takes seconds to change the straps from no gloves to gloves quickly and vice versa. My first hike with these poles was 8 miles with no arm fatigue and less knee pain. With my older set of trekking poles my hand and arms who become fatigued around 5 miles. Also with the flicklock system with the poles are more convenient, rigid and stable. They do not flex like my older poles that gives me confidence on difficult terrain. Also with the poles being more rigid it help to relieve the lower leg and knee pressure while hiking. I would highly recommend these to anyone who hikes on a regular basis.

United States on Sep 25, 2021

Cliff: The poles are light weight and nice looking! But the levers for height adjustment are very tight like many other reviewers have mentioned. Not a pleasant experience!! So BD engineers, pls do something about it in your next iteration!!

But these are my second pair as the first pair - one of the poles snapped into half during my usual walk after 2+ years of moderate usage. So they are not very durable that's for sure. However they are very light and nice looking and they serve my purpose.

Singapore on Aug 21, 2021

Giuseppe: il colore è ingannevole, sono arancioni non rossi. A parte questo sono leggeri affidabili e resistenti. 70 euro per dei bastoni credo sia un prezzo alto ma ne vale la pena, considerando che intendo utilizzarli per molto tempo. le maniglie in sughero sono davvero utili per quando sudi. Ho dovuto però abbinare dei tappi per l'utilizzo su strada asfaltata per 14 euro.... la confezione comprende i bastoncini e le rondelle da neve.

Italy on Jul 12, 2021

J. M. Lane: First and foremost, these are closeout poles, last year’s model. Great poles but occasionally there is dud, and I got one.
These poles have many components, and the problem can be isolated to a single part. So if you get a dud, the fix should be simply replace the bad part.

Except - the latest iteration of these poles have different components.

So, after the benefit of my two conversations with Black Diamond (A+ customer service), if there is a problem with these poles, you have to return them to Amazon or go through a longer warranty process with Black Diamond.

My story - I bought these poles about 20 days ago. Immediately noticed that one pole's lower lock was slipping (this pole was getting shorter as the hike progressed). Called Black Diamond customer service. Immediately the agent suspect a defective lower tube and sent me out a lower replacement tube. But that replacement tube is for the current model and doesn't fit my closeout model poles. Called customer service again. Ugh, Black Diamond doesn't have the part to replace. Ugh again -- I need to return to Amazon.

I know these poles - my wife has a set. And, with super tightening of the lock,...

United States on Jan 29, 2020

Matt H.: I bought these poles for wading in the river while fly fishing. You only need 1 (your other hand holds the rod) so getting the pair is like a BOGO deal and you'll have a spare on hand or split the cost with a friend. I have used it about 10 times now & there are many pros and no cons yet.
Pros
- I really like the telescoping option vs folding sections like a tent pole. You can customize the height and easily adjust as needed.
- I have gone down hard a few times on this pole and it stood strong and did not bend.
- I love the rubber grip extension below the cork and use it most of the time. In this case, the pole is actually too tall if I was to grip at the cork. Gripping lower on the rubber reduces the swing weight when walking on trails. It also gives me an extra couple of inches of length when I need to probe deep water.
- I was skeptical of the durability of the plastic Flick Locks & time will tell, but so far they are working great.
- The baskets are just the right size to fit between rocks but not allow the pole to post deep into sand. They also hold tight (so far) which has been a problem with previously owned wading staffs from "leaders" in the fly...

United States on Nov 29, 2019