User Review: Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork

Summary

The Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork trekking poles work very well and are comfortable. They do a great job of helping me keep my balance while carrying large or shifting loads. I would definitely recommend these poles to others.

I had been considering getting a set of trekking poles for a couple of years, and when I found this set for less than $50, I decided it was finally time. I purchased them at the beginning of January, 2012, and here I am nearly three months later, and I've only had a chance to use them a couple of times. Thus, only 4 stars for now, due to the unknown longevity factor.  If they prove to be durable through the summer, I will definitely up the rating.

Immediately I could tell a difference between the quality of these poles and the quality of other trekking poles I've looked at in stores. Everything from the tips to the baskets to the locking mechanisms to the grips and wrist straps seemed much better quality on these Black Diamond poles.

I used these poles most recently on a hike with my three kids (all under age 5) and my wife. I carried our 2.5-year-old son in a Kelty backpack child carrier, and my wife carried our 5-month-old son in a front-pack carrier.  I gave her one of the poles to help her maintain balance over the uneven, narrow singletrack trail.  The flicklock mechanism works very well and made it easy to dial in the right length for each pole. After we finished our relatively short hike (probably only about 2.5 miles roundtrip), my wife wanted to get herself a pair of these poles.

The added stability a set of high-quality trekking poles like these provides while carrying a 35 pound pack of shifting child is very noticeable and comforting.