Black Diamond Alpine Ergo Cork Poles (pair)

2020-04-02T20:00:00

I received my poles a few days before the world ended. They came quickly, in great shape, etc. They are very helpful in aiding my propulsion around my 800 sf apartment. I've got my FKT getting from my living room to my bathroom cut down by 40% using a "double poling" technique! I also have a flight of about 8 steps up/down, so I've really enjoyed the quick and easy adustabilty - I lengthen the poles about 5cm when I'm going to the mailbox, then, on the way back up, it's equally easy to shorten the poles a bit. I find the ergonomic handles have greatlty decreased fatigue on the treks. Seriously though? I'll let ya' know - stay well!

WoodyBR549

Originally posted at

2019-12-17T19:00:00

My spouse and I spent a considerable amount of time researching trekking poles on line. Then we went to Cobelas and REI to check them out. The Black Diamond Alpine Ergo fit us the best. After using them we think they are excellent. The straps are very comfortable and provide excellent support. The ergo cork handles set your hands in the right positions to help push you forward. Great product.

KandD

Originally posted at

2019-09-27T20:00:00

solid and very comfortable, I recommend the product

Chuck

Originally posted at

2018-11-18T19:00:00

Trekking Poles are being used rather than canes after back surgery. It enables you to stand straight were canes cause you to bend forward. I love my trekking poles. Black Diamond Trekking Poles are a much better quality, giving me stability. I highly recommend them. I use this product every time I walk.

Dee C.

Originally posted at

2018-09-06T16:43:23

I thought that I had ordered another model of the Ergo Cork which had a more robust "clamp" system for adjusting and tightening the lower pole inside the upper pole. However everything worked well with no problems. I liked the cork grip and would purchase again.

James H.

2018-06-15T20:00:00

I’ve had these poles for more than a year, they replaced a ten year old pair of Black Diamond aluminum poles that are still in good shape after much hard use. I just wanted a lighter pair. I use these poles three or four times a week for day hiking and backpacking on the mountain trails of Western North Carolina where we live and in the Rockies of Colorado and the Tetons of Wyoming. I have found them to be light weight, comfortable to grip and the locking mechanism to be very secure and easy to adjust. I frequently adjust the pole length on the fly, depending on whether I’m going up or down and how steep it is. I’m 77 years old and have been hiking on my own feet since I was four years old, tens of thousands of miles and all over the world. I just hiked several days in Corsica two weeks ago. These are the best poles I’ve ever owned. They show almost no signs of wear after more than a thousand miles of hiking, much of it in very steep, rugged terrain. My knees and hips particularly appreciate them going downhill and I can put my full weight on them with confidence in steep and difficult situations. I’m 6’2” and 190 lbs. and still hiking very steep and rocky and often slippery trails that would be impossible for me without very reliable poles. These poles are one of the best hiking purchases I’ve ever made.

Jack

Originally posted at

2018-02-27T19:00:00

First off, these seem like nice poles, well made with a seemingly solid locking mechanism. I can't speak to field use as I am returning them to BD. My disappointment is with BD customer service. I read the reviews, in particular, the review by Legolf27 concerning the flicklocks with the poles fully collapsed. Short collapsed length is important for my use, so I called BD Customer Service before purchasing and was assured that all BD hiking poles lock solidly when fully collapsed, and that there was no way the bottom flicklock would open allowing the bottom section of the pole to drop. That information, unfortunately, turned out to be incorrect. Legolf27 is correct: when fully collapsed the flicklock has no grip on the bottom section of the pole. Furthermore, without tension on the flicklock the locking lever "hovers" ~1/4" above the lock, and it takes minimal effort to flick the lever open. A light tap on the pole will do it. The bottom section of the poles I purchased needed to be extended to an overall length of ~30" before I felt the bottom flicklock locked solidly in place when closed. Something to keep in mind if collapsed length matters to you.

Henrik

Originally posted at

2017-11-19T19:00:00

I absolutely loved these poles. Unfortunately, someone else loved them just as much and absconded with them while I slept at a shelter in Maryland on the Appalachian Trail. I could really feel the difference as I hiked back to our base camp without them. Hopefully, I'll pick up another pair someday. If I do, I'll keep a closer eye on them!

techvswild

Originally posted at

2017-09-23T20:00:00

Extended and in use, I give these poles a easy 5 stars. They are a little heavier than than the all-carbon Leki that my wife uses, but these Black Diamonds feel so much more robust. I have full confidence that on loose downhill surfaces, if I need to put all of my weight on a pole, it is going to hold (whereas the Leki flexes alarmingly and the clasps may not hold either. The cork grips Seem rough at first (compared to foam), but the amount of non-slip grip in sweaty hands is again really appreciated in rough going. The negative points concern the collapsed carry. 1. The upper and middle sections have an L - shaped slot at the lower end (presumably to aid assembly/fixation of the clasps (?)). When collapsed, the clasp of the upper section secures around the slot of the middle section, making alarming creaking noises (alarming to me. From my time manufacturing and repairing golf clubs with carbon-graphite shafts, these noises do not bode well for longevity of the shaft!!!). Therefore, I find myself obliged to clasp the section at least 1 centimetre from the slot to avoid stress on that point of the shaft. 2. The lower section is very tapered towards the tip. Meaning that the mid-section clasp does not grip at all when the pole is collapsed. Indeed, the lower section free-falls about 1cm before friction (as the diameter increases) stops it. WORSE - because there is no tension on the clasp, the slightest tug (from abag strap, from passing branch/brush) will open it. Letting the lower section free-fall fully out of the pole to the ground. See the review from ‘Colton’ above for proof!!! The only answer is to pull the lower section out by 4-5cm until the diameter is sufficient to ensure tension on the clasp when closed (i.e. increases resistance to opening). Therefore, due to the two points noted above, the effective ‘safe’ collapsed length of the pole is about 74cm, not the 69cm quoted on the BD spec page. In view of the great performance of these poles (and the collapsed length being a lesser factor for me), I have geven them an overall 4 stars. However, if carry length is critical to you, you may may to carefully consider before purchase. And it is rather disappointing to find such ‘design faults’ in top of the range poles from a top of the range manufacturer.

Legolf27

Originally posted at

2017-06-21T20:00:00

I bought the 2016 version of this pole and must say, Black Diamond got it right.I am a novice hiker that is ready to tackle longer and tougher trails. After car camping growing up and day hiking a lot of Europe, I am ready to discover the wild trails of the USA. I used some anti-shock poles for awhile because the salesman had a good line. They were cheap, in cost and quality. On the advice of an experienced hiker and friend, I bit the bullet and drop some serious money on the Black Diamond poles. There are only a few pieces of gear I like better than these poles. My days on the Bertram Trail and the Appalachian Trail showed me just how good they were. The nearly adjust on the fly capability allowed me to lengthen them slightly on the climbs while shortening them on the descents. Even with the all adjusting, the locking mechanism held solid throughout my hike. If I didn't set the pole correctly, the support straps kept the pole close at hand. When it was break time, the straps allowed my hands to slide free with the greatest of ease. The cork handles molded quickly and easily to my hands. Rain or shine, I never had a problem with the grip. It felt natural, with no stress on the wrists. The trails were both dirt/muddy and rocky. For the dirt, having the tips uncapped allowed the pole to achieve maximum grip with minimal effort. For the rockier sections, I used the rubber tips. Without them, any pole would slip but with them, these poles gripped firmly each and every time I set them down. I feel that the anti-shock feature of the other poles gave too much of an artificial feel, where the Black Diamond Alpine Ergo Cork Trekking Poles felt solid in their grip. My friend has used his poles on the AT, Philmont, and sections of the PCT, all without question to their solid construction and durability. I looked at his poles, after over a thousand miles of use and they look great.Mine are just being broken in but I can attest to their quality. Not only are they great on the trail, but in camp they serve as the perfect pole for my rainfly. We were expecting rain and the temps were still over 80. Opening up the fly offered great ventilation while still getting the most protection from the rain. When they are not needed, they fit perfectly on the side of my pack, while adding just a little more than a pound.

GeePaw

Originally posted at

2013-11-19T19:00:00

I paid for 2 day shipping because I needed them for the weekend and they arrived ontime.

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