I kind of blew off trekking poles as unnecessary for a long time. But after a couple of hikes where I just wanted to claw my way up the last mile, they started to make more sense.
The Black Diamond Ergo Cork Trekking Poles are aluminum. I seriously considered the carbon fiber version. I mean, I love carbon fiber. But after some research, I was convinced that the durability and repairability of the aluminum version would make them more versatile, as aluminum tends to bend rather than shatter when stressed. And the weight difference was literally two ounces.
Without much to compare them to, I’d have to say I’m pretty happy with these. They certainly saved me from a couple of slips on my last hike, and were indispensable when hiking across snow.
Still, not that exciting as far as gear goes. You’d think they would at least have lights or something.
