Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Review

These poles perform well across the board, only coming up short for their packed size and weight. In the era of Z-style, collapsable, thin carbon poles, these stand out for their strength and durability.

Comfort

The Alpine Carbon Cork uses a cork handle that molds to the user's hands over time. It is minimally contoured out of the box, but still provides immediate comfort that only improves with use. Cork is our favorite grip material for trekking poles for just these reasons. In addition, the thick carbon fiber shafts absorb impacts with solid rock, and there is a foam grip extension below the main grip that is useful for climbing steep hills or for crossing unstable slopes. The wrist straps are wide and comfortable and are even labeled with right and left hand-specific lettering for better wrist comfort.

Weight

At 17.0 ounces per pair, the Carbon Cork weighs in around the middle of the pack. Carbon shaft sections help save weight compared to aluminum construction, but the metal level locks and a cork grip add weight. Over the course of our testing period, we appreciated these touches. As a result, these poles scored higher than many lighter poles in comfort and durability. In the trekking pole field, durability and comfort are generally increased by adding weight. These poles won't weigh you down, but they aren't the lightest option out there.

Versatility

The Alpine Carbon Cork is a relatively versatile pole. We have used it for day hikes, 100-mile treks, rocky alpine approaches, and pitching our tarp tent in the evening. It can also be used for backcountry skiing or splitboarding in a pinch. For climbers and technical scramblers, we recommend foldable poles that are lighter and that collapse smaller. These poles are compatible with rubber tips for better traction and to leave no trace on desert sandstone. They are also compatible with BD's trekking pole snow baskets. Both the rubber tips and snow baskets are sold separately.

Locking and Adjustability

The Alpine Carbon Cork uses Black Diamond's excellent FlickLock Pro mechanism, which is entirely metal. In our experience, this mechanism is one of the most robust and secure on the market. It closes with a satisfying snap and holds the pole sections in place without fail. The only downside is that the tightness of the lever locks can only be adjusted with a very small Allen key. This makes on-trail adjustments impossible unless you have the tool, which BD includes with purchase. The tool is small and unnoticeable, which keeps it lightweight, but also makes it easy to lose.

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Packed Size

The Alpine Carbon Cork packs down to 24 inches, which is about average in our test, and slightly better than average compared to other three-section telescoping poles. The smallest packing poles in our review feature a Z-design that packs down to around 15 inches long. The packed size of the Carbon Cork isn't a problem for most hikers and backpackers, but if you plan on stowing the poles in a backpack for a technical climb, another choice might be better suited to the task.

Construction Quality

These poles are some of the strongest in our review, despite their carbon construction. Thick shafts and metal lever locks, along with a sturdy grip design, make for impressive durability. Over the course of our heavy-duty testing, we weren't able to break or tweak these poles in the slightest. Of course, carbon chips easier than aluminum, so if you deliberately smack them against rocks, they'll wear out quickly. That said, we stuck them in between talus boulders and pulled back and forth, and couldn't get these poles to fail. They are even durable enough to be used for long-duration, heavy-duty trekking to remote regions of the earth. We believe in them that much.

Should You Buy the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork?

These poles are pricey compared to most options, but they also perform well in all of our performance metrics. We love them, and if you hike every week, we think they are worth the price. However, if you only use trekking poles a couple days a year, you can get away with a much less expensive alternative.

What Other Trekking Poles Should You Condsider?

The MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon is our all-around favorite trekking pole, providing slightly less durability, but more packability. If you want to save some money, the Black Diamond Pursuit performs well across the board, and is a lot more affordable. If you don't care about all the bells and whistles, and want the lightest trekking pole on the market, the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z is for you. And if you only use trekking poles a few times per year, the Trekology Trek-Z 2.0 is the best value out there.