TrailBuddy Gear Aluminum Cork Review

Unfortunately, these poles are disappointing across the board, and they didn't excel in any of our testing metrics.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The TrailBuddy poles have a contoured cork grip with a flat, plastic handle on the top of the pole. The grip didn't fit our hands as well as other poles, and when the trail gets steep, and we want to push down upon the top of the handle, the comfort decreases even further. There is no choking up on the shaft of the pole because the grip length is limited. Overall, these poles are not comfortable. Over time, the cork grip molds slightly to the user's hand shape, but it takes a lot of use, and we don't expect the poles to last that long.

Weight

At 20 ounces (567 grams) per pair, the TrailBuddy is one of the heaviest trekking poles on the market. And you can really feel that weight when swinging the poles forward with each step. They have thick aluminum shafts and bulky locking mechanisms that add weight all the way to the tip. These poles are not suitable for users with lightweight needs, like climbers approaching alpine climbs, mountain runners, through-hikers, or those with sensitive wrists. Over time, we started to dread using these poles because of their weight. Even occasional hikers and walkers should opt for a lighter pole.

Versatility

The TrailBuddy comes with a dazzling array of features, including powder baskets, mud baskets, carbide tips, 2 pairs of rubber tips, and a carrying case. This adds a tremendous amount of versatility for any trail conditions, as long as your activity falls into the basic walking and gentle hiking category. In practice, these poles lack versatility because they are too heavy for climbers, runners, and long-distance hikers, and they are overkill for walkers and gentle hikers. Sure, they can be used for a variety of activities, but other options on the market are much more versatile due to their lighter weight and smaller packed size.

Locking and Adjustability

These poles feature a three-section telescoping design and offer 12 inches (30 centimeters) of length adjustment. This is good, but other poles on the market offer a lot more. The length is set with two lever locks on each pole that secure the shafts into place with a simple snap. The tensions of these locks are easily adjustable by hand. The wrist strap is also adjustable, but the mechanism is finicky and not intuitive.

Packed Size

When fully collapsed, the TrailBuddy Aluminum Cork measures 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) long. This is very large for a packed size, meaning these poles will have a hard time fitting into luggage for air travel, and they certainly won't fit onto the outside of a backpack while hiking. The large packed size also limits versatility. Don't bring these poles if you anticipate putting them onto your pack for sections of easy hiking or for scrambling where you need your hands.

Construction Quality

Generally, aluminum poles are the more durable choice and, in our testing period, we didn't notice any damage to the aluminum shafts. However, the lever locks are plastic, and we broke one lever right out of the box the first time we tried to extend the pole. Levers are used to secure the pole to a fixed length, but they need to be sturdy since they require a lot of force to close when the tension is high enough to prevent the pole from collapsing prematurely during use. In general, even with carbon poles, the lever locks are made of metal, and in this case, we learned why the hard way.

Should You Buy the TrailBuddy Gear Aluminum Cork?

These poles are attractively priced but are heavy, uncomfortable to use, and have poor construction quality that threatens your investment. Indeed, we broke these poles on the first day of use. We don't recommend buying them.

What Other Trekking Poles Should You Consider?

Budget-minded users who like the TrailBuddy poles should check out the Trekology Trek-Z 2.0. These are also heavy, lacking versatility for lightweight activities, but they are built to take a beating and have lasted us for years. If you need a lightweight pole that is also affordable, the Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber Quick Lock has all the bells and whistles you'd ever need in a lightweight package. And if you have a little more money to spend, the Black Diamond Distance Z is the least expensive of the high-end lightweight poles, great for runners, thru-hikers, and alpine climbers. Finally, if you are looking for the best pole that money can buy, the MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon is our overall favorite.