Pros and Cons of Cork Trekking Pole Grips

[Jack H.]

Well? What do you think?

I've got about 20 days on my new pair of BD Alpine Carbon Corks. Not much. I tend to abuse my gear and I've been surprised with the lack of durability of cork grips. It's obvious now that I own them. Cork? Of course it's not durable! My specific circumstances include: I tend to chuck my poles down cliffs of fifteen or so feet when I have to downclimb. And I'm traveling in Asia. They're strapped to the outside of my pack and the grips are getting chunks ripped out of them. I'll be covering the grips as I continue to travel, but they're still going to have pieces lost in everyday hiking.

Pros:
– natural material is more biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
– elite status

Cons:
– durability
– price
– I've heard that cork isn't sustainably harvested.

In use, I've found no distinct advantages. What are they supposed to be better for? When you have sweaty hands? I didn't feel any difference.

[Rog Tallbloke]

Old fishing rod handles seem pretty durable, better grade of cork maybe? It is sustainably harvested in southern spain. They take the cork bark off the oaks every 20 years or so.

[Jack H.]

Just did a search on the sustainability of cork. Seems like an eco-friendly choice.

[Jack H.]

No comments. What gives? Has this been talked about a lot or do most people have no experience with them?

[Rog Tallbloke]

What's up Jack, you lonely out there? :-)

Cork grips are made by mashing the cork bark and gluing the bits back together. I guess the durability is down to glue quality. The advantage is supposed to be less sweatiness, but again, it's going to depend on how they are finished. Good grips would have the surface sanded to remove any glue from the surface, leaving the pores to breathe.

[Ryan Linn]

Maybe it has something to do with the brand. My leki's have cork grips and have been through the entire AT, some sections more than once, and on just about every day hike and backpacking trip I've been on in the past two years, including some gnarly bushwhacking in winter through spruce/fir thickets, and there's not a hint of wear on the cork grips. They're a little darker than original due to soaking up a lot of sweat, I think, but otherwise unscathed.

[William Puckett]

Ditto my experience with Leki cork grips. I have a well-used pair of 6+ year old Leki Ti poles with cork grips that show zero wear after many, many hikes. The wrist straps are showing some fuzz around the edges, but the grips are still solid.

I can't speak to Black Diamond or other brands with cork grips since I have no experience there.

I like the cork material slightly more than the older Leki smooth rubber grips, but the newest Leki rubber/foam grips are functionally as good as the cork composite grips even though the plastic end cap is showing scratches.

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