I'm going to have to break down and acquire some and thinking the Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork to be the best fit for my needs and budget.

It seems that aluminum will be the best choice under the wide array of circumstances that go along with long term outdoor living. Are the smaller bits of hardware on the ones I mentioned reasonably robust?

I was originally planning to go with some REI ones but read reviews indicative of locks that tend to flake on folks.

These are $85 at Amazon, but I'm willing to bump that up a little if it's significantly worth it. Are there any cheaper ones that are legit just as good or better?

I may not have the ability to replace them immediately if I run into failures so I'd be very interested in any experienced opinions.