Real cork vs Cork Tape handles

[Krispy]

I dont see to many fishers with real cork handles on their surf rods.
After putting in several long nights in the surf with wet hands, I managed to rub the skin off the base of my index finger. The constant casting and twisting combined with wet hands softened the skin and it just peeled like an orange.
I think the small diameter of the grip and roughness of the tape may have contributed to this.
Does anyone use real cork on their longer surf rods in the 10-11' range?
Any pros-cons with either.