This summer time, I used to be contacted to overview the Leki Black Sequence FX Carbon mountaineering/trekking poles. Preliminary ideas had been my present poles are simply tremendous, however aren’t the perfect when having to journey locations, as they continue to be about 20″ lengthy. This doesn’t do effectively in overhead storage on a aircraft, nor am I prepared to examine my mountaineering bag if I’m doing a brief journey. Fortunately, Leki’s folding pole system is compact sufficient to carry nearly wherever.
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[Say it in Forrest Gump’s voice] I heard you want poles. Climbing poles, fishing poles, pole saws….
Firm Information – LEKI
After World Warfare II, Leki’s founder, Karl Lenhart crafted elements for snowboarding poles to exchange authentic elements he was dissatisfied with. Within the southern portion or German, Lenhart’s Dettingen services for making picket letters for numerous functions additionally crafted aluminum pole supplies from his expertise realized in the course of the battle. Leki had many firsts, together with fiberglass shafts in 1960, 7075 Aluminum shafts in 1963, and the primary adjustable trekking poles in 1974 to say the least.
Whereas Mr. Lenhart handed away in 2012, his firm continues in innovating within the snowboarding and trekking worlds with numerous developments and enhancements. You possibly can learn extra about Leki’s groundbreaking designs right here. Leki’s firm philosophy contains six core values for his or her work tradition and merchandise:
ABOUT LEKI
LEKI’s DNA is made up of many faces, tales and values. For many years, LEKI has been constructed on the six core values that may proceed to information us into the longer term. Enthusiasm, innovation, high quality, partnership, excellence and accountability characterize LEKI and our workers, companions and athletes. For every worth, we’ve chosen a consultant who embodies that worth and who thus additionally embodies what LEKI stands for.
You possibly can Discover Leki on-line on the following websites and social media platforms:
The Leki Black Sequence FX Carbon Trekking poles had been launched in 2019 as their flagship line, coming in at 228g per pole. Black Sequence FX Carbon Trekking poles fold down to fifteen.5 to 16 inches as soon as totally collapsed. That is of nice comfort for many who are touring with trekking poles on an airplane, or wherever else the place the poles should be stowed earlier than use.
With a 16mm telescopic shaft, and 14mm connecting shafts, the diameter of those poles are capable of deal with masses and stresses in several instructions as a result of layup / weave geometry of the carbon.
These poles prolong out to 130cm (full distance) has a full size of 51″; prolonged to 110cm (minimal distance) is roughly 42.5″. I’m 66″ tall, and use the poles at 117cm, so I’m near what Leki’s Pole Size Advisor recommends. Totally prolonged to 130cm, the advisor recommends a 185cm / 73″ max top.
Cork grips on the poles are roughly 30-33mm in diameter, with consideration to ergonomic options. When going uphill, the 22mm thick foam handles give one other 175mm of soppy hand holding space.
Locking strap is a light-weight, sweat wicking materials that’s going to largely go with none curiosity as a result of it seamlessly capabilities effectively at what it does.
Leki experiences the Aergon Air topside grip space is lighter than their earlier fashions whereas additionally offering rubber overmolding. It does present consolation when going downhill in addition to offering a further hand holding place with further grip. Aergon Air:
SL2+ Core Locking System has a cam grip of 55kg, rated larger than most trekking pole locks. The camming motion is easy and lack issue in manipulating.
Lastly, the Common Carbide Flextip on Leki’s poles have the choices for a lot of basket or tip varieties to fit your mountaineering wants. You possibly can see an inventory of accessible elements on Leki’s Equipment web page.
Observations – Weight, Value, Sturdiness – How Many Can I select?
Leki’s poles have energy, reliability, and one of the vital well-known names within the enterprise behind these flagship poles. With all my may, I couldn’t trigger the poles to deflect greater than 30mm by tweaking the deal with with the carbide tip planted into the soil. I’m unsure I may break these carbon poles until there was a extreme accident or flat out stupidity.
Fortunately, within the uncommon probability you must have replacements or repairs from accidents, Leki’s carbon poles carry a one 12 months guarantee.
Guarantee Protection on TREKKING Poles
Query: What does LEKI USA’s Trekking Pole guarantee cowl?
Reply: There’s a one 12 months guarantee on our Carbon Shaft Trekking poles and a lifetime guarantee on Aluminum Shaft Trekking poles. The guarantee covers shaft breakage solely.Query: What shouldn’t be coated underneath the LEKI USA Guarantee for Trekking Poles?
Reply:
- It doesn’t cowl bent aluminum poles, as they are often straightened in a vise with out compromising the integrity of the pole.
- It doesn’t cowl regular put on and tear.
- It doesn’t cowl misplaced straps, misplaced sections, or another misplaced elements.
- It doesn’t cowl chewed straps or grips by animals or different dwelling beings.
- It doesn’t cowl damaged straps, damaged or worn ideas, worn grips, expanders, sleeves or lacking baskets.
LEKI USA Buyer Service reserves the appropriate to restrict the quantity of Return Authorizations assigned per buyer over any given time period. A clients declare(s) can be scrutinized primarily based on fee of recurrence.
Because of the building methodology of those poles having the corded folding perform contained in the carbon rods, they swing in another way than a pole the place middle of stability is larger. The distributed weight does stability out the 228g, and made me really feel I may swing the poles a little bit sooner than a lighter pair, however with minimally extra effort.
I spent 11 mountaineering days and 140 miles with these poles, and had no problems, nor can I think about how they’ll or could trigger issues sooner or later. One of many coolest options of the Black Sequence FX Carbon Trekking Pole was the compact basket with a clip-in space to maintain the poles from flopping round as soon as folded!
My solely complication was initially determining the locking mechanism the place the poles should me totally prolonged previous the inexperienced ” stopping level” printed on the pole shaft. Sometimes after I see one thing that tells me to cease, I cease beforehand. That is solely as a result of I didn’t RTFM, and figured it out shortly as soon as seeing a buddy manipulate his folding pole. (No, cease considering like that.)
With a MSRP of $259.95 for 2 poles, there are opponents which can be biting at Leki’s heels. A price ticket of almost $130 a pole is nothing to scoff about, however these are doubtless the final poles you’ll ever want to purchase. Solely you’ll be able to reply whether or not it is a “Purchase as soon as. Cry as soon as.” valuation.
With zero problems in my temporary expertise with these poles and discovering no main weak factors of their design, I could make a assured assertion that these poles can be good for anybody who wants a trekking pole that may be positioned in a compact space with little concern for sturdiness or reliability.
3.25 of 4 stars.
Comparability
There are two massive names within the trekking pole trade, Leki and Black Diamond. I perused REI, Moosejaw and Amazon, discovering the Alpine Carbon Cork WR trekking poles being the closest comparability. These poles much like Leki’s, MSRP for $219.99, and weigh 250g ea.
I as soon as bought some Wal-Mart poles for a buddy who was making an attempt to find out whether or not they had been stepping into mountaineering. The Ozark Path Light-weight Carbon Fiber Adjustable Fast Lock Trekking Poles with Cork Grip – 2 Pack are $39.99, and allegedly weigh 221g (precise = 260g and 254g). In the event you’re on a finances and don’t need to take into account a pair of Leki’s, these are an choice. At worst, you’ll be able to return them, no?
Lastly, a pair of poles which have almost 2000mi on them, however are telescopic aluminum poles with little help for restore elements within the US are the Fizan Compact 3’s, which I’ve reviewed right here up to now.
As Per Leki’s website:
- Half#: 65229001
- MSRP: $259.99
- Sequence Unisex
- Development Folding|CLD|Adjustable
- Grip Aergon Air Cork
- Strap Lock Safety Strap Pores and skin 4.0
- Segments 4-pieces
- Shaft Diameter 16|14|14|14 mm
- Higher part Carbon (PRC 1000)
- Decrease part Carbon (PRC 1000)
- Locking System Pace Lock 2 plus
- Basket Trekking 2.0
- Tip Carbide Flex Tip
- Size/Measurement 110 – 130 cm
- Weight/Pole 228 g/per pole
- Pack Measurement 40 cm
The opinions expressed above are completely from the creator and weren’t topic to overview by LEKI USA, or any exterior entity.
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