Made from that most desirable of materials, Leki's Carbonlite trekking poles are designed for people that need a lightweight, packable but high performing pole. They extend and lock using a twist system and feature an ergonomic foam grip.
The Carbonlites use a mix of aluminium in the upper section and carbon in the lower two sections. They weigh a measly 408g a pair, compare that to a mid-range fully aluminium pole and you're saving around 150g which might not seem like much but it all adds up both in pack weight and when in use.
The minimum pack size of 63cm makes the poles easy to store both inside or outside a backpack and they extend out in two stages to a length that's perfect for pitching a tarp.
The Speed Lock system is a bit fiddly and takes longer to use than a lever-lock, we also found that you have to really crank the shaft around to fully lock them in position which can be tricky when the poles are wet and muddy.
The ergonomic foam grip is comfortable and manages moisture well as well as being the lightest of the grip materials available, surely helping with the low overall weight of the poles.
The basket supplied with the Carbonlites is fine for dry and slightly boggy ground and they're interchangeable if you need something beefier to deal with snow or deep mud.
There isn't an anti-shock system here, which is no great loss as we've never noticed the difference between poles with and without the system anyway and it saves a bit of weight.
Overall, if you're a gram counter but still want something that's robust enough to stand the test of time then the Leki Carbonlite poles make a compelling argument.
