We have been long-time fans of Leki race poles, having owned only a few pairs over several decades since they hold up so well to our abuse eash season.  Nasty crashes, hundreds of hours buried in cartop cargo boxes under piles of skis over rough terrain, bullet-proof ice chipping, impromptu use as seating across branches in the woods, pole-sword fights, popping buddies' bindings in liftlines, snowball batting practice, bashing brush and branches out of the way while whipping through the woods, lending people a pole to climb up off the ground or out of a hole, wacking piles of ice and snow off roof ledges and Samurai-slicing icicles and tons of other activities really test a pole's material quality and construction.  When Leki offered to have us review their latest adjustable-height, collapsable carbon-alloy pole, we jumped at the chance.

To be honest, some of us had tried collapsable, adjustable poles in the past from other companies, and usually came away disappointed because of weak or sloppy section joints, eventually-saggy shock-cord designs, heavy or unballanced feel and other problems.  The Leki Tourstick Vario Carbon poles we tested went through nearly a full season of skiing, then a spring and summer of hiking around New England's rocks and roots.  The poles held up perfectly and worked great, being balanced, lightweight and easily broken down to three little sections easily strapped to a daypack and quickly reassembled when needed.

We loved these poles, but at $199 retail, they don't come cheap.. Based on our decades of experience with Leki's poles, you might not need another pair of poles for years if you pay a little more up-front, and buy products you can count on.  Great design, great quality.

Check out the Leki Tourstick Vario Carbon poles review HERE.