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Leki are still the market leaders in trekking poles, there are lighter alternatives but there always seem to be compromises, which Leki doesn’t do. So, the SkySolo FX.One Carbon are definitely in the ultralight class just not the lightest, but what you get is a superb pair of poles with no compromises that I could find compared to much heavier brethren.

The bit that impressed me most was the lever mechanism used to release the poles for folding up – the time honoured method of doing this is to have a hole in the shaft and a sprung button inside it. These are open to the elements and are notorious for getting stuck so they either won’t deploy or won’t release. Leki’s solution to this is elegant and works, releasing the pole is easy, and the unit protects the mechanism from getting clogged or corroded. Time will tell how well this will work but it looks to me like a leap forward.

I like the foam grip which extends down the shaft for pulling yourself up steep terrain, the webbing hand loops are wide, comfortable and easy to adjust, once adjusted they are tough to move.

They feel strong and robust and survived everything I threw at them – I’m rough on poles. I usually trek at altitude where grass gives way to rocky terrain where poles get jammed, over-flexed, and scraped to within an inch of their lives. They are currently looking weather beaten but are functionally perfect.

 The SkySolo FX.One Carbon are fixed length so you need to buy your size.

Mark Richardson
Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. Read more from Mark Richardson