LEKI Legacy Lite Trekking Poles Overview

Backside Line

The Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles make an excellent, no-frills choice for freshmen and people on a tighter price range. We love that these poles are listed at a extra affordable worth level and have air vents within the handles. Their sturdiness and adjustability are pretty good, with a lot of the remainder of their options being commonplace for a trekking pole. Whereas utilizing the Legacy Lite poles on day hikes round Durango, Colorado, we discovered that they get the job carried out.

Some trade-offs to think about embrace an extended collapsed size, which is much less perfect in case you are stowing them continuously, and a comfortable decrease shaft that requires extra effort to increase. Each cons have been noticeable on our day hikes, however wouldn’t cease us from shopping for these poles to be used on the typical journey. See how they evaluate to our different favorites in our finest trekking poles gear information.

How We Examined

We examined the Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles on the paths of southwestern Colorado. We primarily used these poles on wider, well-graded, dry trails for day climbing. When on pavement or in transition areas, we carried the poles in a pack till we reached sections with trails.

Sturdiness

The Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles have a big quantity of bend, even for an aluminum pole. We carried out a number of sturdiness exams as a part of our quantitative testing course of. These exams included leaning on the pole with our full physique weight, dropping the pole straight onto a rock, banging them collectively, and throwing them like a javelin onto a tough floor. They carried out effectively for the take a look at the place we clacked them collectively in addition to within the javelin throw. Once we dropped them on a rock, there was some beauty harm, however nothing that may cease them from performing within the backcountry. Through the lean take a look at, these poles had vital bend and didn’t really feel almost as sturdy as a few of the different poles now we have examined. It’s regular for aluminum to bend to an extent, however these felt like they may have been broken pretty simply with sufficient pressure.

That mentioned, we didn’t discover something of concern after we used these on native day hikes. We additionally admire that the flick locks really feel comparatively sturdy and the cork on the handles is thick. We’d nonetheless use these poles on most journeys, however would take into account one thing sturdier in situations the place falls are extra probably, resembling very rocky terrain with a heavy pack.

Weight

In comparison with different aluminum poles, the Leki Legacy Lite poles are about common however a bit heavy total. To check weight, we positioned every pole in our lineup on a kitchen scale. Once we did this with the Legacy Lite mannequin, a single pole weighed in at 9 ounces even (for the bigger dimension of 100 to 135 centimeters), which was barely increased than Leki’s claimed 8.85 ounces. This landed it smack in the midst of all of the aluminum fashions we examined. Aluminum is heavier than carbon fiber, as is the telescoping and flick-lock design, so it comes as no shock that the Legacy Lite ranks in the direction of the underside total for weight. One be aware we wish to make is

Within the subject, we didn’t discover the load to be all that noticeable. When utilizing the pole to stroll up and down hills, it felt fairly just like different aluminum fashions now we have used. We didn’t discover any undue fatigue, and so they have been simple to hold in our fingers when not in use. General, those that are extraordinarily targeted on weight could wish to search for a lighter choice, however this pole’s weight is okay for the typical consumer.

Consolation

We actually like that the Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles have additional air flow holes within the deal with, however we want that the wrist straps had some extra padding. When evaluating consolation, we created a guidelines of options that make a trekking pole extra snug to make use of. When poles have these options, they obtain a degree. We additionally take away factors for options that detract from consolation. Within the case of the Legacy Lite poles, we awarded factors for cork handles, a well-sized grip, and an ergonomic grip design. We gave bonus factors for the distinctive air flow holes within the handles of those poles, which now we have but to see in one other mannequin. Nonetheless, these poles missed out on factors for wrist strap padding, which is only a skinny strap on this mannequin.

We have been initially hesitant about whether or not we want the cork grip on the Legacy Lite pole, which has nearly a rubbery texture, not like different cork grips now we have examined. Nonetheless, we didn’t discover any distinction in desire after we used these poles whereas climbing a path close to Junction Creek in Durango, Colorado. These poles felt nice sufficient to earn one of many high scores in our consolation class.

Ease of Use

The telescoping design is straightforward to make use of, however we discovered the decrease shaft of the Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles to be fairly cosy, making it tough to increase. To check for ease of use, we timed how lengthy it took to arrange a completely collapsed pole for climbing.

Unsurprisingly, the Legacy Lite poles had one of many longest occasions, coming in at 13 seconds. This is because of two completely different points that we additionally observed when utilizing these poles on native hikes. The primary is that the decrease shaft of the pole has numerous resistance when being prolonged, requiring extra effort than most different poles. This was true for each poles, even after we loosened the flick lock mechanism.

The second challenge was the dearth of measurement marks on the decrease shaft. Once we used these poles, we solely wanted a little bit of top from the decrease shaft; the primary marker was above that, at 100 centimeters. This resulted in both needing to guestimate how a lot to increase the pole or to increase it, place it on the bottom to regulate, then shut the pole. Whereas this isn’t the tip of the world, it’s annoying and tiresome to do each time. The excellent news is that we discovered all of the flick locks simple to make use of, and we might not take into account these flaws a deal breaker, as long as the poles in any other case meet your wants.

Packability

The Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles have one of many longest packed lengths in our lineup, which is about what we might anticipate for a telescoping design. To check for packability, we collapsed every pole and measured its size from the tip to the highest of the pole. We additionally thought of the pole’s width at its widest part. Once we did this with the Legacy Lite poles, they measured 26 inches lengthy.

Telescoping poles don’t often pack down in addition to folding poles because of the approach the shafts nest, and this was evident in our testing outcomes as effectively. That mentioned, the measured size of the Legacy Lite poles was nonetheless a number of inches longer than our high telescoping mannequin. For the typical day hiker, this probably received’t make a big distinction, however it’s evident when carrying poles on a regular basis. For instance, we carried these poles in a principally empty day pack whereas road-walking a bit of a hike, and so they caught out of the pack. This may not have been the case with most of the high performers for this class.

Options

There are just a few primary options and add-ons that include the Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles, however nothing that’s exceptionally distinctive or notable. We awarded one level for every characteristic that the poles in our lineup included, and used these factors to match completely different fashions. Once we evaluated the Legacy Lite poles, we famous that they arrive with one set of summer season baskets, wrist straps, some adjustability options for the flick locks, and the power to exchange the carbide ideas. That is about what we might anticipate a trekking pole to incorporate, which is a part of why these poles obtained a median rating.

For day hikes and backpacking journeys, these options are adequate, and we didn’t have any complaints within the subject. They received the job carried out after we used them in Colorado, however didn’t present a lot alternative for versatility or to face out from the group.

Ought to You Purchase The LEKI Legacy Lite Trekking Poles?

The Leki Legacy Lite Trekking Poles do all the fundamental issues that we might anticipate a climbing stick to perform, and so they have a comparatively affordable price ticket. With that in thoughts, we might advocate these poles for newbie hikers, budget-conscious hikers, or anybody who doesn’t need any frills.

Alternatively, these searching for a distinct segment trekking pole for fastpacking, a really sturdy pole for off-trail climbing, or a extra versatile choice for snowsports could be higher off contemplating a unique choice. 

What Different Trekking Poles Ought to You Contemplate?

If the Leki Legacy Lite poles aren’t precisely what you’re searching for, take into account some others from our trekking poles gear information.

MSR Dynalock Discover Overview: One other aluminum, telescoping trekking pole, we just like the MSR Dynalock Discover for lots of the identical causes because the Leki Legacy Lite. We discovered them to be a bit simpler to make use of and to have a shorter collapsed size.

Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber Fast Lock Overview: Made with carbon fiber, the Cascade Mountain Tech poles are surprisingly robust and include a plethora of options. One of the best half? They’re extraordinarily reasonably priced.

Trekology Trek-Z 2.0 Overview: One other price range choice, the Trekology Trek-Z 2.0 poles even have extra bells and whistles than the Leki Legacy Lite poles at a lower cost level. There’s a tradeoff between sturdiness and packability that will go well with some customers higher.