Leki Skytera FX Carbon SL Trekking Poles are folding four-section carbon fiber trekking poles that are adjustable in height and weigh 6.3 oz each. Designed for trail running, fastpacking, and mountaineering, they have extended foam hand grips, lightweight and adjustable wrist straps, micro pole baskets, and carbide flex tips. The top segment of each pole is adjustable in length, making these poles compatible with some trekking pole tents and tarps (but not all), a must-have for many thru-hikers and multi-day backpackers.

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• Gender: Unisex
• Weight: 6.3 oz / 180g each
• Shafts: Carbon Fiber
• Packed Length: 15 and 3/4 inches / 40 cm
• Length: 110 cm – 130 cm (smaller size also available)
• Carbide Tips: Yes
• Trekking Baskets: Yes
• Snow Baskets: Sold separately
• Rubber Tips: Sold separately
• Pros: Ultralight carbon fiber, adjustable lever lock, folding
• Cons: The internal locking mechanism is a single point of failure, rubber tips and snow baskets are not included

Folding adjustable trekking poles are very convenient if you have to travel because they’re easier to pack in your luggage. When folded, the longest section of these poles is 15 and 3/4 inches and should fit in most luggage bags. They’re also easier to strap to the side of a backpack or even inside it if you don’t need them all the time.

Made with carbon fiber, the Skytera poles weigh 6.3 oz each

Leki’s Skytera FX Carbon SL trekking poles are sturdy, well-made trekking poles suitable for hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering. While they cost more than the less expensive folding trekking poles you can get on Amazon, the quality of their manufacture is apparent as soon as you pick them up and start walking with them. They are very lightweight, just 6.3 oz each, but they have a very solid feel; they’re stiff and bear weight well. Hiking with them feels very natural, and it’s easy to maintain a good cadence when walking with them.

The length of the upper section is adjustable using an external lever lock.

The Skytera FXs have contoured grips that are made with EVA foam and are moderately sized, making them suitable for a wide range of hand sizes. The handles thicken at the bottom of the grip to prevent the heel of your hand from slipping off the bottom. The foam extends down further below the grip, so you can slide your hands down the shaft when climbing hills without breaking your stride. The wrist strap is an unpadded webbing strap but is still comfortable and easy to adjust, while the rounded top of the grip provides a comfortable pommel to put your palm on, increasing stability when descending a slope.

The foam handles are moderately sized and will fit a wide range of hand sizes.

.When you want to extend the poles, you insert the tip and bottom section into the middle, and the middle into the upper. Next, you pull the upper section up until it clicks, and all the sections are locked together. To adjust the length, you release the top lever lock and slide the upper section down to the desired height marked in centimeters, closing the lever lock at the desired length. To collapse the poles, you reverse that process by undoing the lever lock and pulling the pole up until the internal locking mechanism releases. After that, you can pull the lower sections apart and collapse the pole.

An internal locking mechanism is used to secure the sections together. The lever lock above it is then used to adjust the overall pole length.

It’s important to point out that the internal locking mechanism is a single point of failure should it wear out or be compromised by dirt or sand. To prevent this, I’d encourage you to wipe down the upper section of the poles after use so no dirt is carried into the internal locking mechanism. Being a closed component, if that locking mechanism jams up, your only option will be to send it to Leki for repair (and then you’ll be up the creek without a pole.) The majority of trekking poles sold today don’t use internal locks for this reason:  external self-adjusting lever locks are much more reliable and easier to repair.

Trekking Pole Comparison

Assessment

Leki’s Skytera FX Carbon SL trekking poles are ultralight carbon fiber trekking poles with contoured foam grips that fold for easy storage. However, the poles rely on an internal locking mechanism, which is not field-repairable if it fails. While I haven’t managed to gum up that internal lock yet, its very existence gives me pause in recommending these poles. There are other ways to lock folding poles that are simpler and less prone to failure…for example, the pin locks on Black Diamond’s Distance FLZ folding poles.

With a maximum length of 130 cm, the Skytera FX poles are also not long enough to support many trekking pole tents and mids – a pole length of 140 cm is more appropriate. Given these limitations, I’d give the Skytera poles a pass and choose a product that is more oriented to the needs of ultralight backpackers.

Disclosure: LekiUSA donated poles for review.

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