I recently tried a pair of Leki Micro Tour Stick Vario trekking poles. These are the newest of Leki‘s Micro series, and use both carbon fiber and aluminum tubing to create a light, high performance trekking pole this is also durable. Using carbon fiber for the upper sections of the pole helps to keep weight down, and the lower aluminum sections protects it from impacts with rocks and other obstacles that might damage carbon fiber.
The lower sections of the Tour Stick Vario assemble together to form a fixed length portion of the poles. A PE coated, Kevlar reinforced tension cord is attached to a serviceable spring at the end of the Tour Stick. The cord and spring hold things together with a good amount of tension. To assemble the lower part of the Tour Stick Vario, you need to slide the 3rd or middle section out of the tube above it until the spring-loaded lock engages. Some stainless steel connectors protect the ends of the carbon tubes and make assembly quick and easy.
Leki has fitted the Tour Stick Vario with their Aergon Thermofoam Tour grip. A security strap lined with a soft material that wicks very well is also used. These grips are not the dainty grips that you might find on a super light trekking pole of this type. These are good sized grips with a nice shape. The end of the grip is dimpled, rounded, and shaped to provide plenty of traction for your hand. EVA foam on the grip and extension allows you to change hand positions as needed. It’s quick and easy to adjust the strap too, and the strap’s lock mechanism hides neatly inside the end of the pole.
The Leki Micro Tour Stick Vario has medium sized baskets attached to the carbide tip of the pole. These carbide tips will break away (by design) in the event that the Tour Stick gets in a bind. Breaking off a replaceable tip is much better than bending the lower section of the pole.
Leki’s Bandit basket should perform well in a variety of conditions and is easy to swap out for other Leki baskets. The Bandit has sort of a retro look and is large enough to provide some resistance to pressure in soft soil. You can fit larger or smaller units as desired.
Note that the Leki Tour Stick Vario provides a little less than 8 inches of length adjustability. The upper section of the pole is held in place with Leki‘s SpeedLock system. I like the SpeedLock a lot. My old poles use twist locks and the SpeedLock is faster and has a more positive feel to it. The total length of the poles are adjustable from 45 to 53 inches, and they collapse to just 15 ½ inches. They weigh between 18 and 19 ounces for the pair, which means carrying them all day long is no problem. A nylon stuff sack is included.
Trekking poles help ease the shock on sore knees and backs, and especially for me, stabilize my balance and weak ankles. I always carry trekking poles while backpacking, and I am looking forward to years of use from the Leki Micro Tour Stick Vario. These poles have an MSRP of 199.95. Check them out here.
– Mark
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Micro Tour Stick Vario trekking poles for free from Leki in consideration for review publication.