Titanium makes for improved trekking poles

Trekking poles provide hikers with both a blessing and curse. By using poles, hikers transfer some of their weight off their legs and into the arms and shoulders. Poles provide increased stability in rough terrain. But they also add weight to your overall load, and increase strain on arms and shoulders. And if you don't need them, they can be cumbersome to pack.

The new Leki Makalu Ultralite Ti poles make the most of the blessings while minimizing the problems. The Ultralites use a mix of titanium and aluminum in the pole construction, knocking the weight of each pole to less than 8 ounces. The pair of poles weighs just 15.1 ounces. That's more than 20 percent lighter than Leki's standard aluminum Makalu trekking poles. The weight saving comes from the use of titanium, which is lighter and stronger than aluminum. Because the titanium provides increased strength, Leki was able to reduce the diameter of the pole shaft, further trimming weight without sacrificing strength.

The three-section Ultralite Ti also utilizes shorter sections, allowing the pole to compact down to just 21 inches for packing. In short, the Leki Ultralite Ti poles are the lightest, most compact trekking poles available.

But the lack of bulk and mass doesn't mean the poles come up short on features. With Leki's Cor-Tec grips (a tough cork composite material), the Ultralites boast a comfortable, sweat-absorbing grips that keeps the poles firmly in hand even when wet. The wide, soft wrist-straps can be adjusted quickly and easily to fit any hand.

Finally, in recent years Leki has improved the locking mechanism on the shaft adjustments, virtually eliminating shaft slippage on the trail. No more leaning on a pole while climbing, only to have a pole collapse as the sections slip back together.

Leki Makalu Ultralite Ti trekking poles retail for $149. For more information: www.leki.com

Dan A. Nelson is a regular contributor to Backpacker magazine, and an author of outdoor guides with The Mountaineers Books. He lives in Puyallup.