Leki Makalu Cork Lite Trekking Poles Review

Bottom Line

The Leki Makalu Cork Lite trekking poles are a great mid-tier option for hiking and backpacking. These poles perform well across various areas without being overly specialized in one category. 

We like that these poles are durable and fast to expand or collapse. Multiple features, both for comfort and regular use, provide value on the trail. In particular, we like that these poles have cork handles to absorb sweat and tension adjusters on the flick locks. 

While day hiking with these poles around Durango, Colorado, we found that they don’t shine super brightly in any area, and there aren’t any overly annoying or bad features. They are reliable at a decent price, offering a good bang for your buck. For a side-by-side comparison of the Makalu Cork Lites to our other favorites, head to our best trekking poles gear guide.

Durability

The Makalu Cork Lite strikes a great balance between aluminum durability and low weight. These poles only had a small amount of cosmetic damage from our durability testing. We threw and dropped them on a boulder to confirm they would withstand basic wear and tear. They continue to operate normally, just had a few scratches. We also subjected them to a bend-stress test to determine how easily they would snap. 

The Makalu poles have ample flex but didn’t feel like they would break easily. On our hikes around Durango, they did well enough. We primarily used them in well-trafficked areas, where they performed as expected. These poles will hold up well enough for rugged terrain, but if a moment came where we had some momentum and our body weight came crashing down on these between a rock and a hard place, they might snap at one of the joints.

Weight

The weight of the Makalu is so-so: it is towards the bottom of our list overall, but is the second lightest aluminum pole (1 lb 2. oz for a pair). Aluminum is known for being more durable but also heavier than carbon fiber. Therefore, it is unsurprising that it would rank lower on our list for weight when stacked against carbon poles. 

The weight is not noticeable while hiking with it or when it is the only pole being held. The only time it is evident is when we are holding one of the ultralight poles in a different hand. The benefit of the added weight is that it does not feel flimsy. We didn’t feel the need to be overly careful while hiking with this pole around Durango.

Comfort

We love that the Makalu trekking poles have cork handles, but we wish the wrist straps were a bit more comfortable. Because we get to compare trekking poles side-by-side, comfort is more apparent to us. But for the average buyer, the comfort of these sticks is sufficient.

The Makalu received comfort points for having cork handles and a handle shape of sufficient comfort. We prefer cork over foam because it is generally better at absorbing sweat. While using the Makalu on backpacking trips, our hands stayed cleaner. 

One thing we would have liked to have seen on the Makalu is a padded wrist strap. The current wrist straps work fine for short amounts of time. The fabric is somewhat soft, but the thin width is less comfortable. Overall, the Makalu has average comfort features.

Ease of Use

We found the Leki Makalu easy to use, thanks to easy-to-use flick locks and shafts that slide at a user-friendly speed. To test how easy each trekking pole is to use, we measured the time needed to set them up. The Makalu Cork Lite came in third place once we compared the times of the different trekking poles. 

There are several attributes of these poles that contributed to the Makalu’s taking bronze in the ease-of-use metric. The first is the easy-to-use flick locks. The locking mechanism on these poles is easy to access, and the flipping piece has a small lip that makes it easy to grab. We also like that the mechanism’s tension can be easily adjusted using the nobs on the side of the pole. 

The telescoping portion of the pole can also impact ease of use. The middle shaft is relatively easy to collapse and expand. Still, there is enough friction to keep it from flying out. The lower shaft takes more effort to move. The shafts also have measurements on them to help quickly adjust them to the correct height.

Packability

Packability is not a strong area for the Makalu: it has the longest poles in our lineup. When collapsed, the Leki Makalu came in at 26.5 inches. For reference, the shortest collapsed trekking pole in our lineup is 14.25 inches (this was a folding pole). One upside to this is that the pole has longer, continuous shafts, so they are less likely to break.

Compared to the other telescoping poles we tested, the results are not quite as drastic. They are still in last place, though. We did not find this difference in collapsed length to be an issue when toting the poles around to different trails or in the car. However, this is a more significant problem when flying or fast packing. For the average hiker who doesn’t often need to stash them for scrambling, it won’t make a huge difference.

Features

The Makalu has the basic features needed to be usable, plus a few extras. They have wrist straps and one pair of baskets. We also appreciate that the tips can be replaced when they wear out. The two best features of these poles are the built-in tensioners and grip extension. The tensioners are easy to use and do not require any tools. They make adjusting the force needed to open each flick lock easy. We appreciate that the grip extension is large enough for our hand to hold and has a pattern for a better grip. There could always be more add-ons, such as winter baskets, that could be included. However, overall, the Makalu performs well and keeps its overall weight low.

Should You Buy The LEKI Makalu Cork Lite Trekking Poles?

Our gear analysts have been longtime fans of the Makalu trekking poles. They’ve been trusted on the CDT, Arizona Trail, and countless hikes.

Because these poles have decent durability, comfort, and ease of use, they are a fantastic choice for any trail. These poles would be a good upgrade option from some more affordable but lower-performing models. That said, they are not quite as versatile as some of the other poles on our list. These poles will work best for hiking and backpacking, but aren’t the most compact or ultralight if you’re considering them for fast packing or trail running.

What Other Trekking Poles Should You Consider?

We like the Leki Makalu, but know it is just one of many great trekking poles we tested on our gear guide. Here are a few more to consider:

Black Diamond Pursuit Review: The Pursuit is a great alternative to the Makalu. It is also an aluminum trekking pole with cork handles and a similar price tag. While the flick locks are not quite as easy to use and adjust, we love that these poles have incredible durability and an abundance of features that make them very versatile. These poles can be used for both hiking and skiing.

MSR DynaLock Explore Review: We just love how easy it is to set up the MSR DynaLock Explore. The flick locks on these trekking poles are extremely easy to use and adjust. They are not quite as durable as the Makalu or as light, but the packability and features are very similar for both poles.

Black Diamond Trail Back Review: The Trail Back trekking poles are one of our favorite budget buys, making them great for beginners. They are another aluminum pole but with foam handles instead of cork. One of our favorite things about them is that they have amazing durability—a big improvement over the Makalu. While they are not as quick to set up as the Leki poles, many of their other features, such as comfort and packability, are very similar.