Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

LEKI

The inventors of the modern trekking pole, German engineered since 1948

Shop LEKI

From a wood workshop to the summit of Everest

LEKI

LEKI's story starts in 1948, when Karl and Gertrud Lenhart founded a small wood turnery in Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany, producing carved wooden lettering for local bakeries and butchers. Karl, an avid skier, was frustrated by the poor quality ski poles of the era, so he began using his own workshop to manufacture better grips and baskets. By 1970, drawing on skills learned in aircraft manufacturing, he launched the first aluminium ski poles under the name LEKI, Lenhart in Kirchheim.

In 1974, LEKI developed the world's first adjustable trekking pole, and on May 8, 1978, Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler became the first climbers to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, using LEKI poles. Nearly 80 years on, LEKI remains family-owned, still headquartered in Kirchheim unter Teck, with poles engineered in Germany and manufactured at Novasport, the world's largest pole production facility, in the Czech Republic.

What sets LEKI apart

The original inventors of the trekking pole

LEKI didn't just make hiking poles, they invented the modern adjustable trekking pole category in 1974, a design still shaping every pole on the market today.

Proven at altitude

LEKI poles supported the first oxygen-free ascent of Mount Everest, credibility earned through genuine mountaineering history, not marketing.

Still family-owned, still German engineered

Nearly 80 years on, LEKI remains a family business, with every pole engineered in Germany and built to exacting standards at their own dedicated production facility.

LEKI

Where to start with LEKI hiking poles

The Skysolo FX Carbon Compact Poles combine a hybrid carbon and aluminium shaft with LEKI's External Locking Device, folding down into sections under 40cm while still offering length adjustment. At around 227 grams per pole, they're a genuinely versatile pick for hikers who want trekking poles for hiking that pack down small without sacrificing performance.

LEKI Blog Post

Not sure which hiking poles are right for you?

Weight, grip, material, and adjustability all affect how a set of poles for hiking actually performs. We've broken down exactly what to look for in our full guide.

LEKI Blog Post

Folding or collapsible? Understanding your options

Not all trekking poles pack down the same way. LEKI's Skysolo FX uses a folding Z-pole design for a genuinely compact packed size, but it's worth understanding how folding and traditional telescoping poles actually compare before you choose.

A man hiking up a rocky mountain slope using trekking poles and wearing a large gray backpack, with a blurred natural mountain background.
Two male hikers with backpacks traverse a rocky mountain path, with misty peaks and steep slopes in the background.

LEKI

More on choosing the right poles for hiking

If you want the full picture before you buy, ourcomplete guide to hiking polescovers everything from grip ergonomics to tip types in detail. And if you're comparing options across brands, we've also rounded upthe best collapsible walking poles for hiking, tested, to help you see how LEKI stacks up.

Adventure Awaits

Ready to See More?

Click the link below to shop the full LEKI collection

Frequently Asked Questions