Leki vs pacerpole

[mPalozzola01]

Does anyone have experience with leki which seem to be the favorite vs the brand I have seen a few times that look really ergonomic and comfortable? Pros cons suggestions? Planning on a thru hike with em

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[Rocket Jones]

I use Pacer Poles. Incredibly comfortable. Love mine, and the only thing I would change would be to add flick-locks instead of the twist-lock mechanism.

[mPalozzola01]

I thought twist locks were the preferrable design

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[illabelle]

Haven't tried the pacers, but I love my Leki poles.
Flick-lock, cork handles.

[Glogg]

Love my pacerpoles too, the grips are really comfortable. They work well with my Tarptent Notch, and the only way to improve them would be flick-locks. The twist locks can slide a little under load if they arent tight enough. But Pacerpoles.com was great to me on my AT hike; they sent me replacement parts quickly and their service was excellent.

[Lyle]

+3 for PacerPoles, no comparison to traditional grips - beat them by a mile. Never had a problem with twist locks as long as you exercise them occasionally (once every two or three weeks when in use). Mine are over 9 years old now, and I still use them for every trip.

[oldwetherman]

I have Leki's, Black Diamond and Pacer poles. The Pacer poles took a while to get use to but they are the only ones I use now. My only issue with them is that they don't make them with cork handles. When the temperature gets into the upper 80's or higher and the humidity is high they are just unpleasant to grip.

[highway]

I have used Lekis. Switched to Pacer poles For me they were far superior. The Leki straps began to hurt my wrist. The ergonomic Pacer pole handles make the poles an extension of your arm and with just a slight hand motion can flip them around wherever you wish. Stumbling and falling is a thing of the past. But, more than anything they save my weak left knee that I once blew out on the downhills of the Smoky Mtns. With Pacerpoles I can push down with my hands and transfer a huge amount of the downhill force to my arms and shoulders so I build those muscles up too, on a long distance hike, rather than have them atrophy while just the legs get stronger. I would not hike without them. The screw down locking mechanism seems far stronger, too, and I have never had mine slip in the last 4 years of using them on various Caminos across Spain and Portugal. Leki Vs Pacerpoles? Pacerpoles win-and by a wide margin. I could not hike without them!

[mPalozzola01]

Well I guess that kinda decides it ... not one vote for lekis yet

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[Lyle]

To be fair, #4 was a vote for Leki, but they hadn't tried PacerPoles.

I've been using PacerPoles for about 10 years now, and for the life of me cannot figure out why they haven't caught on more here in the US. Over those 10 years, I've only found one person who stated they didn't like them, and she refused to try them out due to hand contamination fears. Guess I understand that fear, but sometimes folks take it too far.

The ONLY downside I find with them is having to buy direct from the manufacturer, but they are very helpful and fast in their response to replacement parts, etc. I've only needed to contact them twice in the 10 years, once to replace a carbide tip that apparently got sucked off in deep mud, and the second time to order a replacement for a pole section I bent slightly by carelessly stepping on it. It was still functional, but wouldn't collapse all the way due to the bend.

Highly recommend them, in case you hadn't figured that out. Yes, I have used traditional poles as well.

[highway]

My observation is that who use lekis just kind of drag them along, planting pole tip with each step and serve little useful purpose other than save one from an occasional stumble. Pacerpoles, with their ergonomic hand grip allow you to walk and push away on each step, helping you to move further, faster and is an immense help on the uphills, transferring part of each step in the uphill motion to arms and shoulders. Until you try it you want believe it.

[Traveler]

To be fair, #4 was a vote for Leki, but they hadn't tried PacerPoles.

I've been using PacerPoles for about 10 years now, and for the life of me cannot figure out why they haven't caught on more here in the US. Over those 10 years, I've only found one person who stated they didn't like them, and she refused to try them out due to hand contamination fears. Guess I understand that fear, but sometimes folks take it too far.

The ONLY downside I find with them is having to buy direct from the manufacturer, but they are very helpful and fast in their response to replacement parts, etc. I've only needed to contact them twice in the 10 years, once to replace a carbide tip that apparently got sucked off in deep mud, and the second time to order a replacement for a pole section I bent slightly by carelessly stepping on it. It was still functional, but wouldn't collapse all the way due to the bend.

Highly recommend them, in case you hadn't figured that out. Yes, I have used traditional poles as well.

Perhaps if they were retailed in the US they would get more exposure.

[Lyle]

Perhaps if they were retailed in the US they would get more exposure.

I bought mine through Brian Frankle, founder and former owner of ULA Equipment. He was the US distributor for a number of years, and he personally recommended them.

I guess the manufacturer finds it more economic to only sell direct, but most cottage manufacturers do that and still manage to gain popularity via online recommendations. I'm sure not being present at hiking events contributes also, but most hikers never attend events either, so I don't believe that is a major factor. I've just been puzzled for years that more folks don't use them.

[Traveler]

I think its more reality of marketing. Limited exposure will limit customers. I am not sure why they don't hook up with REI or even a regional retailer like EMS to increase their North American market share. Perhaps the manufacturer can only support making just so many units per day/week/month, which would cause the manufacturer more harm than good to ramp up retailing exposure.

Convenience may play a role too. Sending money to a foreign manufacturer for gear or clothing one hasn't been able to try out or on, then dealing with shipping issues if the product is not satisfactory may be a limiting factor for a lot of folks. Bottom line remains, without more exposure to the market, the market won't know they are around.

[highway]

I think its more reality of marketing. ...
Bottom line remains, without more exposure to the market, the market won't know they are around.

I am not convinced that Pacer Pole even wants a larger share of the market. But, in my estimation, the big loser here are us hikers. Most hikers are just not aware that such a superior product exists. I have used four different pole manufacturers over the years before stumbling upon Pacer Poles and they work so well that I'd prefer to buy theirs rather than have to use another-even the much touted Lekis-for free. Its the ergonomic hand grip which converts those poles to become an extension of my arms. When I blew my left and part of the right knees out some years ago, I was using a single pole. I thought my hiking days had come to an end. But, some months later, with the pain about gone I began to explore the 'net for other's solutions and discovered these poles which could take large amount of weight off each step on the downhill and help propel me forward on the uphills, all the while helping to build up my upper body. I bought them. They have been a life saver for my hiking. I can even use them like crutches crossing streams too wide to jump when I don't want to get my socks wet. I plant both in the stream's middle then swing my body through the poles to the other side with nary a slippage on them and I weigh 200 pounds. Try that with leki poles!

Look at the videos and you will see what I mean:

Pacer Pole

[Traveler]

I've no doubt that the poles work well for you, but as you said, you had to look around before you "stumbled on them". The issue wasn't that these poles weren't good, but that more people didn't know of them. You may be right that the manufacturer can only support production at the level they are at currently, which is fine and may be the reason they are not readily available in the US as other makers are.

[mPalozzola01]

Some companies prefer no middlemen ... I am a hammock hanger, I use a Clark Jungle Hammock.. far superior to many other brands but no stores carry em... why? Because Clark feels they would rather work directly with the customer.

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[ChuckT]

I have all 3. Lekis - aluminum, flip locks, and cork. Black Diamond carbons with hard rubber grips, and Pacer poles.
Here in muggy Florida the Pacer Poles anatomical grips get sweaty Now! But I've been using them because the hand position seems better to me.
Had my drothers they'd have cork grips. Oh well.

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[poolskaterx]

I really like my Leki cork lite poles, the grip is what I really like about them. Cork feels great in almost all conditions and the top "egg shape" handle is very comfortable to me for a second hand position. Customer service for me from Leki has been top notch and I was treated as a valuable customer and not a problem when I spoke with customer service.

[Odd Man Out]

I have BD Alpine Ergo Cork and Fizan Compact. Like both for different reasons. Have considered PP, but it looks like you use them without straps. With straps, I don't really grip the pole so it would seem to me that the ergonomic grip wouldn't be that much of an advantage. Would like to try them some time, but without a local retailer, it would be difficult.