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Why You Should Pull the Trigger on the LEKI Trigger 3D Poles

martyg

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Anyone here cares to compare the Venom 3D to the Carbon 14 3D in terms of swing weight and balance? I'd imagine that the heavier upper of the Venom gives it a nice swing weight, at the cost of visual flashiness (and, pressure to ski better with such a thing in hand)?

I have both. Never notice a difference.
 

Philpug

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While I am not a fan of the LEKI strap, I do really like glove system, their quality and comfort is on par with anything I hace used from Hestra. Personally I am not a fan of Soul Poles, the swing weight of them is ridiculously high, the Grasssticks are better, much more like a traditional pole but I still perfer a carbon and right now I am using the 14S and that is really light.
 

tromano

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did you try our bamboo or soul poles. our's are quite stiff.
I have the original grass sticks bamboo. There is something about the way the poles flex and how the tips connect to the shaft that make them hard to manipulate tech binding heel pieces with. Alu poles with a tip that is connected to the shaft work better and more precise imo.
 
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bbinder

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Not sure I totally understand the "purchasing Grass Sticks and having them install the grips"
When I visited their booth at a ski show 2 or 3 years ago, I mentioned that I love my LEKI grips and the trigger system. The rep there said that if I chose to order a pair I could mail them my LEKI grips and they would mount them on my poles. I do have a second, new pair of LEKI world cup SL poles, so if I go this route I will still be honoring the site sponsor :ogbiggrin:
 
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Tricia

Tricia

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I’m curious about this. I have an extra pair of LEKI grips and am considering purchasing a pair of Grass Sticks having them install the grips. But I love the feel of the LEKI poles a lot: I worry that the bamboo poles will feel clunky by comparison. Maybe @Ron can comment.
That was kind of what I felt.
I like a light, nimble swing weight to my poles.
In fact, I'm not a fan of a powder basket on my poles except for the deepest of powder days when a powder basket really helps.
 

MikeW Philly

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Just had my first day out this year (joy of local being the Poconos and my job which is nuts until this week). Finally got to use my LEKI vario 3d poles and I just have to say I’m not going back to regular straps. Especially in the Poconos, where lets face it you get to the bottom of the mountain so fast, the ability to quickly clip in and out is such a wonderful convenience feature.
 

Slemers

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Just had my first day out this year (joy of local being the Poconos and my job which is nuts until this week). Finally got to use my LEKI vario 3d poles and I just have to say I’m not going back to regular straps. Especially in the Poconos, where lets face it you get to the bottom of the mountain so fast, the ability to quickly clip in and out is such a wonderful convenience feature.
Which glove did you go with Mike?
 

MikeW Philly

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I'll give em a try that way too . Thanks :)

If you use the straps and tighten them the right way you can pull gloves on and off no issue but the straps still do their job. I’m sure I’ll like the gloves when I get them but in the meantime I’m in no rush the effect has been the same for me.
 

Slemers

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If you use the straps and tighten them the right way you can pull gloves on and off no issue but the straps still do their job. I’m sure I’ll like the gloves when I get them but in the meantime I’m in no rush the effect has been the same for me.
I put them on my current gloves and they aren't too cumbersome. Hopefully I can try them out next week. I haven't got a day of skiing in yet this season :)
 

Prosper

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If you use the straps and tighten them the right way you can pull gloves on and off no issue but the straps still do their job. I’m sure I’ll like the gloves when I get them but in the meantime I’m in no rush the effect has been the same for me.
It depends on how meaty your paws are compared to your wrists. If thin wrist and Wreck in Ralph sized hands you’ll need to loosen the straps to get your gloves off. I can slip my hand through my straps with a little wiggling And don’t need to loosen than at all except if I put them on a different pain or gloves of mittens.
 

Nobody

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I have been using LEKI poles since the late '90s-early 2000's
First pair was an hybrid Alu-Carbon model with slightly inclined grips, IRRC called "Ventrix"
Used it for both on piste and off piste, swapping baskets.
This first iteration of the trigger was, from a safety standpoint, very friendly. But in its friendlienss it came its weak point too, IMHOL. The release mechanism was a bit too release-prone.
Those poles became victims of my son's skis, he borrowed them one day and managed to slice one in two while skiing...by planting it too close to the ski edge...

Second pair was a full carbon 14S, lasted a few years until I decied to have it shortened by a professional in a shop...
Told to come back after 15 minutes...I was there all the time and when, after 40 minutes couldn't see sgn of my poles started to be concerned...it turned out that the "professional" had tried toput the carbon shaft in a vise..crushing it completely....

Third pair, still currently in use, is an 11s model, full Alu, I got for free as a replacement from the above shop.
Third pair - bis , is an old full Alu model I purchased used (wanted to try a shorter lenght without touching the second one, so to avoid to go "blindingly" shorter...), red/silver, black, WC model I bought from an ex-racer, poles tips are worn out and couldn't fin a replacement for it, but they are stll useable. Preferred them over the "third pair" as they are sturdier. Since started to train though, I've converted them into SL poles by adding the handguards. Hence I do not use these for freeskiing anymore.

Fourth pair is an extra long, full carbon pair that I use for AT, off piste and steep skiing (bought it only because they were hea vily discounted). These are non trigger equipped, but the handle shape is very comfortable for AT conditions, with that "beak" shaped top, handy to accomodate one's palm when pushing.

Fifth pair is a Slalom hybrid ALU/Carbon Red/black. Still new, still unused, of the type favoured by top notch professionals here. I am not using it as of now, keeping in store for after the day I will pass my full certificatino exam, if ever.
Otherwise I will cut it into pieces if I will not pass it.

There should be a fitfth-bis, as during the first lockdown summer (2020) I had reached an agreement with a seller to buy a pair of used GS poles, meant for use in the GS gates (the straight one, number three is a bit "shaky" to use in the GS gates) . The exchange (money<->goods) should have occurred F2F that summer, but due to the travel restrictions it never happened..I have lost track of the seller ever since...so I guess that one is gone now. Luckily I did not send any money over.

Must agree with Phil that the gloves/trigger system is a real differentiating factor, even though I have not been particularly impressed by the two pairs of gloves I have (a five fingered and a mitten, white/red with metal notch protections, leather models). Got a new pair of Reusch last year and althought these are missing the integraton, are considerably warmer (I concede that comparing a brand new glove with a 10 years completely worn out old model might be a bit "skewed").

All in all I am very satisfied by the LEKI poles and the trigger system. As said by others, I am not sure I would be able to get back to normal grips and straps, sure can do for limited amount of time or for specific tasks like GS, currently using an old pair of Gipron alu GS straight poles, similer to the Scott ones in handgrip and shape, or AT skiing...
 

Pajarito-bred

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It's quite discouraging to read that Nobody is very satisfied with their LEKI poles and the integrated trigger grip system....
All in all I am very satisfied by the LEKI poles and the trigger system.

I'm still waiting for the Carbon-14's I ordered two months ago to arrive to my local ski shop. Apparently they are tangled up in the "supply chain".

Anyone here cares to compare the Venom 3D to the Carbon 14 3D in terms of swing weight and balance? I'd imagine that the heavier upper of the Venom gives it a nice swing weight, at the cost of visual flashiness (and, pressure to ski better with such a thing in hand)?
If you're swinging your poles forward to plant them, lighter weight at the bottom portion of the pole is much more important-- the upper part, near your hand, travels at a more constant speed-- it's all about "moment of inertia" which is how much effort it takes to accelerate the weight of the pole tip from stationary up to speed. The heavier upper portion might be worth the trade-off to optimize overall pole stiffness/flex. Swing weight only matters for skiers who are actually planting their poles in front of them to set up their turns, which is amazingly not very common.

It's easy to do a quick swing-weight comparison for different types of poles ( not while standing on a surface, such as a wood floor, that might be impacted by a rapidly-moving carbide pole tip) Holding your hand steady, see how quickly you can flick the pole tip back and forth about 90 degrees in 30 seconds. The lighter pole will be much easier, less wrist fatigue, faster. I need to try this with my Alu-carbon poles, a good test might be to hold the pole upside-down to see if I can tell the swing-weight difference ( weight of the grip will exaggerate the effect).
 

Dougb

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I was the lucky winner of the LEKI Copper 3D gloves and Spitfire Vario 3D, so let me start by saying thanks again to SkiTalk and LEKI!!! I finally had a chance to try them out last week at NorthStar and by the second run I was sold on the trigger system.

I was one of those skiers who was always futzing with my straps after I got off the lift... you know, the skier you are all waiting for at the top of the run. These poles are easy-in, easy-out. No more straps to get tangled up in for me! So the convenience factor is real.

Additionally, as was said, this is high-quality stuff. The poles are beautiful. As has been said, I will put these gloves up against my Hestras or my beloved Giver'r 4-season gloves (which deserve their own thread). The gloves are comfortable, very well made, and warm. I did miss the large cuffs on my Hestra Heli-Gloves that slip so easily over my sleeves, but overall that's minor.

THANK YOU SKI TALK!
 

noobski

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I am just adding that I had to buy new poles last week in Utah. They didn't have my size, but only pair left in the Lifthouse was a pair of these adjustables and I will say that they are awesome and glad I stumbled into them.
 

Andy Mink

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I switched to the LEKI S trigger this year from the regular, old school strap type poles, a pair of Goode carbon and a pair of Exel carbon. I never had a problem with them and liked the thin shaft and easy swing weight. I got the LEKI Detect S aluminum pole and a pair of Lightening 3D gloves. Even though the gloves are considered a spring weight, I've found them fine for the temps we've had so far, including one day of 12° at kickoff. I also purchased a pair of Xplore S gloves for really cold days. I've yet to need to use them.

Anyway, I like the system; click in, click out. I did take a fall and was surprised the Trigger didn't release but the biggest damage was a slightly bent pole. I do miss the ability to push on top of the grip when poling along. A couple of times I've released the trigger to do so and the pole got stuck in the snow behind me. With a strap that never happened. I also liked to the strap to loop over my ski tips in the ski rack. Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives.
 

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