LEKI BLACK SERIES MICRO VARIO £195

Made from 100% carbon fibre, this pole has a Z-shaped design that clips together and collapses automatically, while the overall length is adjustable via a sturdy SpeedLock clamp. Folded away into 40cm-long thirds, portability is excellent and at 207g it’s very lightweight. But, surprisingly, it’s utterly bombproof too – it’ll stand strong no matter how much mountain abuse it gets. VERDICT A fully-featured, durable and lightweight carbon pole that ticks all the boxes.