Leki Cressida FX Carbon Review

The Leki Cressida FX Carbon are expertly crafted and comfortable trekking poles that are a favorite of our female testers. With a carbon shaft, soft cork grips, and a 5.5" cork grip extension, Leki has designed an excellent pair of “women's specific” trekking poles. They're not cheap, but if you're looking for versatile poles with a quality build that stash easily in your pack, we highly recommend this pair.

Comfort

With cork grips, carbon-fiber shafts, and soft straps, the Cressida FX Carbon is a top performer in terms of comfort.

The grips on the Cressida FX Carbon are made from a soft and pliant cork that offers some cushion for your hands. We immediately found the cork grip to be quite comfortable (and it becomes even more comfortable over time as it breaks in). However, folks with larger hands may find the grips a bit small.

The cork extends 5.5 inches below the main grip, allowing you to move your hands down the poles when navigating steep terrain. Carbon fiber is also a shock-absorbing material, which helps reduce some of the harshness of the trail while hiking. The nylon wrist straps are minimalistic, breathable, and soft against the skin. We found this to be the most comfortable women's-specific pole in our test.

Weight

We measured the Cressida FX Carbon on scales at 16.4 ounces, around average compared to other poles tested.

Despite the carbon fiber shafts, the cork handles and cork drop extensions make these poles heavier than one might expect. Still, given that the majority of their weight is in the grip, these poles have a fantastic swing weight. They hike as well as lighter-weight poles while still boasting the comfort and usability features that position them among our review team's favorites.

Versatility

These poles fold down to a small size, making them a good option for fast and light missions. The comfortable cork handles are great for big days in the mountains and long days on the trail. They come with mud tips and are also compatible with powder baskets, so your weather needs are covered. And while carbon is less durable, it's still a viable option for backcountry skiing, ice climbing approaches, or snowshoeing.

The Cressida FX Carbon might have an average weight, but they fold down small enough to be stashed in your pack. While you could find poles that are lighter-weight or take up less space, we never noticed the weight or volume of the Cressida when we stashed them during alpine climbs. For mountain running, we suggest a lighter pole; for backcountry skiing, we might suggest beefier poles. However, given the comfortable cork handles and compact packed size of the Cressida, they are great for big days in the mountains, long days on the trail, and most everything in between.

Locking and Adjustability

We were impressed by the Cressida's 20mm of adjustment and user-friendly locking mechanisms. Other Leki trekking poles feature more difficult locking and unlocking mechanisms, but our review team loved the simple release design on these.

To lock these poles in place, you pull the upper portion of the shaft out of the top of the pole. Once fully extended, pull the upper shaft away from the grips to lock it into position. To adjust their height, disengage the lever and fold it back in place to secure your height. There is also a thumb-adjustment screw to tighten or loosen the lever as needed. To fold the poles, simply press the small metal button at the apex of the shaft. This design is so simple and painless that we wish other Leki poles used the same mechanism.

Packed Size

With a packed length of 16.5 inches, these poles are around average for packability when compared to other folding poles.

One reason for their slightly less compact stature is that they feature 5.5 inches of cork grip extension. But this seems like a worthy trade-off for folks who plan to use their poles while traveling up steep terrain, as the grip extensions mean you can choke up on the pole without adjusting its length.

The extra inch or two of packed length was never an issue for our test team, and we often appreciated the lengthy grip extensions.

Construction Quality

As a rule, Leki trekking poles tend to score favorably in this area, and the Cressida FX Carbon is no exception. The overall pole construction and carbide tip are a league above many other poles on the market. That said, while they boast high-quality materials, several design features might prove less durable over the long haul.

Though the carbon fiber shafts are lightweight and more shock-absorbing, they're less durable overall than aluminum poles. And, cork is comfotable and moisture wicking, but it tends to break down over time. Finally, the quick-release adjustment levers on the Cressida are plastic, which could be less durable in the long run than other flick-levers in our review (though we had no issues during testing). Durability and weight savings are often a trade-off with outdoor gear. However, Leki has a reputation for manufacturing quality poles, so if you want cork poles with carbon shafts, you could certainly do worse than these.

Should You Buy the Leki Cressida FX Carbon?

If you are looking for a comfortable, packable, versatile, and user-friendly pole, you would be hard-pressed to find a better pair than these. The price tag is steep but similar to other carbon fiber foldable poles with cork grips. The Cressida is well-designed, boasts some excellent features, and can be used year-round, depending on your preferred activities. Our review team loved these poles for their ease of use and comfort. If you came to this review looking for a pair of simple, elegant, and feature-rich poles, these are a worthy, albeit expensive, option to consider.

What Other Trekking Poles Should You Consider?

If you want a high-ranking pair of poles but do not have a strong preference for a women's specific model, check out the top-ranking MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon. They performed similarly, but pack up slightly smaller, and they will save you a little money. If you're looking to save a few bucks, the foldable Black Diamond Distance Z are lighter and more durable, but they aren't adjustable. The Trekology Trek-Z 2.0 is our favorite trekking pole for those on tight budgets, and the Black Diamond Trail - Women's is a good women's specific pole that won't break the bank.