Over its 75-year-history, trekking pole-maker Leki has experimented with many different materials. In the early days, wood and bamboo were go-to choices, before being replaced by aluminum and, eventually, carbon fiber. This year, the company introduced a pole made of organic hemp. Though it sounds like a return to the all-natural materials of the early years, Leki says hemp is both more sustainable and stronger than its competitors. We got our hands on a sample pair (they’ll hit the shelves in North America next year) to put those claims to the test.
When it comes to natural materials, hemp is something of a miracle product. It’s strong, flexible, and grows quickly without requiring much land. While hemp trekking poles are a novel concept, hemp is growing increasingly common as a building block across all sorts of industries, from clothing to auto parts to construction materials.
The way Leki uses hemp is much simpler than creating bioplastic car parts. The shafts of the poles are made up of a bunch of hemp fibers, oriented vertically, that are encased in a bio-based resin. Up close, it’s easy to notice. Just like you can see the layup of raw carbon fiber, it’s immediately obvious how these poles are constructed. In addition to the shafts, the rest of the poles put hemp to use as well. The baskets are 25 percent hemp bioplastic, the grips are 25 percent hemp and 27 percent cork, and the straps are 100 percent linen.
On-trail, the Hemp One Vario feels a lot like a quality pair of carbon fiber poles, with the same stiff, springy feel that helps dampen vibrations a bit compared to aluminum poles. Our testing has ranged across California, Idaho, and Arizona, and so far we haven’t encountered any conditions that these poles can’t tackle, even while sliding down the notoriously steep slopes of Hells Canyon in Idaho. In-hand, the Hemp One Vario feels sturdy and dependable, like any good quality pole should. The grips and straps, while not as silky-smooth as foam and nylon options, have broken-in to feel soft and comfortable on long hikes.
That said, purchasing a pair of these poles is, for now, a way to support a sustainable project rather than a way of getting the best poles for the money. They’re currently available in limited quantities in Europe, for about $220. There’s a lot that goes into that price—this first run is made by hand in small quantities, using organic hemp and flax—but some of the features that we’ve come to expect at that price point are sorely lacking. Most notably, they are a two-piece design that is adjustable from 110-130 cm, but only packs down to 105 cm, which essentially means they’re not packable. They’re also not especially light. At 10 ounces per pole, they weigh an ounce or two more than even mid-level aluminum or carbon options, and are almost twice the weight of some ultralight carbon poles.
Finally, the integrity of the hemp shafts will require more time on-trail to really be put to the test. Out of the box, the shafts have a somewhat irregular texture, and as we’ve used the poles we have noticed some surface cracking in the resin. Only time will tell if that’s just a cosmetic issue or could eventually lead to the poles taking on water or failing outright.
Still, we think there’s reason to be excited about what’s to come. Leki is planning to introduce the Hemp One Vario in the United States next year, and large-scale production should lower costs down the road. It might also pave the way for more hemp products throughout the outdoor industry, especially now that federal policy in the United States finally recognizes hemp as an agricultural good rather than a controlled substance. To us, the Hemp One Vario is proof that hemp is a viable material for all sorts of outdoor gear, and we hope to see hemp used in skis, tent poles, pack frames, and technical fabrics in the future.
