Leki Cressida Cork Lite Trekking Pole Review
Updated:
Jan 20, 2025With a comfortable cork grip, reasonably low weight, and a build that’ll last a lifetime, the women’s Cressida Cork Lite (and men’s Makalu Cork Lite; both $160) is a great all-around trekking pole that will meet the needs of most backpackers and hikers. However, it’s not a home run in terms of comfort, with a bare-bones wrist strap and abrasive lever locks. Further, the uber-long packed size puts it out of contention for day hikers or runners who routinely store their poles on their pack.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
Weight
1 lb. 0.9 oz.
Type
Telescoping
Shaft Material
Aluminum
Grip Material
Cork
Max/min Length
49.2/35.4 in.
Collapsed Length
25.2 in.
Pros
Cons
Leki Cressida Cork Lite
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Trekking Poles.
Assessing comfort in a trekking pole comes down to how it feels in your hands, and the Leki Cressida Cork Lite (men’s Makalu) is pretty darn plush. The pole’s cork grip is a dream to hold, with undulations that perfectly fit the contours of my hand: a dip for the index finger to rest in, a small bulge to support my wrapped palm, and a ledge to hold the side of my hand. The design meant that my hand did minimal work and stayed in a nice, neutral position. Not only that, but cork absorbs trail vibrations, wicks moisture well (none of the slippery feel you might get with a foam grip), and, like leather, it will only get better with time—so I expect the grips to further mold to the contours of my hand.
My one gripe with the Leki Cressida Cork’s comfort—and the reason it doesn’t receive a perfect 5 out of 5—is its bare-bones wrist straps. The thin, silky-feeling material is super soft and breathable, but it lacks the plush padding you get on trekking poles like the Black Diamond Pursuit. I don’t often wear my pole straps, so this wasn’t a huge detractor for me, but it’s worth considering for those who like the added security and power transfer of a wrist strap. Finally, while this is a very small complaint, I find the Cressida’s lever locks to be fairly sharp when toggling them with my fingertips, and the hand-turnable screws are undeniably abrasive. When contrasted with the soft, rubberized toggle of the Black Diamond Pursuit, the difference in user experience is noteworthy.
A trekking pole’s durability is primarily a function of the shaft materials and diameter as well as how easy the pole is to maintain. Regarding its materials and diameter, the Leki Cressida Cork Lite earns perfect marks. The three-piece telescoping shaft is built of strong yet lightweight HTS 6.5 aluminum and is a hair thicker than my Black Diamond Pursuit FLZ poles (and significantly girthier than my Distance Carbon Z poles). The minimalist Distance Carbon Z poles are my tool of choice in the mountains; in comparison, I was blown away by how much sturdier the Cressida felt—capable of handling any force I might apply to it and causing me zero concern after getting stuck deep in a spring snowpack.
I consider two things for trekking pole maintenance: tip replacement and ease of tightening the lever locks. The Cressida Cork Lite falls short in the first metric, with a fixed carbide tip that will be a bear to swap out when the time comes (this process often necessitates boiling water and a lot of spirited tugging). This is especially worth calling out now that Black Diamond’s newest offerings (like the Distance Carbon Z) feature screw-in tips that are a breeze to replace or swap with rubber tips. In terms of lever-lock maintenance, the Cressida has hand-turnable screws on each lock that are simple to tighten (albeit a bit abrasive on the fingertips).
At 1 pound 0.9 ounces for the women’s Cressida (90 to 125 cm) and 1 pound 1.9 ounces for the men’s Makalu (100 to 135 cm), Leki’s best all-around aluminum pole falls about mid-pack in terms of weight. For comparison, one of its closest competitors, the Black Diamond Pursuit, checks in slightly lighter at 1 pound 0.4 ounces for the smaller size (100 to 125 cm) and 1 pound 1.6 ounces for the larger (100 to 140 cm).
Throughout a four-day hike in Washington’s Enchantments, I had no complaints about the Cressida’s weight; in fact, I appreciated the change of pace from my usual Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z (my 110-cm version is 9.3 oz.), as it lent some confidence and felt more reassuring to wield in deep spring snow and while ascending technical terrain to Asgard Pass. However, the Leki Cressida Cork would be far too heavy for my standard trail or mountain runs, and I wonder about the weight adding up during long days of hiking. If you anticipate wanting to move quickly, I’d recommend opting for a pole that lands well below a pound for the pair—just know that every ounce dropped in weight impacts the pole’s capability of handling heavy force.
The Cressida Cork is a telescoping pole that collapses into itself, resulting in a packed length of 25.2 inches (the men’s Makalu measures 26.4 in.). This is about as long as it gets for a three-piece pole; in other words, packed size is not one of the Cressida’s strengths. On my trip to the Enchantments, the packed size posed little issue as I used my poles for every step of the hike; however, while my hiking partners folded their poles and stored them inside their day packs for the descent off Colchuck Peak, I had no choice but to keep the Cressida out, as it would have been unwieldy affixed to my 22-liter day pack.
Thus, a pole’s packed size is certainly worth considering if you plan to stow your poles in or on your pack (something I commonly do when I need my hands for fourth-class scrambling). In this case, I’d highly recommend considering folding poles, which are available in both adjustable and fixed-length varieties. The Black Diamond Pursuit FLZ and MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon are two of the best adjustable folding poles and collapse down to 14.6 inches and 14.3 inches, respectively.
The Cressida Cork has all the features we’ve come to expect in an all-rounder trekking pole, including an easily adjustable wrist strap, a comfortable cork grip, a choke-up grip large enough to accommodate most hands, lever locks with hand-turnable screws, and a small trekking basket at the base. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were complete trekking poles with no room for improvement. However, given that I’ve also tested the Black Diamond Pursuit, I know the Cressida’s features aren’t quite a home run.
Compared to the Cressida Cork Lite, the Black Diamond Pursuit feels like an upgrade in almost every way. It has a plusher wrist strap that offers a bit of padding, easier-to-toggle lever locks primarily made of metal (the Cressida’s are plastic), and screw-on tips that are much easier to replace than the Cressida’s glued-on tips. Black Diamond also includes powder baskets along with the Pursuit’s trekking baskets. All that, and the Pursuit is still a hair lighter than the Cressida. The Cressida will still appease most backpackers (especially those who don’t know any better), but its slightly above-average feature set only earns it a 3.5 out of 5 on our scale.
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Longevity
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Replacement Parts
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The Leki Cressida Cork Lite comes in just one size, which adjusts from 90 to 125 centimeters (35.4 to 49.2 in.). If you want your pole to max out longer, the men’s Makalu is an identical design with a size range from 100 to 135 centimeters (39.4 to 53.1 in.). I found the Cressida perfect for my 5’6”-tall frame, and it was easy to adjust with the five-centimeter increments marked on the middle and lower shaft. This large range of adjustment is one of the highlights of a telescoping pole, and it comes in handy if you’re swapping your trekking pole between hikers of different sizes or using the pole to set up a trekking pole shelter.
Black Diamond Pursuit ($170): Little Upgrades Add Up
Like the Cressida Cork Lite, Black Diamond’s Pursuit is a great all-around trekking pole that can handle heavy use while remaining comfortable and plush. The Pursuit similarly features a telescoping aluminum build and cork handles, a near-identical weight (it’s 0.5 oz. lighter), and checks in at the same price point. But while it’s hard to discern the differences on paper, the Pursuit has a much more premium feel. It features a plusher wrist strap, primarily metal lever locks (the Leki’s are plastic) that are far less abrasive under the fingers, and a screw-in tip replacement system. Tips are often the first part of a pole to wear out, and compared to the Leki’s more traditional glued-in tips, the screw-ins make maintenance a breeze. Plus, the BD comes with snow baskets, too. Taken together, this makes the Pursuit the more compelling offering for an identical price. For more, read our review of the Black Diamond Pursuit.
REI Co-op Traverse ($119): A Better Value
REI Co-op’s Traverse knocks a full $30 off the price compared to the Leki. What do you lose for going a little cheaper? Not a lot. These aluminum telescoping poles come in two sizes and include trekking and snow baskets. What’s more, the small size—which extends from 95 to 120 centimeters—has a collapsed size about four and a half inches shorter than the Leki. And finally, we’re big fans of the Traverse’s lever-lock tightening system, which involves spinning the large lever rather than toggling a small and abrasive screw (as is the case on the Cressida). The Leki is a good bit lighter (by about 2.5 oz.), but 30 bucks is nothing to scoff at, making the Traverse the overall better value. For more, see our in-depth REI Traverse review.
With a build that’ll last you years (or a lifetime), the Cressida is a great all-around trekking pole that will meet the needs of most backpackers and hikers. However, its features lack a premium finish, and the uber-long packed size puts it out of contention for day hikers or runners who routinely store their poles on their pack.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
A standout all-rounder, the durable and comfortable Pursuit is ideal for hikers and backpackers who aren’t counting every ounce. The feature set is innovative and thoughtful, too, including an integrated lever-tightening tool and replaceable tips.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
A durable, do-all option that won’t break the bank, REI Co-op’s aluminum Traverse is suitable for everything from casual day hiking to lengthy backpacks. Tool-free adjustments and included rubber tips are two main highlights. However, the relatively heavy construction will take it off the list for ounce-counters.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
Is the Cressida Cork Lite for You?
If you’re a recreational hiker looking for a durable trekking pole that will last you for the rest of your hiking career, the Leki Cressida Cork Lite should be near the top of your list. Not only is it accompanied by Leki’s lifetime warranty (a guarantee they offer for all their aluminum trekking poles), but it’s also built to last, with a beefy aluminum shaft and easily maintainable lever locks. However, it trails a bit behind the competition in terms of user-friendliness: Trekking poles like the Black Diamond Pursuit and REI Co-op Traverse offer plusher-feeling wrist straps, beefier and more manageable lever locks, and include snow baskets with purchase. Finally, if a compact packed size matters to you, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
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