Leki

LEKI had its start in Kirchheim, Germany, as a hobby of its founder, airframe mechanic and avid skier Karl Lenhart. The name is a combination of "LE" from Lenhart and "KI" from the town of Kirchheim/Teck, Germany.

Lenhart believed aluminum would make a superior ski pole compared to the heavy metal models available in the 1940s. After successfully creating lightweight poles for his friends, in 1954, the hobby became a full-time business.

LEKI originated the use of nylon webbing for straps and created plastic molded grips and baskets in place of metal and leather. Additionally, Lenhart developed an aluminum-tempered process that produces pole shafts with incomparable strength, durability, and reliability.

LEKI began manufacturing hiking poles primarily for European mountain guides. The concept of using two poles as a means of relieving stress on knee joints and the lower back appealed to climbers who also saw benefits in performance and safety. LEKI poles eventually caught on with the general hiking and trekking population that recognized and appreciated the preventive health benefits as well as the climbing support and stabilizing effects.