Not All Poles Are Made Equally: The Technical Truth Behind Trail and Ultra Running Performance
Every casual runner who transitions to the ultra-distance circuit eventually faces a crossroads: the decision to invest in a pair of running poles. To the untrained eye, they all look alike—a stick, a handle, a tip. This is where the casual runner makes a mistake. For the performance athlete, poles are not accessories; they are a critical extension of the body, a kinetic energy transfer system that can save thousands of vertical meters of effort, especially over 100 miles.
This article is for the runner who is ready to move beyond the entry-level equipment that will fail when you need it most. We are not just comparing features; we are diving into the molecular structure of the materials, the proprietary production processes, and the geographical location of the manufacturing that separates a true performance tool from a trail toy.
The premise is simple, yet often overlooked: not all poles are made equally. The differentiators are purely technical: the grade of the materials, the precision of the manufacturing, and the resulting strength-to-weight ratio under duress.
In the highly competitive world of trail running poles, two names dominate: the established global powerhouse Leki and the disruptive challenger, UK-based, quality-obsessed engineering specialist, Mountain King.
After a meticulous technical comparison, we will demonstrate why Mountain King, with its deep-rooted focus on material integrity and unwavering production standards, emerges as the superior, more defensible choice for the elite and aspiring ultra-runner.
Probably the best trail and ultra running poles in the world - Mountain King
The Pole Shaft:
A pole's shaft material dictates its three most critical performance characteristics: weight (swing weight), stiffness (energy transfer), and durability (stress tolerance). Leki, Harrier, and Mountain King all offer carbon and aluminum options, but their choice of material grade and subsequent treatment is where the true performance gap is created.
Carbon Fiber: The Quest for Ultimate Lightness
Carbon fiber is the industry gold standard for performance, lauded for its exceptional lightness and stiffness. However, the term "carbon fiber" is a broad umbrella.
Leki: The Modulus of Stiffness
Leki, in models like the Micro Trail Pro, proudly utilizes 100% Highly Modular (HM) Carbon. The "modulus" refers to the carbon's stiffness. High-modulus carbon is exceptionally rigid, which translates into an incredibly efficient pole plant. When you push, nearly all your force is transferred directly into the ground, minimizing energy loss through shaft flex or vibration. This stiffness is a significant advantage in a flat-out race scenario, especially on steep, even terrain.
The Trade-off: High-modulus carbon, while stiffer, can be more brittle than lower-modulus grades. Under a sudden, high-impact lateral load (e.g., snagging the pole tip between rocks or falling on the pole), this material tends to splinter and snap rather than bend. For a runner operating in the 'red zone' over 100 miles, this structural failure is a race-ender.
Harrier:
Harrier, with its Helvellyn PRO Carbon poles, uses 100% 4K Carbon construction. While the "4K" refers to the weave structure (4,000 filaments per tow), the core focus here is achieving a race-ready weight and stiffness at a more accessible price point, but with the significantly lower grade material, the weight of the poles go up, to over double the weight per pole compared to Mountain King.
The Question of Grade: While Harrier delivers on its promise of lightness, the specific Toray or equivalent tensile-strength grade of the carbon is often less emphasized than in premium offerings. The implication is that to hit a lower price point, the ultimate level of material resilience or stiffness-per-gram might be marginally compromised compared to the highest-end, specifically engineered composites.
Mountain King: UK Engineering, Uncompromising Resilience
Mountain King takes a different, more performance based and race focused approach to carbon and material specification, focusing on the ultimate integrity of the pole. For their flagship SkyRunner RaceDay and SkyRunner Edge series, we specify the use of 100% Toray 800 Carbon Fiber, turned into RDC carbon fibre.
The Technical Edge: Toray is the world's leading carbon fiber manufacturers, and the T800 grade represents a significant step up in the strength-to-weight hierarchy. T800 provides exceptional stiffness (rivaling Leki's HM) but is engineered with superior tensile strength and impact resistance. This translates to a pole that is not only ultra-light but is designed to endure the unexpected trauma of a brutal ultra-marathon course. Where Leki prioritizes pure rigidity and Harrier focuses on value, Mountain King’s material selection is an engineering solution for resilience and longevity at a minimal weight penalty.
Aluminum: The Unsung Hero, Redefined
Aluminum is often dismissed by "performance" runners, yet Mountain King has engineered its aluminum offerings to be a performance category in themselves.
The Mountain King Aluminum Advantage
The Mountain King Trail Blaze Aluminium pole is a masterclass in proprietary metallurgy, leveraging Aerospace-Grade Aluminum Alloy.
The Production Differentiator: Unlike common aluminium poles, Mountain King's shafts undergo a special Heat Treatment and Anodizing Process in our UK facility in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Heat Treatment: This process hardens the aluminum, significantly improving its tensile strength and fatigue resistance. It increases the pole’s ability to handle greater forces without bending or deforming.
Anodizing: This creates a thick, durable, corrosion-resistant outer layer, protecting the pole from the elements and abrasions of trail use.
The result is an aluminum pole so meticulously treated that it achieves a strength-to-weight ratio that rivals or even outperforms basic carbon models from competitors. The Trail Blaze poles, weighing as little as 115g per pole, are a lighter and far more impact-resistant alternative than many carbon poles on the market. For a beginner or veteran ultra-runner frequently encountering rocky, aggressive, or unpredictable terrain, the MK aluminum pole is arguably the most defensible choice against equipment failure.
The true cost of a pole is not just the raw material; it is the quality of the final construction and the proprietary systems that integrate the pole with the runner.
Mountain King: The UK-Made Quality Mandate
Mountain King proudly bases its design and manufacturing in the United Kingdom. This is perhaps its most significant production quality differentiator.
The QC Advantage: Domestic, in-house manufacturing allows for strict, end-to-end quality control (QC). Every pole is meticulously checked, treated, started and finished on-site. This closed-loop process ensures that the high-grade materials (like the 7075 aluminum and Toray 800 carbon) are assembled with the precision they deserve, minimising manufacturing variances and guaranteeing consistency. When you are 80 miles into a race, you need a guarantee of quality that only direct oversight can provide. While Harrier and Leki continue to be made in the far east through third party factories, removing the quality control aspect away from their brands, something as races and events become tougher has the potential to have series implication of the amount their poles can tolerate before breaking or being damaged.
Why Mountain King is the Performance Runner’s Defensible Choice
For the casual runner seeking a performance upgrade, the decision must be based on which pole offers the highest degree of confidence when the margin for error is zero.
When you are facing a massive vertical climb in the dark, thirty hours into an ultra, your poles must be an unquestioned source of support. You need a shaft that has been proven to resist bending, snap, and fatigue. You need a quality guarantee from a manufacturer whose entire reputation is built on the integrity of the material they choose and the process they employ.
The casual runner chooses a pole based on weight. The performance athlete chooses a pole based on material integrity and production quality. The technical specification, the heat treatment, and the UK-based QC of the Mountain King poles elevate them from a piece of gear to an engineered tool—a defensible, superior, and ultimately more reliable investment for conquering the world’s toughest trails.
It is time to convert from a casual runner to a performance user. Choose resilience. Choose engineering. Choose Mountain King.