LEKI MAKALU FX CARBON AS Trekking Poles review

The MAKALU FX CARBON AS combines a folding shaft, an adjustable external lever and LEKI’s Dynamic Suspension System (DSS) in one current trekking-pole family. Its most important choice is not a cosmetic one: the compact and standard variants have different SKU, grip size, working range, section count and packed length. Choose the exact size plan first, then decide whether its stated dimensions and a documented shock mechanism match your needs.

Two size plans with different limits

The LEKI U.S. product page and variant feed identify compact SKU 65620632C in pale clay and standard SKU 65620631S in green-blue. The compact plan is listed for 100–120 cm, with a 41 cm pack size, four sections and a 247 g per-pole weight. The standard plan is 110–130 cm, packs to 40 cm, has five sections and is listed at 258 g per pole. The ranges overlap at 110–120 cm, but these are not interchangeable arrangements: a requirement for a 125 or 130 cm setting rules out the compact size, while the compact handle is a distinct grip-size choice.

Both versions are foldable and adjustable. LEKI identifies ELD as the folding system and Speed Lock 2 Plus as the external lever used to set the working length. This is useful if you want a pole that stows in sections and can still be lengthened or shortened on the trail. It is not the same layout as a telescoping three-section pole such as the Makalu Lite AS, and it is not fixed-length like some button-joint models.

What the AS designation adds

The page describes the AS version as equipped with the Dynamic Suspension System, an elastomer mechanism at the tip. LEKI says the system is intended to reduce impact on joints, muscles and ligaments by up to 40 percent. That percentage is the manufacturer’s claim, not a result from our testing, and it should not be read as a medical outcome or a guarantee of comfort. The page specifically cautions users to keep DSS tips paired with baskets; follow the current instructions rather than substituting a tip or running the system bare.

The shaft description is also more nuanced than the product’s name suggests. The upper section is listed as PRC 1000 carbon and the lower part as HTS 6.5 aluminum, not an all-carbon shaft. The Aergon Air grip is described as EVA foam with a rubberized grip head, and a foam extension provides alternate hand positions. The model table lists a Trekking 2.0 basket and a folding-pole storage bag. A Snowflake Basket appears in a separate accessory module, so snow-basket inclusion is not established by the product page.

Compared with the non-AS and cork versions

The similar Makalu FX Carbon offers the same general folding-and-lever format and two compact/standard ranges, but its page does not document the DSS mechanism and lists carbon for both shaft parts. The AS edition trades that all-carbon specification for a carbon upper/aluminum lower arrangement and adds the integrated suspension feature. The Makalu Pro FX Carbon uses a cork-contact grip, has one 110–130 cm standard-size SKU, and likewise does not list DSS. These differences are more informative than comparing color names or product slogans.

The listed weights—247 g and 258 g per pole—are meaningful for carrying comparisons but are not a substitute for choosing a range that fits. The standard plan reaches 130 cm; the compact plan stops at 120 cm. If your pole-setting check lands above 120 cm, do not let the compact grip appeal outweigh the missing range. If your hard pack ceiling is below 40 cm, neither published collapse dimension meets it.

Fit checks and limitations

Before ordering, verify the full SKU suffix and selected color: 65620632C denotes the compact size, while 65620631S is the standard size. Confirm that the seller’s package matches LEKI’s pair listing and includes the described trekking basket, DSS tip and folding bag; do not assume the Snowflake Basket is bundled. Check your preferred pole setting against the range for that SKU, then verify that its 40 or 41 cm folded length fits the actual sleeve or pack compartment you use.

This is a strong paper match only when folding storage, continuous lever adjustment and the documented DSS system all matter together. The review does not establish how the suspension feels on a specific trail, whether its claim is perceptible to you, or how the pole withstands impacts. Those questions need the manufacturer’s operating guidance and your own safe fit check. This assessment uses the current U.S. listing and variant data; it does not claim ownership or hands-on testing.