Gear Review
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of testing LEKI’s new Griffin Pro 3D gloves and the Detect S ski poles. While gloves and poles are usually an afterthought, my experience skiing with these products has altered my thinking. From the effectiveness and ease of use of the Trigger System to the overall feel and functionality of the new Griffon Pro 3D gloves, I now understand why I see LEKI everywhere around the resorts.
Griffin Pro 3D Gloves
I received the gloves first and wanted to test them to see how they compared to my current mittens. Since I have never used any LEKI products before, I was very excited to see what all the fuss was about. When I removed the gloves from the packaging, I was intrigued by the Trigger System design and how it would perform while skiing. During my first day wearing them, the Trigger System loop never impeded my ability to get a good grip on my old, non-LEKI Trigger System poles. Thanks to extra padding throughout the gloves, the bulky look and feel hardly affected my dexterity and even protected my hands during some tight tree-skiing and when I fell on some rails.
After a handful of days, a few major takeaways proved to me why this is a stand-out glove. First, my hands remained at a perfectly balanced temperature throughout the day. The liner (made of Micro Bemberg) is soft and breathable, while the insulation (Primaloft®️ Gold) kept me plenty warm when the Tahoe region experienced some whipping east winds and cold temperatures. Another impression is just how durable and thoughtfully well-made these gloves are. The Trigger Loop is sewn directly into the glove, which helps provide exceptional control and power transfer from the palm directly to the grip of your pole. From the premium goatskin leather palms to the extra padded feel that grew on me over time, these LEKI gloves feel like they are built to last and excel your skiing.
Detect S Ski Poles
When the poles arrived a few days later, I was ready to put the Trigger System to the test with the combination of the Griffin Pro 3D gloves and Detect S ski poles. I’m 5’9″ (175 cm), so I chose a 120 cm pole size based on the sizing guide. Lightweight but durable aluminum HTS 6.0 in the shaft contributes to an overall weight of just 241 grams per pole in the 120 cm, plus or minus nine grams per size up or down. The grips feature the Trigger 3D ProG with 220 degrees of release and include a set of Mesh Frame Straps, which you can wear over any glove or mitten, if not wearing LEKI gloves, to make it compatible with the Trigger System poles.
As someone who only occasionally uses the pole straps around my wrists (thanks to prior injuries), the Trigger System is an absolute game changer. I could notice the “locked-in” power transfer from my hand to my pole when planting, whether in a foot of fresh or a hard-pack groomer day. Combine that feeling of oneness with the low swing weight, carbide tips, and different style baskets for various conditions, and voila! Pure perfection in a set of poles.
Final Thoughts Testing Out LEKI’s Products
Since receiving these two products, I feel like I’ve been having more fun out on the mountain. While the Trigger System concept has been around for over 20 years, the new-to-me technology genuinely improved my skiing. On steeper, more technical terrain, I noticed an increase in my confidence in making turns around my pole plant. Instead of fidgeting with my pole straps (or not using them at all), it takes me less than a second to get a locked-in feeling from my gloves to poles. With so many positives and not a single negative thing to say, I will very likely be a LEKI customer for life now.
