Komperdell Poles Review: Erlkönig FXP vs Composite Trail on Test
We tested two of Komperdell’s standouts — the featherlight Erlkönig FXP and the colourful FXP Composite Trail — across wet and dry conditions.
When the temperatures drop and the trails turn slick with rain and mud, a reliable set of poles can save you from looking like Bambi on ice.
Over the colder months, I tested out two of Komperdell’s finest – the sleek Erlkönig FXP and the colourful FXP Composite Trail poles. Spoiler: both came out winners, and they’ll be just as handy for dusty summer climbs as they were for the storm season (warmer weather started kicking in just before TRM deadline, so I took them out on some dry trails too!).
Erlkönig FXP: Lightweight Performance on Test
The Erlkönig FXP – made from Ultrathin Carbon 14mm – are seriously feather-light, about 167g per pole (at 125cm). Mine are a height of 135cm, so each pole weighs in at 173g. Blink, and you’ll forget they’re in your hands… until you hit a rocky climb and realise that carbon stiffness is working hard for you. The folding mechanism is pure trail magic, and they have fly sport straps for easy handling and maximum power transmission.
The slim, tape-wrapped grips stayed sticky in wet gloves all winter, and in warmer weather they won’t turn sweaty, grubby palms into slip ‘n slides either. Bonus points for the swirly black-and-white design. They’re runway ready.
FXP Composite Trail: Fun Meets Function
Then there’s the FXP Composite Trails, the fun sibling who shows up to all the family barbeques in brighter colours. Mine are unapologetically hot pink (and they arrived with extra pink tape, because why not?!), and they’re available in other shades if pink-on-pink isn’t your thang. They’re slightly heavier than the Erlkönig FXPs, as they’re made out of Carbon 16mm, but still light enough to swing around without thinking.
Every time I pull them out of my pack, they put a smile on my dial – sometimes gear should be fun as well as functional.
Folding Mechanism and Packability
Both poles are available in fixed lengths ranging from 70-170cm in 5cm increments, and are compact at about 45cm when folded.
Both sets prove that poles don’t need bells and whistles to earn their keep. They’re reliable, weather-proof, and thanks to clever design, far easier to live with than most bits of trail kit. No drama, just solid performance.
Check conversion rates for cost in AUD/NZD, but note Komperdell poles are also sold at various retailers across AU and NZ.
Vitals
RRP Erlkönig FXP £249.95
RRP FXP Composite Trail £169.95
