Leki Drifter Vario S

The Drifter Vario S is LEKI's adjustable junior alpine pole, built on an HTS 5.5 aluminum shaft that runs 14mm at the top and tapers to 12mm — a proven two-piece construction that keeps weight down to around 221 grams per pole while staying stiff enough to not feel sloppy underfoot. The SpeedLock 1 Plus system lets you dial the length anywhere between 90 and 120 cm with gloves on, which matters when you're adjusting for a growing kid mid-season rather than hunting for a hex key in the lodge. The Trigger S SL grip runs in a compact size scaled for smaller hands, and the Trigger Vario Strap clips in and out at the push of a button — no threading wrists through a loop, and the release function means the pole drops away cleanly in a fall rather than torquing a shoulder. The Cobra Alpine basket is a tight, compact disc sized for groomed and packed snow, not powder days.

This pole is built for kids and early teens on resort terrain — beginners through solid intermediates who are still in a growth phase and need a pole that can stretch with them across a season or two rather than requiring a replacement every spring. The adjustable shaft solves the fit problem without compromise on build quality, which is the whole point at this age. That said, if your kid has finished growing or is at a level where a fixed-length pole with a more specialized grip would serve them better, it is worth stepping up to a fixed junior or adult entry-level pole. Likewise, this is a groomed-trail basket — it is not intended for powder skiing or backcountry use. For adult beginners or smaller adults who land at the top of this size range, we would still steer you toward a fixed adult pole; the Drifter Vario S is sized and gripped specifically for youth hands.