Built for young racers stepping into the gates, the Leki WCR Evo Lite SL TR is a junior slalom pole with an aerodynamic aluminum shaft and a compact grip sized for smaller hands. It shares the click-in, releasing strap system found on Leki's adult race poles. Kids get a pole that holds up to gate hits, fits their grip properly, and frees their hand in a fall.

Why we like it:

Junior racers get the real thing here: the same multidirectional release grip system the older athletes run, scaled down so a smaller hand can actually wrap it and control the plant.

Features and Functions:

The shaft is Leki's HTS 6.5 aluminum in a 16mm Airfoil profile, a robust tube shaped to withstand the rigors of gate impact while reducing wind resistance and vibration. Up top, the Trigger 3D SL Compact grip is a slalom handle sized for smaller hands, with four non-slip finger channels for a secure hold. It works with the Trigger Vario Strap, which uses an integrated Trigger loop to click into the grip and release in multiple directions, giving young racers a direct connection between glove and pole that still lets go in a crash. Down low, a steel tip with a carbide spike bites into snow and ice for a precise plant, and the race basket replaces without tools.

Bottom Line:

The Evo Lite SL TR is the pole for junior racers starting to take slalom seriously, whether that's a first season in a club program or a young athlete moving into bigger courses. It gives them proper race geometry and a safety release in a package sized for where they are right now.