Review: Mountain King TrailBlaze Skyrunner Ultra Carbon Poles
The world's lightest running poles? At just 99 grams each for a 105cm pole, Mountain King's SkyRunner Ultras are hard to beat.
Zak Emerson puts them through their paces in the sideways weather of North Wales, before taking them for a 100km UTMB ultra beating across the rocky mountains of Mallorca.
Price
£140
Gender
All runners
Brand // Manufacturer
Mountain King, Newcastle, UK.
What we liked
Ridiculously light — just 104g per pole (115cm).
Three-section design — slips neatly into a running vest quiver without snagging.
Clever Neo System — simple, secure cord management. No dangling distractions.
Repairable construction — replacement sections, tips and cords readily available.
Made in Britain — quality manufacturing and helpful customer service.
Great colours — from understated blacks to full serotonin-inducing neon.
What we didn’t
Carbon requires care — less forgiving than aluminium if wedged between rocks or subjected to sideways loads.
Not cheap — around £145 a pair, although arguably good value over time.
The Verdict
THE SHORT READ…
Ridiculously light, cleverly designed and surprisingly tough, Mountain King's SkyRunner Ultras have proved themselves across Snowdonia's roughest terrain and 100km of rocky racing in Mallorca.
Favoured by plenty of pro athletes, and weighing just 104g per pole for 115cm size, they're a brilliant bit of kit for mountain runners looking to shed weight without sacrificing practicality.
THE LONG READ …
I've had a pair of aluminium Mountain King running poles for eight seasons now. They've been brilliant. Dependable, simple, and still going strong. So why replace them?
“Well, I’ve become a little obsessed with shaving grams off my ultra-running kit.
This year, I’ve been looking at pretty much every element of my setup, trying to make the whole thing as light and efficient as possible.
When you’re facing 6,500 metres of ascent over some thoroughly unpleasant mountain terrain, every gram counts. Small savings add up over a very long day.”
Which brings me to the Mountain King SkyRunner Ultra.
Made from 100% Toray T800 carbon fibre, they're quite ridiculously light. My 115cm poles weigh just 104 grams each, and the shortest version comes in at a frankly silly 99 grams.
Mountain King claims they're the lightest carbon running poles in the world. I haven't independently weighed every pole on the planet, but I've certainly struggled to find anything lighter. Readers, do write in if you know otherwise.
But weight is only half the story. In an ultra, kit needs to work. Quickly, reliably, and preferably without requiring a degree in mechanical engineering when you're knackered.
Why poles, anyway?
Let's face it, running gear isn't exactly cool. I've made my peace with that. But poles make an awful lot of sense when you're hauling yourself up and down mountains for hours on end.
Some estimates suggest poles can reduce the effort required from your legs by around 25% on steep climbs, spreading the load across other muscle groups. The precise saving is debatable, but the logic is sound. And it's striking how often you see pole users overtaking non-pole users later in ultra races. Elite runners are a different breed, of course. I'm certainly not one of them.
On technical descents, I notice plenty of runners carrying their poles rather than using them. It's entirely subjective, but I prefer to use mine a little like ski poles, planting them every other step or so. It doesn't slow me down, and they've saved my bacon more than once when I've skidded or caught a toe, particularly during tired, late-night sections.
It's a technique worth experimenting with. A well-placed pole can be a reassuring third point of contact when your legs and brain are beginning to disagree about where the ground is.
Three sections, less faff
My old Mountain King poles fold into four sections. They're compact, but occasionally snag when pulling them from the quiver mounted behind the shoulder of my running vest.
For the new SkyRunners, I requested a three-section configuration instead. They fold into a slim bundle that slips perfectly into my quiver. Less faffing about, fewer snags, and a smoother transition between running and climbing.
The poles also feature Mountain King's Neo System, a simple but clever improvement to the folding mechanism.
Anyone familiar with Mountain King will know the routine. Hold the handle, let the sections drop, then pull the cord until the little knot slides into its groove, locking the pole together.
On my older poles, the loose cord is secured with a Velcro tab. After years of use, the Velcro loses its stickiness or falls off altogether.
The Neo System replaces this with a small tab on the cord that tucks neatly into the handle. Throughout testing, the cords never came loose, and there was none of the annoying dangling I'd occasionally experienced with my old poles.
A minor detail, perhaps, but on a technical, no-fall-zone descent, the last thing you need is a bit of string flapping around in your field of vision.
Durability + common sense
Carbon fibre is less forgiving than aluminium, and these poles deserve a little respect. A deft placement helps, particularly on rocky terrain where it's easy to wedge a tip somewhere it shouldn't be.
Mountain King offers two constructions: the full-carbon version I've been testing, and another with aluminium reinforcement at the section joins, adding only a little extra weight. I chose full carbon to see just how far I could push the featherweight approach.
So far, so good.
I've tested them on the nasty scree and technical terrain of North Wales, followed by the UTMB Mallorca 104km ultra, with nearly 4,000 metres of ascent over relentlessly rocky, craggy ground. Hardly a gentle introduction, and they've performed brilliantly.
For reference, I'm 173cm tall and weigh 68kg, so I'm a relatively lightweight runner. A heavier runner might put considerably more force through their poles, worth considering when choosing between constructions.
Of course, accidents happen. Push too hard on a badly placed pole, forget to slip your hands out of the straps on a descent, or get a tip wedged between rocks while you carry on running, and something may eventually give.
Thankfully, Mountain King makes repairs straightforward. Replacement tips, sections and even the internal cord are available, and the team is genuinely helpful.
My eight-year-old aluminium poles are testament to that. Lightweight doesn't have to mean disposable.
The little things
Colours: Mountain King offers all manner of colourways. If you're a discreet greys-and-blacks person, they've got you covered. If, like me, your tastes lean a little more Scandi, there's wild pink, neon green and blue.
I'm a big believer in serotonin colourways. A splash of something cheerful can do wonders when you're battling a gale-force storm or sitting at an aid station in the middle of the night feeling thoroughly rinsed. If you're going to suffer, you might as well do it in Technicolor.
Grip: Comfort is personal. I find the SkyRunners comfortable, with a pleasingly simple shape. Others are more ergonomically sculpted, but I like the no-nonsense approach. The open construction drains moisture nicely, helping keep hands from getting sweaty.
I've read reviews from runners who found the grip uncomfortable over long or multi-day races, but I've never experienced this myself. Even after 104km in Mallorca, or multiple days on the Dragon's Back Race, I've had no complaints.
Tips and traction: The carbide tips are reassuringly grippy on loose scree and rocky trails, although no pole is immune to the occasional skate across smooth rock. Good placement remains key.
Pole length: At 173cm tall, I've gone for the 115cm poles, which feel just right for me. As a general rule, when standing upright with the pole planted on level ground, your elbow should form a nice L-shaped, 90-degree angle. Beyond that, it's a personal thing. You want a comfortable, natural position that works on steep climbs without feeling awkward on flatter ground.
Snow — not just for runners?
Mountain King is clear that its poles aren't tested for winter sports. That said, as a skier, snowboarder and splitboarder, I've used Mountain King poles for backcountry touring for many seasons.
There are limits. If you're a snowboarder who's fallen in deep powder, these aren't the poles to lean your entire body weight onto while hauling yourself upright.
But for touring and skinning, I've found lightweight poles a joy. Plenty of dedicated winter poles are unnecessarily heavy and clunky, in my opinion. Even resort skiing feels lovely with poles you barely notice you're holding.
This is my experience with Mountain King poles over the years, rather than a recommendation to use the SkyRunner Ultras outside their intended conditions.
Made in Britain, built to last
Another thing I love about Mountain King is that the poles are made here in Britain. In an industry where so much kit travels halfway around the planet, that's refreshing.
Add the availability of replacement parts and my original pair surviving eight seasons, and there's a pleasingly old-fashioned commitment to making things that last.
Price and verdict
At around £140 a pair, they're not cheap, especially when my old aluminium Mountain Kings are still going strong. Shop around for less in some places.
But for the weight saving, clever design improvements and repairability, I think they're a worthwhile investment. Spread the cost over years of mountain adventures and it starts looking pretty reasonable.
Would I buy them again? Absolutely.
They're wonderfully light, simple to use and have survived some thoroughly unpleasant mountain terrain without complaint. The three-section configuration works beautifully with my running vest, and the Neo System is a genuinely useful improvement.
Heavier runners, or those who lean hard on their poles, might consider the aluminium-reinforced version for extra peace of mind.
For me, the SkyRunners hit a lovely sweet spot between featherweight performance and everyday practicality.
Less weight, less faff, more running. What's not to like?
SUMMARY…
Ridiculously light, surprisingly tough and cleverly designed, Mountain King's SkyRunner Ultras deliver featherweight performance without compromising practicality, even over the roughest mountain terrain.