Hiking Staff?

HikingMano

HikingMano

Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
7,702
Hello Guys,

I've been thinking about getting a decent hiking staff, any suggestions for commercial ones or makers here on BF? I did a search of the forums, but most of what i found dealt more specifically with trekking poles, and I'm leaning more towards a wooden staff (on the lighter side without sacrificing too much strength if possible) for the quiet and solidity. I want one primarily to offset weight and to aid in balance, but I've also seen a few rattlers (even on well traveled trails) this summer and would like something with some reach to move them out of the way.

Please feel free to post links to past threads if I somehow missed the good ones (Got many results, didn't have time to filter through all of them).

Thanks in advance!
 
They are hardwood staffs and I bought some leather lacing and stain and helped each kid personalize their own. Hey for $5 you can't beat it. Personalize it and make it you own.:)[/QUOTE]

Great deal!!!
 
I had pretty good luck at the hardware store. I think it was a rake handle (straight grain Ash, about 5' long) and it lasted several years...cheap too!
 
jll346 said:
They are hardwood staffs and I bought some leather lacing and stain and helped each kid personalize their own. Hey for $5 you can't beat it. Personalize it and make it you own.:)
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Great deal!!!
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They MAY be hardwood. Some are not. (We have a good many pieces. They work fairly well for spindles for fire-by-friction. Yellow Poplar?) Check the grain. The stick should ring when dropped end-first on a hard floor.
 
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A house down the street had some bambo growing. One evening walking by i cut one for my self. At home i cut it to my lengh let it dry for a month. Been using it for the last 3 years. I use it to poke under rocks or move the rocks out of the way when Geocaching. Too many snakes to watch for. Its light weight stonger then it should be for the thickness. Very little wear on it and i forgot i put some shrink wrap on the bottom to give it some extra strengh.

Sasha
 
Cgd160, that is a pretty cool hiking staff! If you want to spend money, that is the one I'd personally purchase. If you don't want to spend much money, I would go with a bamboo staff about 1" in diameter and fashion a pointy tip insert. You can buy bamboo stock on the internet pretty cheaply. 56" sounds about right. I could live with 48" if I had to. Just search. Otherwise, I'd get a good strong hickory pole and thin it down to about the thickness you feel comfortable with.
 
Thomas Linton said:
They MAY be hardwood. Some are not. (We have a good many pieces. They work fairly well for spindles for fire-by-friction. Yellow Poplar?) Check the grain. The stick should ring when dropped end-first on a hard floor.
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The ones we bought (probably about five years ago) were all hardwood. Not sure what they're using now. By the way I like the one from Cabela's too.
 
22-rimfire said:
Cgd160, that is a pretty cool hiking staff! If you want to spend money, that is the one I'd personally purchase. If you don't want to spend much money, I would go with a bamboo staff about 1" in diameter and fashion a pointy tip insert. You can buy bamboo stock on the internet pretty cheaply. 56" sounds about right. I could live with 48" if I had to. Just search. Otherwise, I'd get a good strong hickory pole and thin it down to about the thickness you feel comfortable with.
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The Kingfisher ones are definitely pricey :). I ordered one with the best wood they offered and had it done to 60 1/2 inches. It was cheaper a couple years ago and IMHO worth every penny. Strong, light and stylish :D.
 
Rattan is another giant grass like bamboo, however Rattan has a solid core where bamboo is hollow. this makes Rattan much stronger when any lateral stress is put on the staff with out a noticeable increase in weight. Look in your area for stores that sell cane and Rattan furniture. Check nursery's that grow Bamboo. Met a guy a while back that grew his own walking sticks. He gave me one, been using it for around 10 years.
 
The Cabela'staff adjusts and is very light weight. It has a sling so you can strap it over your shoulder if you are not using it. I have bought half a dozen of them and gave them as Xmas presents to my kids, son-in-law and nephew. My wife would never use one and started to use mine and I couldn't get it back from her. She loves it because of the light weight. The little survival tube inside the top holds matches, some fishing hooks, string and a few other small items. The compass on top is okay. By the way it is now on sale for $29.95. It folds down so it has gone on three plane trips out west with me.
 
Good info everyone, nice to have options to look into. I agree, that kingfisher one looks mighty fine...but my wallet thinks those ladies might be out of it's league right now :) It's bookmarked though, thanks cgd160! I might change my mind and get it for christmas...

Great ideas guys, thanks again, I will be looking into each :thumbup::D
 
Walking sticks are one of my other compulsions. I'm lucky enough to live near hardwoods and cutting your own hickory sapling or sourwood sapling or straight limb to fit can move on to REALLY intense stuff. (Google "thumbsticks" and see what I mean, especially the UK ones.)
If you cut a sapling the right diameter, you get a stronger stick than if you whittle one down. When you reduce the diameter, you are slicing some of the fibers off. Whole sticks have fibers that run completely through them and are much stonger.

I make canes and staffs. The nice thing about collecting sticks to make into canes or staffs is they're free, and if you get too many to finish, they rot. Then you don't have to figure out what to do with them. You can then go out and guiltlessly collect more.
 
Just to throw it out there-



A free and easy option is to cut down a young sapling. Stripping the bark is simple if it is still green. You wont even really need to sand it. You can put a cane tip on it if you want to. Whittle the ends to your liking and then leave it in the sun. It is pretty easy to find one that is straight. I know you are looking to buy, but it is really easy to make one this way.
 
mrjed said:
Walking sticks are one of my other compulsions. I'm lucky enough to live near hardwoods and cutting your own hickory sapling or sourwood sapling or straight limb to fit can move on to REALLY intense stuff. (Google "thumbsticks" and see what I mean, especially the UK ones.)
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I see! Speaking of hardwoods, what do people find ideal for hiking staffs? Hickory, ash, sourwood, maple...what do you prefer? The next time i go out, I'm going to try to find a good sapling and take a shot at making one for myself. How long would you have to leave it in the sun, jlouis976?
 
rksoon said:
I see! Speaking of hardwoods, what do people find ideal for hiking staffs? Hickory, ash, sourwood, maple...what do you prefer? The next time i go out, I'm going to try to find a good sapling and take a shot at making one for myself. How long would you have to leave it in the sun, jlouis976?
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Go by feel. The sapling will feel damp after you strip the bark. It depends on your area but it took about 2 days here in the hot summer sun of Missouri for the staff to be bone dry.
 
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