Hiking Sticks

[+sweetolebob]

Hi just wondering if anyone knows where I can get a good lightweight hiking stick cheap, under $5. (my initials are s.o.b. and I'm a cheap one too!) I like the ones the Bass Pro Shops have but am not stupid enough to pay fifty or sixty bucks for a stick. I don't want a normal cane that people with a limp would use you can get those anywhere, I want one that looks like real wood or is real wood if its light enough. Or does anyone know how to make one that won't rot, break easily, etc.? The sticks I find while hiking typically are way to heavy or break easily. What kind of would should I use, what should I treat it with, stuff like that. I would rather buy one and spend the time caching not sanding wood if you know what i mean.

 

I could use it playing the local disc golf course as well, the terrain there is worse than most places you would hunt a cache. LOL good exercise though!

 

Thanks!

[+Renegade Knight]

I spent 10 bucks for a Sheephearders staff. Very handy. My kids find hicking sticks all the time and use what they find in the woods. They could care less that they have the collapsable ones.

 

In your price range you can either hold out for a gift, or find one you like when out hiking and fix it up youself.

[+StarBrand]

El Diablo is the master hiking stick craftsman around here - search for old topics - he has some good advice about making them yourself - might give insight as to why they cost $60+

[+BigWhiteTruck]

Find an old broom, cut off the broom head, wrap one end in cloth (medical, sports) tape for a handle.

 

That's the best I got for you.

 

You aren't willing to make one for yourself, but you aren't willing to pay more than $5? Who in the world is going to sell you one for $5 that they made themselves? Not me.

 

I got a couple nice ones that you can buy for around $50. . .

[+briansnat]

Under $5 bucks? Try a broom stick or an old hockey stick with the blade sawn off.

Edited April 13, 2006 by briansnat

[+El Diablo]

Hi just wondering if anyone knows where I can get a good lightweight hiking stick cheap, under $5. (my initials are s.o.b. and I'm a cheap one too!) I like the ones the Bass Pro Shops have but am not stupid enough to pay fifty or sixty bucks for a stick. I don't want a normal cane that people with a limp would use you can get those anywhere, I want one that looks like real wood or is real wood if its light enough. Or does anyone know how to make one that won't rot, break easily, etc.? The sticks I find while hiking typically are way to heavy or break easily. What kind of would should I use, what should I treat it with, stuff like that. I would rather buy one and spend the time caching not sanding wood if you know what i mean.

 

I could use it playing the local disc golf course as well, the terrain there is worse than most places you would hunt a cache. LOL good exercise though!

 

Thanks!

 

Dude...you made me commit alcohol abuse (I spewed beer all over my keyboard). Seriously though, I don't think you will find one in that price range, even if you make your own.

 

El Diablo

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Not sure if it helps, but what I look for along the same lines is found almost everywhere locally. I look for an oak stick that's been chewed down by bever (hundreds in every stream) then just find the right thickness and break it off at both ends for the right length. They've usually already lost all their bark and been sanded smooth by their time in the creek. Whittle off the rough spots and rub down with some Murphy's oil and voila... hiking heaven.

[+ranger-rob]

I'm afraid I have to agree with BigWhiteTruck and El Diablo, assuming you aquired a suitable stick, the minimum materials (medical/athletic tape and a crutch tip) alone will cost more than $5. Want to make your "investment" last a little longer by applying shellac or polyurethane to it? Well, for that amount of coin you could get a telescoping aluminum walking stick from Wal-Mart ($9.95 in Alabama - your prices may vary)

[+Woodbutcher68]

I just made one last night out of Yucca. The materials alone were $25.00.

[+sweetolebob]

Not sure if it helps, but what I look for along the same lines is found almost everywhere locally. I look for an oak stick that's been chewed down by bever (hundreds in every stream) then just find the right thickness and break it off at both ends for the right length. They've usually already lost all their bark and been sanded smooth by their time in the creek. Whittle off the rough spots and rub down with some Murphy's oil and voila... hiking heaven.

 

Thanks fox, that is the kind of helpful hint I was looking for. I know me being to cheap to buy one I will have to make my own but that will make it easier, plenty of beavers around here.

 

Some days I wake up grumpy, some days I let her sleep!

[+sweetolebob]

I'm afraid I have to agree with BigWhiteTruck and El Diablo, assuming you aquired a suitable stick, the minimum materials (medical/athletic tape and a crutch tip) alone will cost more than $5. Want to make your "investment" last a little longer by applying shellac or polyurethane to it? Well, for that amount of coin you could get a telescoping aluminum walking stick from Wal-Mart ($9.95 in Alabama - your prices may vary)

 

Thanks Rob that helps too, I have some polyurethane and other supplies sitting around from previous projects. See I can have a good stick and ain't spent a dime yet!

[+El Diablo]

Not sure if it helps, but what I look for along the same lines is found almost everywhere locally. I look for an oak stick that's been chewed down by bever (hundreds in every stream) then just find the right thickness and break it off at both ends for the right length. They've usually already lost all their bark and been sanded smooth by their time in the creek. Whittle off the rough spots and rub down with some Murphy's oil and voila... hiking heaven.

 

Thanks fox, that is the kind of helpful hint I was looking for. I know me being to cheap to buy one I will have to make my own but that will make it easier, plenty of beavers around here.

 

Some days I wake up grumpy, some days I let her sleep!

 

Oak is too heavy to tote around. You might want to look for River Birch. At this time of the year you can cut a Poplar sapling and with the sap running the bark will peel off like a banana. Let it dry for a month or so and you can lightly sand it by hand. Of course you can just leave the bark on for a no frills staff.

 

El Diablo

[+fox-and-the-hound]

 

Oak is too heavy to tote around. You might want to look for River Birch. At this time of the year you can cut a Poplar sapling and with the sap running the bark will peel off like a banana. Let it dry for a month or so and you can lightly sand it by hand. Of course you can just leave the bark on for a no frills staff.

 

El Diablo

 

You're right, it's a lot heavier in fact, but I usually grab a pretty lean piece more for pushing bushes away and poking around than leaning on. The dryer they get, though the lighter they get and unfortunately more brittle eventually (but still free ). When I can remember to bring them, my Komperdells are choice (and collapsable) and I found them on sale for about 20 bucks. You bring up a good point though, what are some other good and durable, but lightweight woods? Also, what's the difference between birch and river birch? We have tons of the white papery ones here, but they fall apart like balsa. - Hound

[+soonerdg]

You can by a cheap wooden hiking staff at any boy scout shop. or you can order one from scoutstuff.org. I believe they cost about $3.50.

[+El Diablo]

You can by a cheap wooden hiking staff at any boy scout shop. or you can order one from scoutstuff.org. I believe they cost about $3.50.

 

Went there and did a search for "Hiking Stick", they list 2. One for $187.00 and one for $193.00.

 

El Diablo

[+ranger-rob]

Thanks Rob that helps too, I have some polyurethane and other supplies sitting around from previous projects. See I can have a good stick and ain't spent a dime yet!

 

Well drive on man! If you've already got the materials, there's no sense spending money on other stuff that can be put towards gas.

[+Adventure.AS]

You can by a cheap wooden hiking staff at any boy scout shop. or you can order one from scoutstuff.org. I believe they cost about $3.50.

 

Try searching for 'staff'.

[+Thrak]

$15 - $18 or so. Wilderness Walkers on eBay.

 

$3.75 on scoutstuff.org

Edited April 13, 2006 by Thrak

[+El Diablo]

$

 

$3.75 on scoutstuff.org

 

As was pointed out....you can use a broom stick, which is pretty much what that is.

 

El Diablo

[+Airmapper]

If you can splurge an extra 5 bucks, go to Wal-Mart, in the Camping aisle, and get a nice collapsible hiking stick, with a wrist strap and a compass in the handle for $10. I got one, works great.

[+mudsneaker]

$15 - $18 or so. Wilderness Walkers on eBay.

 

I am REALLY happy with my Wilderness Walker. They even custom engraved a sneaker shoe print for me for free in addition to my name. Total cost with shipping was $27.85. Best priced I found by far for this style of stick. Check out the even more inexpensive Economy listings. I'm sure its still well worth the $10.!

 

Wilderness Walkers

 

I went for the Dogwood. Its strong and looks great. Let them know how large a person you are and what type of use for a recommendation.

Edited April 14, 2006 by mudsneaker

[+erikwillke]

If you really are a cheap s.o.b. then go to walmart in the paint department and get an extension pole for about 3 or 4 dollars and drill a hole at the top if there isn't one( should alrady be one) and there you go. a walking stick

 

Edited April 14, 2006 by erikwillke

[+Guitar4Him]

Ditto on the $10 SwissGear hiking poles sold at Wal-Mart. We use them and they are great.

[+jiminpotomac]

Cracker In The Hat and I both bought inexpensive Eddie Bauer aluminum trekking poles at Target last night for something line $12-15. Collapses, includes a wrist strap, snow/mud wicket, has a nice contoured and angled cork handle too.

[+Mighty Nimbus]

Cracker In The Hat and I both bought inexpensive Eddie Bauer aluminum trekking poles at Target last night for something line $12-15. Collapses, includes a wrist strap, snow/mud wicket, has a nice contoured and angled cork handle too.

 

My fiance and I also picked up a couple of the Eddie Bauer poles last month. We could not be happier with them. They work perfectly and they provide a small amount of shock absorption in the shaft also.

[+CharlieP]

I have a nice telescoping aluminum stick, but usually only use it when I travel and need something that will fit in a suitcase. Before I got the aluminum stick, I used a wooden broom stick with a lanyard on one end and tapered the business end. If I left the stick at a cache and did not think of it until I was a mile away ... I just forgot it and made another. With the aluminum stick ... its 2 miles round-trip to retrieve it. So I use the cheapo sticks. The wooden stick is also stronger and makes a better club and brush clearing tool, but it is not adjustable.

[+Wacka]

I've had bought my telescoping aluminum stick at Wally World two years ago for $10 and it is still working fine.

[+hikergps]

You can by a cheap wooden hiking staff at any boy scout shop. or you can order one from scoutstuff.org. I believe they cost about $3.50.

 

I am a scout leader and at camp those are called "ninja swords".

[+Mudfrog]

We were on our annual spring break camping trip about 5 years ago and made a couple of hiking sticks while sitting around the fire one night. Not even sure what kind of wood but they have held up real good. I just whittled the bark off below where i grip it and rounded both ends. Didnt even try to varnish it or anything like that. In other words, it wasnt hard to make one.

 

A good friend of ours uses an aluminum broomstick handle with the hand grip on one end and a rubber crutch type tip on the other. Looks like a broom handle but it does the trick nicely for her!

Edited April 15, 2006 by Mudfrog

[+Wild Thing 73]

Hi just wondering if anyone knows where I can get a good lightweight hiking stick cheap, under $5. (my initials are s.o.b. and I'm a cheap one too!) I like the ones the Bass Pro Shops have but am not stupid enough to pay fifty or sixty bucks for a stick. I don't want a normal cane that people with a limp would use you can get those anywhere, I want one that looks like real wood or is real wood if its light enough. Or does anyone know how to make one that won't rot, break easily, etc.? The sticks I find while hiking typically are way to heavy or break easily. What kind of would should I use, what should I treat it with, stuff like that. I would rather buy one and spend the time caching not sanding wood if you know what i mean.

 

I could use it playing the local disc golf course as well, the terrain there is worse than most places you would hunt a cache. LOL good exercise though!

 

Thanks!

Maybe an old wooden boom handle refurbished to suit your needs as mentioned above, or one of those medal handles that screw into a broom. The latter is what I use. Very durable

Edited April 15, 2006 by Wild Thing 73

[+TeamTurtles]

There is a lake close that flooded several years back. Lots of cedar trees were drown. I have carved several of these into great sticks. Most were wittled down to the red heart wood. But I have a lot of labor tied up into these.

[+Corp Of Discovery]

I have a hiking staff that I made and the total cost was $0.00. Found a nice premade handle to a broom or something of the sort (has a screw sticking out of the bottom where something attached to it), used an old belt of mine to make a grip, some leather shoelaces that were sitting around for a handle, I put an auto compass whose mount was broke into the top and used paint markers that I had to decorate it. Did pretty much the same for my son's except for the handle- for that we used an old bike grip. The only money I've spent on either is for hiking stick medallions to further decorate them. It can be done. If I hade to buy everything to make them, I could see how it could easily have cost $50.00 or so each. I was lucky in that I had everything already and my only investment was time.

[+The 4 F's]

Cracker In The Hat and I both bought inexpensive Eddie Bauer aluminum trekking poles at Target last night for something line $12-15. Collapses, includes a wrist strap, snow/mud wicket, has a nice contoured and angled cork handle too.

 

We also have a pair of these trekking poles, they are great and you can't beat the price.

[+hamgran]

I received a telescoping hiking stick as a gift last year for my birthday. It's from Lee Valley, and I see the price is just over $20. Canadian.

The thing is awesome - totally adjustable, shock absorbent, and I was able to dismantle it to fit into my suitcase on a trip to Florida in the winter (where I used it to repel alligators!)

Hiking Stick from Lee Valley

[+Adrenalynn]

I received a telescoping hiking stick as a gift last year for my birthday. It's from Lee Valley, and I see the price is just over $20. Canadian.

The thing is awesome - totally adjustable, shock absorbent, and I was able to dismantle it to fit into my suitcase on a trip to Florida in the winter (where I used it to repel alligators!)

Hiking Stick from Lee Valley

 

Another vote for wallyworld swissgear pole for ~$10.

[+nutlady]

Well, I use a golf putter with the head broken off as my pokey stick. For a cheap wooden hiking stick, try any feed store that sells them for showing hogs. Surprised that hasnt been brought up as an option.

Nutlady

 

Hi just wondering if anyone knows where I can get a good lightweight hiking stick cheap, under $5. (my initials are s.o.b. and I'm a cheap one too!)

[+One of the Texas Vikings]

Hi just wondering if anyone knows where I can get a good lightweight hiking stick cheap, under $5. (my initials are s.o.b. and I'm a cheap one too!) I like the ones the Bass Pro Shops have but am not stupid enough to pay fifty or sixty bucks for a stick. I don't want a normal cane that people with a limp would use you can get those anywhere, I want one that looks like real wood or is real wood if its light enough. Or does anyone know how to make one that won't rot, break easily, etc.? The sticks I find while hiking typically are way to heavy or break easily. What kind of would should I use, what should I treat it with, stuff like that. I would rather buy one and spend the time caching not sanding wood if you know what i mean.

 

I could use it playing the local disc golf course as well, the terrain there is worse than most places you would hunt a cache. LOL good exercise though!

 

Thanks!

 

Check out Wilderness walkers on Ebay... Hickory with name or initials. rubber tip and whistle, $17.00

I bought one for each of the Vikings....