Walking sticks

[knowschad]

Beaver dams are a great source for hiking sticks. I used to do quite a bit of trout fishing, which frequently brought me to areas where beaver cuttings could be found. I'd look around for a good strong, clean straight stick of the right length. I'd then bring it home (or back to camp) where I'd use a lens or woodburning tool to burn the name of the river and the date into staff. Generally, I'd drill a hole near the top where I'd attach a leather or braided nylon lanyard. A coat or two of varnish would finish it off nicely.

[+PJPeters]

Have we all forgotten the Grandaddy of hiking staff makers? El Diablo is still my favorite. Someday, I'll own one...

 

(edit: big-finger syndrome)

Edited August 26, 2008 by PJPeters

[+Marty..]

There was a geocacher, I believe back in 2003, that made them with a geocache emblem on them. I carved/painted an emblem on a staff I made.

 

Groundspeak requires a license agreement for this. I went to all the trouble a year ago to get that license and haven't had anyone ask for the GC.com logo.

 

For a napster/microsoft emblem? Lol, I never said what emblem :-)

 

and readin the posts it was el diablo, great staffs btw...

Edited August 26, 2008 by Marty.

[+mrjustdis]

If you're trekking around any wooded or high grass areas in the outback - don't leave home without at least one trekking pole. There are many good brands out there but if you're not an avid hiker, then I recommend the SWISS Gear trekking poles. I purchased a single SWISS gear pole from Dick's Sporting Goods for $19.95 and quickly returned it when I found an identical item (a pair) for $13.99 at WALMART.

 

The only difference was the the color (Dick's was aluminum RED) and (WALMART aluminum BLUE). I basically got the pair for less than I paid for one pole. These SG poles have EVA foam grips, a small novelty compass imbed in the handle, and a set ( 2 each) spike covers and straps. They're collapsible, compact and lightweight. You can pay more for other models designed for long term hiking use but you can't beat the price for this pair unless you're inclined and handy enough to make your own.

 

mrjustdis@gmail.com

[+ironman114]

There was a geocacher, I believe back in 2003, that made them with a geocache emblem on them. I carved/painted an emblem on a staff I made.

 

Groundspeak requires a license agreement for this. I went to all the trouble a year ago to get that license and haven't had anyone ask for the GC.com logo.

 

That would probably be El Diablo. I have one of his staffs.

[+paleolith]

knowschad beat me to it, but I was ready, and mine's different

 

[+StanByk]

On another note,

Is anyone here using a poking stick when you go caching? I normally just use twigs lying around.

Robert

[IronMaiden]

I just wanted to tell you about my hiking stick.

 

Hubby and I went on a hike (the first one for my since I was diagnosed with Congestive Heart failure). It was only a few miles but I just walked at a easy pace while he cleaned up some of the trail from our winter storms.

 

When we met up he had a stick in his hand and asked me if I wanted to use it. I did for the rest of the hike and back to our truck. I threw the stick in the back of the truck and forgot about it.

 

What I didn't know is that Ironman114 had taken this stick cleaned it up, sanded it smooth, varnished it and put on some leather shoe laces for decoration, engraved my name and gave it to me as a surprise!!

 

To me it's the best hiking stick in the world cause he made it as a reminder of the hike we took together. I'm very proud of it.

 

I'd show you a picture but I'll have to wait for hubby to get home and do it for me. So be patient.

[+dew cache]

How about this walking stick?

 

That is actually a walking stick with awalking stick - kool

[rogheff]

How about this walking stick?

 

That is actually a walking stick with awalking stick - kool

 

That remins me of one of my favorite walking sticks. On a hike, I had a Walking Stick land on my walking stick. The Walking Stick stayed on my walking stick for a good 30 minutes. Naturally, when I got back to camp, I carved a Walking Stick onto my walking stick in the same place the Walking Stick had landed on my walking stick. That walking stick would forever remind me of the Walking Stick.

 

True story

[+AD0SB]

I use a polecat from Stoney Point, I believe it is the Explorer model, works great, has a nice padded v on the top to use as a monopod for the rifle, remove the y-yoke and it has a standard screw mount for a camera tripod, it collapses small, somewhere around 2 feet, and extends to around 5 1/2 feet long or so.

What I like about it is it is infinitely adjustable between shortest to longest, it has been tough, and the rubber foot can come off to expose a carbide tip for when hiking or doing photography in icy terrain.

 

I think this is the link to it, I believe it was around $40 or so:

 

Stoney Point PoleCAT Explorer

[+Ed56]

I made my own stick from a mop handle someone had tossed out. The handle is sort of a modified T-shape and was salvaged from some branches left around by the tree trimmers. The T-handle works well for me especially when I'm crabbing downhill on steep rocky inclines.... it helps to take the strain off my knee cap (patella) tendons. I attached the handle with epoxy and a large wood screw, sanded it down and added a coat of spar varnish. Net investment is about 25 cents. I've used it for 12 years now.

[Chumpo]

Have we all forgotten the Grandaddy of hiking staff makers? El Diablo is still my favorite. Someday, I'll own one...

 

(edit: big-finger syndrome)

 

My daughter paid for an E.D. staff back on May 3rd (my Fathers Day present). We knew it would be a late arrival, but we never heard back from him again.

 

El Diablo hasn't logged on since 7/7/08. I hope he's ok!

[+Jimsz51]

I use a three piece staff that screws together. I remember that it is made of some Japanese wood, but I don't remember the name.I have a small car so it has to fit in the trunk. It's kinda flimsy and the threaded portions keeps loosening up. I have located some Chinese Bo Staffs at the local MMA store made out of white waxwood. They're about 6 feet long and taper from 1.5" to 1" at the top. Seems like this ought to work real well. From what I have seen and heard, they are dadgum near indestructible! $31.00 each!

Cache on!

Jim

[+Isonzo Karst]

[+briansnat]

My stick, made from Yucca with a hand tooled leather handle.

 

 

My wife's stick made from diamond willow with weaved leather handle, and her caching name and avatar carved into it.

 

 

Not my handiwork. I don't have that skill.

Edited January 26, 2013 by briansnat

[+shuccrum]

Many years ago, when my dad realized that I often geocached alone, he made me a walking stick with a nail sticking out the end of it.

[+nthacker66]

As much as I *LOVE* the beauty of custom made hiking sticks and have been for years now waiting for the right one (not for function so much as for display so I can "badge" it) I don't personally feel they are the most functional things. I love my high tech hiking gear. I have been hiking longer then geocaching has been around, so I am very particular about my gear. Because I do not always use my trekking poles but still like to have them with me, not only do I need them to be light, but I need them to be out of my way when not needed. Right now, I use a pair of black diamond dual flik-locks which collapse down small and easily stow well into my out gear loops of my pack. Perfect for both distance hiking and poking at caches.

 

As I said, I think hiking staffs are gorgeous and have coveted many, but just not practical for use, personally. And I also feel most cachers who use them do it for status symbol - just my opinion.

 

If anything else, if there is one piece of gear you should invest your money in, it is your footwear. Now has far as what is right for anyone else - you have to look at your situation. If you take shorter, easier hikes and not too often, a cheap pair of swiss gear works fine. If you are into more intense hikes and do it often enough, a higher quality pair of poles is what you need to look at. Some poles have more "give" (shock absorbers) while others have less give. That all depends on the type of hiker you are. If you are hard on your knees in descending terrain, you should go for poles that have shock absorbers. If your legs and knees tend to be a bit stronger, less give is usually better (for me, personally, I dont like any give to my poles).

[+BAMBOOZLE]

About 10 years ago I made a couple of sticks for my wife and I. I used 1/2" heavy wall aluminum conduit with a black hand truck handle on one end and black crutch end on the other. I was getting requests for them so I started production and began giving them away at event caches as well as to folks we met on the trail etc. Bamboozle sticks are in use from coast to coast and a few foreign countries.

Re hiking sticks in general we rarely go out without them and when we do we regret it. Its nice to keep branches and spider webs out of your face, move briars aside, and have something to "poke" for the cache. We've had several encounters with wild hogs, snakes, and other critters and its nice to have something to put between you and them. The large rubber crutch end is nice for balancing when hiking through large rocks and boulders.

As you get older things that were nice soon become essential.

[+nthacker66]

About 10 years ago I made a couple of sticks for my wife and I. I used 1/2" heavy wall aluminum conduit with a black hand truck handle on one end and black crutch end on the other. I was getting requests for them so I started production and began giving them away at event caches as well as to folks we met on the trail etc. Bamboozle sticks are in use from coast to coast and a few foreign countries.

Re hiking sticks in general we rarely go out without them and when we do we regret it. Its nice to keep branches and spider webs out of your face, move briars aside, and have something to "poke" for the cache. We've had several encounters with wild hogs, snakes, and other critters and its nice to have something to put between you and them. The large rubber crutch end is nice for balancing when hiking through large rocks and boulders.

As you get older things that were nice soon become essential.

Do you have a link where you sell them?

[+DragonsWest]

5 feet of Tasmanian Blue Gum, mate!

 

Sturdy and true. Alas, I split the end on a rock yesterday. Going to bind it up and see if she survives. Otherwise I'll have to find another straight downed branch.

Edited January 29, 2013 by DragonsWest

[Clan Riffster]

My standard sticks were a length of diamond willow and a length of saguaro. I've since broken both of those. I now use a piece of bamboo about 6.5' long. I've tried those fancy collapsible sticks, but they kept breaking when placed under strain.

[+cerberus1]

If we know ahead of time, there's an assortment now in two umbrella stands to choose from in wood to carbon. Otherwise we use whatevers in the car/truck.

Folks stopping over for a coffee before we go can grab any but two Gossamer Gear carbon poles in the lot.

- They're still in one piece and I'd like to keep 'em that way.

Most (favorite or habit) grab the same stick and the same coffee mug too.

There's lot of rocks in my area, so I might bring a Black Diamond with lever (flick) locks or similar.

- But my favorite is still a 4' piece of old wooden well rod with a foam fishing handle and a carbide spike from a wader boot cleat screwed in.

 

Soon as there's ice/snow on the ground, CJ has a Petzl snoscopic (collapsible) ice/touring axe. My fat can kept sliding the lock, so I contacted the good folks at SMC (Trango) and they made me a Capra ice/touring axe in 100cm.

- No parks though. "There's a bearded guy in camo with an axe!"

[+BAMBOOZLE]

About 10 years ago I made a couple of sticks for my wife and I. I used 1/2" heavy wall aluminum conduit with a black hand truck handle on one end and black crutch end on the other. I was getting requests for them so I started production and began giving them away at event caches as well as to folks we met on the trail etc. Bamboozle sticks are in use from coast to coast and a few foreign countries.

Re hiking sticks in general we rarely go out without them and when we do we regret it. Its nice to keep branches and spider webs out of your face, move briars aside, and have something to "poke" for the cache. We've had several encounters with wild hogs, snakes, and other critters and its nice to have something to put between you and them. The large rubber crutch end is nice for balancing when hiking through large rocks and boulders.

As you get older things that were nice soon become essential.

Do you have a link where you sell them?

 

I very rarely sell any ( but I sold 3 last week)....they are awards and door prizes, etc.

Folks have wanted them by mail in the past but the cost of shipping and containers was high so I've never mailed any.

If you get to the New Orleans area contact me and you'll be taken care of ( getting one on a plane these days would be a challenge).

[+hzoi]

I cut down a small sized Eastern juniper (a/k/a Eastern red cedar) tree in 1994, trimmed the branches and removed most of the bark, and let it dry in the garage for about six months or so. Drilled a hole below where I hold it for a 550 cord wrist lanyard; drilled another hole in the top and inserted a tripod mount screw for my camera. I have taken it all over and not had a problem with it splitting or cracking in now almost 20 years. It's light and it's both rot- and bug-resistant.

 

I should get a trackable walking stick tag for it one of these days.

[+nthacker66]

About 10 years ago I made a couple of sticks for my wife and I. I used 1/2" heavy wall aluminum conduit with a black hand truck handle on one end and black crutch end on the other. I was getting requests for them so I started production and began giving them away at event caches as well as to folks we met on the trail etc. Bamboozle sticks are in use from coast to coast and a few foreign countries.

Re hiking sticks in general we rarely go out without them and when we do we regret it. Its nice to keep branches and spider webs out of your face, move briars aside, and have something to "poke" for the cache. We've had several encounters with wild hogs, snakes, and other critters and its nice to have something to put between you and them. The large rubber crutch end is nice for balancing when hiking through large rocks and boulders.

As you get older things that were nice soon become essential.

Do you have a link where you sell them?

 

I very rarely sell any ( but I sold 3 last week)....they are awards and door prizes, etc.

Folks have wanted them by mail in the past but the cost of shipping and containers was high so I've never mailed any.

If you get to the New Orleans area contact me and you'll be taken care of ( getting one on a plane these days would be a challenge).

 

Are you going to gw11 this year? Feel free to post a pic of the stick please :-)

Also, you said you are in nawlins - i heard of a cache in downtown where you go to the top of one of the high rises - what is the name of that cache?

[+BAMBOOZLE]

About 10 years ago I made a couple of sticks for my wife and I. I used 1/2" heavy wall aluminum conduit with a black hand truck handle on one end and black crutch end on the other. I was getting requests for them so I started production and began giving them away at event caches as well as to folks we met on the trail etc. Bamboozle sticks are in use from coast to coast and a few foreign countries.

Re hiking sticks in general we rarely go out without them and when we do we regret it. Its nice to keep branches and spider webs out of your face, move briars aside, and have something to "poke" for the cache. We've had several encounters with wild hogs, snakes, and other critters and its nice to have something to put between you and them. The large rubber crutch end is nice for balancing when hiking through large rocks and boulders.

As you get older things that were nice soon become essential.

Do you have a link where you sell them?

 

I very rarely sell any ( but I sold 3 last week)....they are awards and door prizes, etc.

Folks have wanted them by mail in the past but the cost of shipping and containers was high so I've never mailed any.

If you get to the New Orleans area contact me and you'll be taken care of ( getting one on a plane these days would be a challenge).

 

Are you going to gw11 this year? Feel free to post a pic of the stick please :-)

Also, you said you are in nawlins - i heard of a cache in downtown where you go to the top of one of the high rises - what is the name of that cache?

 

I probably will not go to GW.

 

The cache you're referring to is View Carre' ( GCEO2C ) and is actually my cache and is where I work ( I always have a few sticks there)

I have some construction going on so its been disabled to slow down the action a bit......we still allow folks to get the cache if they show up.

[+DonB]

I have trekking poles and don't go for long hikes without them. I used a 20% off offer at R.E.I. to get the Leki poles and I recommend that brand. They are worth the price I paid.

 

Some people recommend the inexpensive walking sticks sold at Wal-Mart. I did not have good luck with an inexpensive walking stick . . . it would collapse when I put weight on it . . .

We have a couple of those from Walmart and my wife had one collapse and she only weighs 120 pounds. I just use mine for poking around in places before I stick my hand in.

[GPS-Hermit]

I have several hiking sticks and all are quite useful.

 

Simple bamboo stick with wrist strap

Nice carved one purchased from a woodcrafter store.

Commerial ones that twist to adjust length.

Ski poles.

 

I use them more for hiking than geo-caching when doing ruff terrain. Great for Balance.

 

When bushwacking I prefer to have GPS in hand rather than a walking stick.

 

The clamp type of adjustment for length is better than the twist cause it doesn't get stuck!

 

When I take them I really enjoy the increase in balance -especial when getting over logs and downed trees.

 

I find a short stick to wave in front of me if spider webs are a problem. I look totally rediculas while doing that!

[+313JTG]

I always take my walking stick if going to a place with a terrain higher than 2. Have a metal spike on the end of it to stick into the ground as well. Really think it's something all geocachers should have.

[+theosus]

I just use REI poles with the twist locks. Poking around in holes and under logs is a lot safer with a pole than my hand.