On the rare occasion when I use one, not two (imo one hand must be free), I then use an old ski pole, I find the basket at the end indispensable. Elbow height.

I like mine just a little taller than me, And thick enough I can really put my body weight on it for support. I started out packing popular sampling I cut off so I had a mono pod gun rest for early seasion squirrel. found out how handy it was for support going in and out of ditches up and down hills ect.. AND absolutely love having a nice staff or stick. I don't get fancy just cut down on of the million nice strait saplings usually get a new one at the start of each season. It's become a very welcome addition since I have occasional balance and weak legs issues


After typing that I think I'm willing to admit I'm still young but hitting that starting to get older and realizing it phase of life.

My grandfather always used a walking stick, he wasn't particular just picked the first appropriate size off the ground, lol...My son and I made him a short staff for Karate training out of Ironwood, you better eat your Cheerios if you try to break that one...but basically you want a walking stick about head high, and about a inch and a quarter thick, pretty much any straight sapling will suffice.

A neat subject for thought and sharing.

The term stick, is considered different than a staff, in certain arenas.

A surprising amount of countries all over the world routinely use staffs every day for walking, resting on , herding, toting loads, fulcrum to lift, and defense.

In martial arts staff fighting , they are made for not only balance in walking, but for many multi usage tasks .

The staff I use is hand made from an instructor of four Japanese fighting styles.

These are all hand carved , stained or clear coated. The wood is very light, in spite of the thicker circumference. Red or white fir, or tamarack , what he finds in the forest. The bark left on in places resembles leather once it's clear coated. A nice effect.

His designs are all his own, but reminds one much of Australian and African designs. He often will make pointed ends for better traction and non slippage. Others he puts spear heads , as a javelin. One of them he wanted an outline of an Aussie saltie croc , that I scribed for him. Which is seen in the pics below. Those displays are all 7 to 8 feet long. Works of art, all different.

My staff, shown last, is around 6 feet tall and I use it all the time.