Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy was to "walk softly and carry a big stick." Those words of wisdom are useful for walkers and hikers to remember as well. When should you use a stick and how do you choose one?
George Barker of Whistle Creek Walking Sticks provides this insight:
History
"Man's second invention - the stick - 5,000 B.C." His first invention was the rock - as a tool, but some people debate that the stick was used first to uproot the rocks. So the debate goes on...
See illustrations of Moses and Shepherds using their sticks and staffs to heard their flocks -both people and sheep. The staff was the early symbol of leadership in the Church and in most organizations - the guy person with the big stick was the boss. Later in history -"Walk softly... and carry a big stick." And then the founder of the Boy Scouts, Lord Baden Powell, never seen without his trusty hiking staff. Today the stick is still a friend on the trail, always there to lend support, leverage or an advance "feel" of terrain ahead. "Trekking Poles" are but one more attempt at variation on perhaps man's oldest tool - the stick.
Demand
Hiking staffs are being purchased by both new comers and seasoned walkers alike. Making a beautiful hand-finished walking staff is a lot of work, and many people prefer to let us do the labor so they can have the fun. We cut our staffs in the winter, when the sap is not running, then dry them in a kiln for 6-8 weeks while straightening them. Once dry, we hand finish each one, removing just enough of the bark to make the stick smooth to the touch while allowing nature's beauty to shine through. The stick is then "baptized" with a coat of lacquer and fitted with a steel-reinforced neoprene rubber tip and a leather thong.
More experienced walkers have several sticks handy depending on the type of trek they are going on. Neighborhood aerobic "walk-outs" with a staff are normally conducted with a well balanced, straight and smooth no-frills wood staff. This permits use of the stick for stretching and upper-body exercise routines while on the walk. Simple neighborhood strolls suggest a comfortable handled stick for cadence, tempo and "critter" protection in today's neighborhood environments. Serious treks for miles through arduous terrain would call for a height-measured stick, six inches or more above the elbow, light in weight yet strong enough to meet the demands of the hiker on the trail.
Features
Features include sticks with compasses in their tops, sticks with whistles carved into them for trail signaling, leather thongs and different types of tips. Sticks vary from a hand-rubbed high gloss finish to the rustic "bark" feel. WARNING: We do not make sticks out of aluminum or other electrically conductive materials because of the thunder storms in the Rockies where we hike.
What Size and Weight?
When selecting a staff, it should be at least 6" above your elbow to allow for plenty of staff going down hill. Hickory is our "Man's stick" weight-wise because it is heavier and a little stronger. Sassafras or one of our Discovery Series Pine staffs are lighter in weight but plenty strong for most hiking needs. You can always shorten a Whistle Creek stick by removing the rubber tip and sawing off what you don't want, then putting the rubber tip back on.
Whistle Creek is one of the largest suppliers of hiking and walking sticks in the U.S., and we have been in the stick business since 1985. Best selling of all of our sticks is the rustic Hickory hiking stick, famous for its strength and durability. Whistle Creek makes sticks "like grandpa would have made." These are products that you would be proud to display in your home, yet not hesitate to use on the trail every day. We have avoided going to aluminum poles or other mass-manufactured techniques. We have stayed with time-tested traditional methods that have been around since before Moses. Each Whistle Creek product is hand crafted from wood in the U.S. by skilled craftsmen who value the importance of a sturdy "friend" on the trail. New this year is the Discovery Series, a 41" or 55" twisted stick made of Southern Pine in Cherry, Black or Natural Stain.
