Wading staff choice

I'm looking for suggestions for buying a new wading staff. Carbon or aluminum? I'm looking for any advice members can offer. Can you share your preferences and reasons for them? Thanks

I go with aluminum hiking trekking poles from amazon. You get 2 for about $40 - $50 - used to be a lot less a few years ago. But having a backup is important - you will lose and/or break them. And once you get used to having it you feel lost without it.

Shawn_H said:

I go with aluminum hiking trekking poles from amazon. You get 2 for about $40 - $50 - used to be a lot less a few years ago. But having a backup is important - you will lose and/or break them. And once you get used to having it you feel lost without it.

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Absolutely. Look at Troutbitten’s suggested gear on his website. I use the Amazon trekking poles and high strength cable retainer attached to a nylon police duty belt around my waders. Works perfectly, inexpensive, and easy to replace.

$46.99 and would arrive tomorrow to my place:

$26.99 and arriving Saturday:

KELORGO said:

Absolutely. Look at Troutbitten’s suggested gear on his website. I use the Amazon trekking poles and high strength cable retainer attached to a nylon police duty belt around my waders. Works perfectly, inexpensive, and easy to replace.

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Thanks, I saw that earlier today

Shawn_H said:

I go with aluminum hiking trekking poles from amazon. You get 2 for about $40 - $50 - used to be a lot less a few years ago. But having a backup is important - you will lose and/or break them. And once you get used to having it you feel lost without it.

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I've left behind a lot of walking sticks in my time!

I just purchased a wading staff from Cabelas/Bass Pro Shops for about $50. It’s aluminum, collapsible and connected by an elastic cord. It’s light, and served me well on Elk Creek on Tuesday. Not sure how durable it will be in the long run, but happy with it so far. I got a retractor with it but have yet to decide the best way to connect it to my vest or wading belt.
I have misplaced my stronger Orvis wading staff. It’s carbon, strong, and noticeably heavier than the aluminum one, but I do trust it more. Just hope I come across it sooner than later. It was around $150 when I purchased it a few years ago. Had to swallow hard to buy it, but it sure gives me a better piece of mind in any kind of current and rocky stream bed.

Shawn_H said:

I go with aluminum hiking trekking poles from amazon. You get 2 for about $40 - $50 - used to be a lot less a few years ago. But having a backup is important - you will lose and/or break them. And once you get used to having it you feel lost without it.

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My son bought me a set of trekking poles for my birthday several years ago. I have used the trekking pole every time I fish. They are inexpensive and have never failed.

Riverstick custom made wading staffs made by Rick Humphrey in British Columbia are probably the best heavy duty wading staffs available. You can order them in whatever length you want, and they will probably last a lifetime (with easily replaceable components as might be needed).

I’ve had 2 of them in slightly different lengths. The only negative about them in my opinion is that they are a bit on the heavy side if you’re going to be hiking a long distance and don’t want to carry the extra weight. (I also have a Simms collapsible graphite wading staff which is considerably lighter weight, but is not as sturdy and not as easily put together of taken apart.)

I switched to a piece of 3/4 EMT last year. It's a little heavy but, if I need a wading staff, I don't mind carrying it. You get two for $12.



Maybe I'll feel the need for carbon fiber when I get older.

I agree with Mt_flyfisher on the collapsible wading staffs. My aluminum one has lasted me about 15 years.

I should also note that many wading staffs and nearly all trekking poles are not long enough for me to consider them. 58-59" is my sweet spot.

Yeah, after losing a felt sole and having to switch to the rubber treads for my Korkers for a couple hours on Penn's the other year, I grabbed something like this off Amazon and Its literally been a lifesaver. Some say if you need this you shouldn't be wading there, but I was literally stranded in calf deep water because I just couldn't get enough grip to take the next step. Another reason to wear a wading belt. Clips right on.

I use sticks picked up in the backyard. I peel the bark, spar varnish and a paracord grip. I just let it float behind me. I love the character and length of an old stick and It’s just what I’ve always done.

poopdeck said:

I use sticks picked up in the backyard. I peel the bark, spar varnish and a paracord grip. I just let it float behind me. I love the character and length of an old stick and It’s just what I’ve always done.

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The problem with floating wading staffs is fly line getting caught around the downstream end. I did it for a lot of years. I much prefer a sinking wading staff.

I'm a Folstaff guy and have been for 40 years. I think they're out of business so I hope my staff lasts. It's heavy but I've rarely had issues. It's also pretty much stuck in the engaged position. 🙂 I don't leave home without it, it's save my azz more times than I can count.

A couple things to think about if ski poles, trekking poles, EMT or sticks aren't your thing...


When Simms first came out with a carbon staff I bought one. When I read all of the warnings on the instruction booklet about against getting it scratched, I called Simms and asked...

How?

So I returned it and have always wondered if that's the reason the NEW Simms "Pro Wading Staff" is different from the one I purchased? I also wonder if the new Simms & Orvis carbon staffs (same staff) have an aluminum bottom section to negate the effect of scratches on the carbon where they would most likely occur.


Like Rovert said, there is a sweet spot for length depending on your height. You can figure out what is comfortable for you with a broomstick and go from there...

Or use the broomstick. 😉

I don't like staffs that are adjustable length as I just don't trust the locking gizmo that makes them adjustable. FWIW - I've stupidly got myself into some wading situations that would have ended up catastrophically if a length adjuster failed. For that reason all my staffs are a fixed length...

If you want a folding staff like I prefer and don't always need or want to have it extended and ready to go, consider how many hands are required to deploy. I've tried a few over the years that can be a challenge with TWO hands...

Some folding staffs are too long collapsed for my liking compared to the 10" of my Folstaf making me feel like I have a cutlass at my side. That's because they are made up of less sections. On others that are adjustable length, the handle section is longer to accommodate adjustments.

Which brings up another problem, Neoprene wading staff scabbards suck... I have yet to use one that doesn't require two hands to get the staff back inside, exacerbated by the longer length staffs that usually come in Neoprene scabbards.

With a folding staff I have to trust the joints/the way the staff STAYS at the length I want and confident that nothing will fail or break if I have to put ALL of my weight on it in a tricky situation. Without that trust you don't really have a wading staff, you have a walking stick...

After decades of having a floating wading staff dangling behind me on 30" of paracord, I went with a Gear Keeper RT4 Wading Staff retractor, but I prefer the version the made for Orvis with a Spectra cord. It works great, keeps your staff by your side and easy to grab, you can easily detach the staff without removing the retractor and there are other mounting options available from Gear Keeper.

You want the end of your aluminum wading staff to sink? Add a couple of 3/8" shaft collars to the bottom section.

I look at everything as a lifetime investment, especially if I REALLY like the product. However, with the exception of one, every other wading staff I've seen come down the road has been modified/redesigned a zillion times and ultimately discontinued for something new and not always better.

Which means no service on what YOU got if you like it so you WILL be shopping for something new if it craps out...

Or using ski poles, trekking poles, EMT or sticks...

Safe wading!!

+ 1 on the trekking poles clipped to the wading belt with a carabiner - sometimes I leave it attached and lean on it like a cane to keep it close to my bum knee

DomR said:

I'm a Folstaff guy and have been for 40 years. I think they're out of business so I hope my staff lasts. It's heavy but I've rarely had issues. It's also pretty much stuck in the engaged position. 🙂 I don't leave home without it, it's save my azz more times than I can count.

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Sadly Lee Stoliar closed the Folstaf Company back in 2023 but Karla, a longtime employee is still offering authorized service.

My son got me the Simms colapsable wading staff for Christmas a couple years ago. It's a little pricey, but bulletproof.
https://www.simmsfishing.com/products/simms-fishing-wading-staff?variant=45184064651454