Wading staff choice

[poopdeck]

I’ve never really been a wading staff guy, but I do carry a cheap collapsible one for certain streams.

Unfortunately, I just blew out my quadriceps tendon and I’m having surgery tomorrow. I know I’ve got a long road before I’m back in the creek, but when I do get there, I want something solid and reliable—not another flimsy collapsible staff.

A buddy of mine has an older one-piece metal staff (I think it’s an old Folstaf), and I really like the idea of something that sturdy that sinks.

Are there any modern equivalents available to that style? Preferably one-piece, durable, and built to take weight.

Bummer, that sounds like a tough injury. Good luck with the surgery. My wading staff has just one very important requirement, it needs to fully support 250 lbs. that’s it, it doesn’t need to float, sink, fold, be light and compact or have a whimsical fly fishing history. It needs to support me 110% at any given time since it is always being used when in motion. That leaves one choice and that’s a one piece wood or metal pole. Since it doesn’t matter to me if it sinks or floats I use wood. It is not only useful in the water but on dry land as my mobility is suffering a little at the moment and it helps with hills, slopes and going over fallen trees. It’s probably saved me from more falls on land than sea.

When I see good sticks I grab them and put them in my shed to dry until I need them.

 

[brookiefan]

See no 41 above. I have one and love it. Fairly heavy , but good in strong current. I've used lighter ones and the current can move them. n I also put shrink tube on mine, it's not collapsable now, but studier and I like the protection of the rubber. Dampens sounds against rocks.

 

[Kms]

I’ve never really been a wading staff guy, but I do carry a cheap collapsible one for certain streams.

Unfortunately, I just blew out my quadriceps tendon and I’m having surgery tomorrow. I know I’ve got a long road before I’m back in the creek, but when I do get there, I want something solid and reliable—not another flimsy collapsible staff.

A buddy of mine has an older one-piece metal staff (I think it’s an old Folstaf), and I really like the idea of something that sturdy that sinks.

Are there any modern equivalents available to that style? Preferably one-piece, durable, and built to take weight.

The river sticks are great and I would recommend one if he were shipping. If you’re ok with one piece though your best bet would probably be the largest diameter single piece 7075 aluminum ski pole you can find. These would be probably be good, but shipping cost for long stuff nowadays might be nuts, so check amazon.

MFG Fixed Grip Ski Poles Online | 4FRNT

This is the most durable ski pole in the industry! Lightweight yet sturdy, the MFG fixed grip is the ski pole you'll want to grab for every day at the mountain.

4frnt.com

 

[Kms]

I realize I could contact him, but do you think he would be willing to build a staff with more sections (like 6 or 5) so it folds up smaller like my Folstaf?

I realize it would be heavier, but if so, I may consider, one way or another...

I bet he would if you told him up front to just keep the f#ckjng tariff if/when they get unwound. Also a titanium pole in equivalent strength probably wouldn’t be materially lighter than one made from aluminum, just a *LOT* more expensive.

 

[salmo]

I was lucky enough have one of the members of this site make me a beautiful wood wading staff. I used it lately for the first time. I felt much more secure with it than with my collapsible aluminum staff. IMHO

 

[fritzer]

See no 41 above. I have one and love it. Fairly heavy , but good in strong current. I've used lighter ones and the current can move them. n I also put shrink tube on mine, it's not collapsable now, but studier and I like the protection of the rubber. Dampens sounds against rocks.

I wrapped my non-collapsible staff into a pex tube that miraculously fit like a glove to reduce the clanging sound against rocks. I was able to insert a wood dowel into the sacrificial end and its holding up solidly even under a heavy load. Be sure to take your staff along to test for fitment………..best wishes

 

[Bamboozle]

I never worry about the sound my metal wading staff tips make in the water.

First, because those metal tips have saved my a$$ more than a few times by biting solidly into slimy rocks or moss...

And because I still haven't figured out a way to wade over in-stream rocks or gravel and not make a crunching sound which I imagine is more disconcerting to fish than a few "tick-tick-tick" sounds coming from a metal tipped wading staff.

 

[Sylvaneous]

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 went through the same process a few years ago. I have 2 hip replacements, an iffy back and a knee that talks to be a little. Plus I'm 56. My days of wading Penns in Chacos is over. I use telescoping aluminum hiking pole attached to my waders or vest by a spring coil cord (looks like a telephone cord) I don't have any regrets and it didn't cost that much. I sprayed the internal hardware with anti-rust spray and take it apart after use.

 

[ROVERT]

I’ve never really been a wading staff guy, but I do carry a cheap collapsible one for certain streams.

Unfortunately, I just blew out my quadriceps tendon and I’m having surgery tomorrow. I know I’ve got a long road before I’m back in the creek, but when I do get there, I want something solid and reliable—not another flimsy collapsible staff.

A buddy of mine has an older one-piece metal staff (I think it’s an old Folstaf), and I really like the idea of something that sturdy that sinks.

Are there any modern equivalents available to that style? Preferably one-piece, durable, and built to take weight.

My 3/4 EMT version meets those requirements. I've found a nice rubber grip and a rubber tip since I first posted in this thread.

I've also made a couple of folding but also locking prototypes. One is a two piece and one is a three piece. I've been using the three piece and my son the two piece. He has a pretty busy basketball schedule so his hasn't been used as much but both are working well.

I don't really have a need for a collapsible staff. I just like to tinker. It is kind of nice to be able to strap it to the side of my backpack for the walk in and out.

 

[ROVERT]

Here's the EMT staff:

$30 will make two and you'll have 3 spare rubber tips.

 

[Paul6.5]

There is no such thing as a one piece Folstaf. They were always multi piece with shock cord.

I stand corrected, I really thought he said it was a Folstaf but guess not. Thanks

 

[salmo]

My 3/4 EMT version meets those requirements. I've found a nice rubber grip and a rubber tip since I first posted in this thread.

I've also made a couple of folding but also locking prototypes. One is a two piece and one is a three piece. I've been using the three piece and my son the two piece. He has a pretty busy basketball schedule so his hasn't been used as much but both are working well.

I don't really have a need for a collapsible staff. I just like to tinker. It is kind of nice to be able to strap it to the side of my backpack for the walk in and out.

View attachment 1641250700View attachment 1641250701

That one is fit for Gandalf

 

[Paul Barci]

I had an orvis wading staff, lasted about 15 years. I still have it and it's functional but man is it beat to hell. I purchased another one about 4 years ago, even though they are expensive, spread that over the life of the product it's not very expensive. A wading staff is a must have for many of the rivers I fish.

I also have the newer Orvis staff
It is expensive but very dependable
It also deploys fast and easy

 

[Kms]

Here's the EMT staff:

$30 will make two and you'll have 3 spare rubber tips.

Very practical and slick 👍. For walking and standing stability that’s excellent, though (for me) I would think EMT could bend fairly easily in a fall.

As tariff stupidity made riversticks unavailable, for the DIY folks I stumbled on some anodized 7075 tubes. A 22mm (1.4mm) tube should be *very* strong, much more bend resistant than EMT, not super heavy, and not very expensive. You could use the same or similar handle and plug (plus a carbide boot stud 👍) you used on the EMT. Never bought from vendor so not a recommendation:

7075 Aluminum Tubing

Lengths of 7075-T6 aluminum for staves, swords, torches, and more.

www.dark-monk.com

 

[salmo]

Very practical and slick 👍

As tariff stupidity had made riversticks unavailable, for the DIY folks I stumbled over these anodized 7075 tubes. A 22mm (1.4mm) tube should make something *very* strong, not super heavy, and not crazy expensive. Never bought from this vendor so not recommending, just suggesting:

7075 Aluminum Tubing

Lengths of 7075-T6 aluminum for staves, swords, torches, and more.

www.dark-monk.com

Tariffs? We don't need no stinking Tariffs!

 

[ROVERT]

Very practical and slick 👍. For walking and standing stability that’s excellent, though (for me) I would think EMT could bend fairly easily in a fall.

I think you'd be surprised. I'm 6'4" 250 lbs and an aggressive wader. I used it all last Spring/Summer in heavy flows and it is still straight. It would take a pretty disastrous force to put a bend in it that would render it unusable.

The 7075 is intriguing but I'd have to come up with another connection method. The three piece I made is done with 1/2 schedule 40 aluminum which I believe is 6061. I threaded that. I don't think I'd gain anything by getting 7075 with a wall thickness thick enough to thread.

 

[Kms]

I think you'd be surprised. I'm 6'4" 250 lbs and an aggressive wader. I used it all last Spring/Summer in heavy flows and it is still straight. It would take a pretty disastrous force to put a bend in it that would render it unusable.

The 7075 is intriguing but I'd have to come up with another connection method. The three piece I made is done with 1/2 schedule 40 aluminum which I believe is 6061. I threaded that. I don't think I'd gain anything by getting 7075 with a wall thickness thick enough to thread.

I’ll take your word. 7075 is stronger, but strong enough is strong enough 👍

 

[Kevin_McJunkin]

I don't like being attached to a one piece wading staff that always gets in the way and is a tripping hazard when you are fishing with both hands on the rod. I like to walk a lot when I fish so I prefer to go without a staff, and hunt up a suitable sturdy dead limb when I need one, say when crossing a small mountain stream in high water; or I'll use an inexpensive collapsible wading staff that goes into a belt sheath for hard to wade snot rock streams like Penns. My collapsible wading staff is easy to deploy, just a quick shake and the sections assemble themselves. Sometimes a section gets stuck together when taking it down but a gentle rap against a tree frees it up. As I get older, I will use the staff more. I should probably carry it all the time, now.

 

[bdhoover77]

I snapped my wading staff yesterday on Penns Creek. I somehow wedged it between rocks and the broke it in half. It is a Patagonia model I purchased a few years ago, so now I need a replacement as it is no longer available.

Finding myself on Penns without a useable wading staff was a highly limiting experience. I kept searching the banks for sturdy limbs to use as a replacement but I kept losing them. So having an attachable wading staff is definitely a must-have for me.

 

[salmo]

Because of an incredibly kind member of this site I recently switched from a Folstaff to a beautiful sturdy wood staff. I prefer the wood staff but keep my Folstaff for when I fly for a fishing trip.