Everything You Need to Know About Walking Sticks for Hiking
Walking stick is a common accessory among hikers for many reasons; to clear bushes or grass blocking the trail, as support for balance especially for elderly hikers and also for clearing spider webs.
Walking sticks are also known as hiking sticks, hiking poles, trekking poles and pilgrim's staffs.
Most of the time a staff for hiking is improvised from nearby branch or felled wood and can also be used as a defense against wild dogs and monkeys.
If you are an avid hiker, you probably would want to get your own hiking stick especially crafted for you.
If you like you can custom make the stick for about hundred dollars.
You can then specify the length, type of wood and even include some extra features such as telescopic paraphernalia.
If you rather get a ready made staff, just head to your nearest supermarket and you probably can buy one for about few dollars only.
Do you know hikers have found many innovative ways to use the walking stick? Some used it as poles for emergency tent, for constructing small bridge and even as poles for an emergency stretcher.
It is also good to use a walking stick to test the depth of a stream or river before crossing one.
At night it can be a life saver so you do not fall into a hole or ditch and you can even use your stick for carting bundles over your shoulder when crossing a small stream.
If you decide to make your own walking staff, choose a straight 6 foot wood and make sure it has about half inches of round at the broadest end.
You will then likely cut to about 5'6" long depending on your height but that is the ideal length for your walking stick.
Next you remove the bark carefully and trim the knots until the stick feels smooth.
Choose a side and carve it according to the design you like as this is the place you will hold your stick.
Finally you can treat it with oil stain or preservative.
You can easily get more information on how to create a walking stick by surfing the Internet.
It all boils down to you actually, whether you want to impress your friends with the unique design of walking staff you made or just buy a walking staff to support your body but whatever you do, always bring a walking staff when you are hiking.
Walking sticks are also known as hiking sticks, hiking poles, trekking poles and pilgrim's staffs.
Most of the time a staff for hiking is improvised from nearby branch or felled wood and can also be used as a defense against wild dogs and monkeys.
If you are an avid hiker, you probably would want to get your own hiking stick especially crafted for you.
If you like you can custom make the stick for about hundred dollars.
You can then specify the length, type of wood and even include some extra features such as telescopic paraphernalia.
If you rather get a ready made staff, just head to your nearest supermarket and you probably can buy one for about few dollars only.
Do you know hikers have found many innovative ways to use the walking stick? Some used it as poles for emergency tent, for constructing small bridge and even as poles for an emergency stretcher.
It is also good to use a walking stick to test the depth of a stream or river before crossing one.
At night it can be a life saver so you do not fall into a hole or ditch and you can even use your stick for carting bundles over your shoulder when crossing a small stream.
If you decide to make your own walking staff, choose a straight 6 foot wood and make sure it has about half inches of round at the broadest end.
You will then likely cut to about 5'6" long depending on your height but that is the ideal length for your walking stick.
Next you remove the bark carefully and trim the knots until the stick feels smooth.
Choose a side and carve it according to the design you like as this is the place you will hold your stick.
Finally you can treat it with oil stain or preservative.
You can easily get more information on how to create a walking stick by surfing the Internet.
It all boils down to you actually, whether you want to impress your friends with the unique design of walking staff you made or just buy a walking staff to support your body but whatever you do, always bring a walking staff when you are hiking.
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