What is the best wood for a hiking staff?

[Tom Walz]

What is the best wood for a hiking staff?

Strongest, toughest, prettiest, most comfortable, etc. If you were going to build a hiking staff, what would you use? Weight is somewhat of an issue. Ability to hold up while beating down brush and blackberries is also an issue. It would be nice if it would take fittings for bear bells, etc.

Thanks,

Tom

[Bill White]

I've got 3 staffs. One pine, one poplar (light), and one hickory. The hickory can be used as a tank destroyer if ya can tote it around.
Bill

[Van Huskey]

Aluminum... but maybe not for you since you apparently need a club/machete as well.

I would look in the hikory family, maybe pecan for looks.

[Bob Coleman]

Dogwood is popular in the south - and if you look hard enough you can find a sapling that is corkscrewed from the honeysuckle wrapped around it.

Or, since you are planning beat on things with it, "Ironwood" (The version in North America is Hornbeam). Use a blade you don't mind destroying to cut it (or a hacksaw)

[Van Huskey]

Use a blade you don't mind destroying to cut it (or a hacksaw)

I dunno, something tells me Tom may have a blade(s) "lyin' around" that might just do the trick... :D

[lowell holmes]

Buffalo said sasafras is best. I have two sasafras sticks that are light, straight, and strong.

[Kevin Bourque]

Hickory and ash can be whittled down small enough to be strong and lightweight.

[Erik Loza]

Tom, a quick question for you: Are you more interested in the hiking staff as a ww'ing project or as an actual instrument for trekking? I can't give you as good advice as the other gentleman already have if it's a ww'ing project that you just want to do but if an actual trekking pole is the aim, I am with Van on this: Wood wouldn't be my first choice. Aluminum or carbon fiber. My wife and I are avid outdoorsfolk and she has been thinking about getting a set of trekking poles recently. We tried out some carbon fiber ones at the local REI and though I don't personally use them, the rigidity-to-weight issue was awesome.

Maybe this does not answer your question but just wanted to add my 2-cents. Best of luck with your search.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[John TenEyck]

Commercial pole for hiking; ash if you want to take a walk and beat berry bushes along the way.


John

[Charles Lent]

I used Bamboo, and at first it was just a temporary solution. I had a bamboo pole in the garage, and just cut it to length just before we left for our first hike with our youngest (7 yrs old at that time) son some 43 years ago. Even after making several really nice solid wood replacements for them I just seemed to prefer the Bamboo and we went back to using them. Over the years I've taped the ends with plastic electrical tape, the upper end for more comfort and the lower end to better hold them together. Bamboo develops long vertical cracks when it dries out, but the strength doesn't seem to be affected by these cracks. Most of our hiking was done in annual trips of 1-2 week duration along the Appalachian range. I still have those first (and only) bamboo hiking sticks that I made all those years ago. They've been used for awning poles, pry bars, snake relocation, bush whacking, and any other need that came along, as well as for hiking sticks, and they never failed us. They show significant wear now, but are still just as strong as they ever were. My hiking days are long since over (2 metal knees now), but I still have them because they hold so many fond memories of those family hikes. Mine still stands in the corner of my home office. The solid wooden ones that I made were given away many years ago.

Charley

[lowell holmes]

Google walking stick sassafras wood

You will find there is a lot of interest in sassafras.

Buffalo hiked down and back on the Grand Canyon South Rim carrying a sassafras stick.

He found the saplings in the Trinity River area of Texas.

I have two sticks that are 30 years old and still solid. Buffalo gave n=me the sticks.

[Danny Hamsley]

I like persimmon.

[Cody Colston]

I'd have to go with Hickory. If it's strong enough to make a golf club shaft, it should be fine for a walking/beating stick.

Sassafrass is more weather resistant. It's used a lot for fence posts and coincidentally, is found growing along fence lines all over East Texas.

Ironwood is simply a local name for whatever local wood is the hardest. There are multiple species across the U.S. that are called Ironwood.

If you can find a piece long and straight enough, Bois d' Arc, aka Osage Orange would be strong and very weather resistant.

[Larry Edgerton]

We have a species here that is refered to only as ironwood that is extremely tough. A thin sapling would be perfect for what you need. I have run into them riding enduro and can vouch that they are indeed hard. When you cut them they spark.

Ironwood is a small tree in the UNDERSTORY of northern hardwoods and other upland hardwood stands. It is one of the few species that neither cattle nor deer will browse, so is often "what is left over" in many of our U.P. hardwood stands. The LEAVES and male catkins (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/glossary.htm#CATKINS) are like the birches. The FRUITS, however, are much different. Nut-like seeds form inside of light-brown papery sacs about an inch long. The BARK is very shreddy, curling away up and down the stem. In the winter, the light-brown LEAVES often stay on the TWIGS making identification from a distance fairly easy. The TWIGS are slender and usually a brown color. The terminal buds (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/glossary.htm#BUDS:) are pointy with several bud scales (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/glossary.htm#BUDS:). The wood is extremely hard, thus the name "ironwood."

I use it for wear items like handles, and have been told by the old timers that it was used for spindles on wagons. Sorry about the shouting letters, not sure how I did that?

Larry

[Kenneth Speed]

I've been experimenting with octagonal hiking staffs made from laminated hickory with good results. They have to be kept pretty slender to prevent them from becoming too heavy. I have a piece of ash which I'm going to machine in more or less the same way as the hickory and I think it will be a lighter, more lively stick but I don't know that for sure yet.

Yes, one can beat almost anything into submission with a hickory staff, the strength, weight and springiness are outstanding. A correctly tapered one feels like a long sword.

I had a bamboo staff for many years and really enjoyed it but eventually it cracked and as soon as it did it became more or less worthless. I expect either a hickory or ash sticks could be expected to last for decades with proper care.

Ken

[Richard Wolf]

Ken, this sounds like an interesting idea, would you care to share some information on the walking sticks?

[Van Huskey]

Tom, I just thought of something, all my high end tracking poles have tunsgten carbide tips to prevent wear. Thats something you might be able to do for yours...

[ray hampton]

I've been experimenting with octagonal hiking staffs made from laminated hickory with good results. They have to be kept pretty slender to prevent them from becoming too heavy. I have a piece of ash which I'm going to machine in more or less the same way as the hickory and I think it will be a lighter, more lively stick but I don't know that for sure yet.

Yes, one can beat almost anything into submission with a hickory staff, the strength, weight and springiness are outstanding. A correctly tapered one feels like a long sword.

I had a bamboo staff for many years and really enjoyed it but eventually it cracked and as soon as it did it became more or less worthless. I expect either a hickory or ash sticks could be expected to last for decades with proper care.

Ken

can bamboo be laminated ? can bamboo and hickory be laminated together ? when wood are burnt on the end and the end are scrape back, the end are harder than it was before which helps to protect the end from damage on the concrete

[Kenneth Speed]

Ray hampton asked,, "can bamboo be laminated ? can bamboo and hickory be laminated together ? when wood are burnt on the end and the end are scrape back, the end are harder than it was before which helps to protect the end from damage on the concrete'

Ray, I have no idea how that would work. The bamboo hiking staff I had was literally a piece of bamboo that I salvaged from something. The beauty of it was that its naturally tubular shape gave it flexibility and springiness and was simultaneously extremely light. I just put a crutch tip on one end and a cord wrap handle on the other and I was in business!

I suppose one could laminate bamboo flooring or something to hickory boards but I don't have an inkling about what the characteristics of the result would be.

Ken

[Charles Lent]

Most of you haven't hiked very long distances, have you.

After carrying an ash or hickory hiking stick over mountains for many miles you will likely reconsider your choice. I have even trimmed the edges off my maps and removed the handles from tea bags to lighten the load (sounds crazy? Just wait). Getting lighter, no matter what it takes, becomes a very important decision after you have carried a backpack for 50 or more miles. The lightest hiking stick possible is part of this thought process, even if it isn't the strongest material available and it might need to be replaced after each hike. It just needs to survive the hike and be strong enough to be dependable while on the hike, but it also needs to be very light. Carbide tips and concrete belong in the cities, not on the trails. Ok, don't listen to me. Take your beautifully finished, brass capped, carbide tipped hiking stick with you on your first long hike. I can just about guarantee that it won't go on another long hike with you. I've been on steep trails where both sides of the trail for the first couple of miles were littered with cast-offs of objects that hikers had decided were absolutely necessary to take with them, until they started up the mountain. Then it became expendable no matter what the cost, to lighten their load. Cooking pots, fancy walking sticks, heavy boots, and radios were some of these objects. A pair of good walking shoe type sneakers is all that you need. They won't last as long, but they will be much lighter and more comfortable. Get the high top style if you can find them.

If you want to make a fancy walking stick with a brass cap and a carbide tip to hike around the neighborhood with, then go right ahead. Make it with a carved face on it too. But please remember that cutting weight, no matter how difficult it may be to get your head around it, is one of the most important decisions that you need to make before doing long distance hiking on trails.

Charley

[Tom Walz]

Thank you all.

Some considerations there that had not occurred to me. I have some trekking poles and they are great In this case I was looking for something longer and something stronger.

4 uses


Ice and snow – trekking poles - commercial ski pole type with carbide tips – great
The dog and I walk in a park where the blackberries line the trail. I use a stick to beat them back. I also use a stick to beat my way in to pick up a beer can or bottle.
Logs at the beach. Approved camping is above the winter storm line so there is a lot of driftwood and big logs between the campsite and the beach. Besides being 65, and not as agile as I used to be, my left leg is about an inch short with a fused ankle so I need something that will help me balance on top of a 4 foot log which means about an 8 foot staff.
General camping. I tend to take less gear all the time. I can rig a pretty good shelter with a piece of plastic, a stick and some parachute cord.


I believe I will see what is handy in bamboo and a couple of the hardwoods mentioned.

Thanks again.

Tom

[ray hampton]

Ray hampton asked,, "can bamboo be laminated ? can bamboo and hickory be laminated together ? when wood are burnt on the end and the end are scrape back, the end are harder than it was before which helps to protect the end from damage on the concrete'

Ray, I have no idea how that would work. The bamboo hiking staff I had was literally a piece of bamboo that I salvaged from something. The beauty of it was that its naturally tubular shape gave it flexibility and springiness and was simultaneously extremely light. I just put a crutch tip on one end and a cord wrap handle on the other and I was in business!

I suppose one could laminate bamboo flooring or something to hickory boards but I don't have an inkling about what the characteristics of the result would be.

Ken
If you want a light staff then consider a fiberglass pole made to your spec.

[Greg Portland]

Tom, I just thought of something, all my high end tracking poles have tunsgten carbide tips to prevent wear. Thats something you might be able to do for yours...
Not only that, you can buy replacement tips/baskets (glue them onto the hickory). Try Leki or REI...

[Van Huskey]

Most of you haven't hiked very long distances, have you.

Carbide tips and concrete belong in the cities, not on the trails. Ok, don't listen to me. A pair of good walking shoe type sneakers is all that you need.

I dunno, I have trekked on 7 continents, through hikes the AP in my teens, summited 8,000 meter peaks and spent 100s of nights in Linville and Shining rock wilderness areas, but maybe that is not a lot. A carbide tip to me is a a very important part of a trekking pole. There are times my trekking poles are with me for weeks at a time, I can't deal with a something that will fail or have to be replaced daily. If you stay on trails that might as well be concrete sidewalks then walking shoes are fine, if I had worn walking shoes on all my treks and hike it is pretty likely I would be dead. There are horses for courses and I probably have 10 pairs of boots, each with strengths and weaknesses. This is the way I see it, the carbide tipped weighs a few grams but well worth it. I have had to count grams on some of my longer trips but then safety has to reign supreme. As my old climbing partner (who packed like a society woman headed to Paris for the month) would say, if you can't carry enough to be safe and comfortable, you need to get stronger, but he did have 7 8,000 meter peaks on his CV and never used supplemental oxygen.

In the end I don't think Tom is planning on trekking the Trans-Zanskar or dropping in on the climbers at the Everest base camp next May so any resonably light stick will work, since it would be easier for Tom than most any of us I recommanded a carbide tip, since it will protect his staff.

[Jim Matthews]

I would drop a line to a bow maker in your neck of the woods. There should be some parallels in material choices.

Here's one - straight off the top of Google <http://www.selfbow.com/> Fall City, WA.

[Kenneth Speed]

Jim Matthews said, "I would drop a line to a bow maker in your neck of the woods. There should be some parallels in material choices."

Yes, A friend of mine was suggesting osage orange and it turns out that there are osage orange sticks available for just that purpose from at least one source.

Ken