Wading staff... re-visit

There are too many replies to read them all. I have two strong beliefs
regarding wading sticks
1) the Simms is the best available. Second best is a ski pole.
2) any wading stick with an elastic cord isn't worth shi... I was standing
in the middle of the Hood river when my wading stick became as limp as
Wayne's d.... The cord had stretched and wouldn't hold it together. When
I complained to the manufacturer, they offered to replace the cord for a
fee..more than half the cost of the stick. It didn't bother them that I had
been stranded in the middle of a river with their poorly designed stick. Go
with the Simms which has a metal cord and won't let you down.

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"Jeff Taylor" wrote in message
...
Late September I found myself in a predicament standing in the N.F. of the
Clearwater, with that uneasy feeling of a Full Reid if I took a step in
any
direction. I made it out without a dunking, however told myself it was
time
to look for a wading staff.

I looked through the archives, although the information is a bit dated.
Are
there any on the market that you would suggest and or stay away from?

I took a look out on e-bay and found the following:
http://tinyurl.com/47v53

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions appreciated...

TIA,
JT

From: Ken Fortenberry
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 22:01:55 GMT
Local: Thurs, Oct 21 2004 3:01 pm
Subject: Wading staff... re-visit




Wading staffs are just an excuse to go wading where you shouldn't
be wading. Besides that, they're a bother and a nuisance.

Follow the Fortenberry Rule of Wading, to whit:


Thou shalt not wetteth thy balls.
Ken Fortenberry

Well, I can't say I disagree with your rule...

I don't see the staff as something I would use all the time, more as a
fall back if I found myself in trouble. In the particular situation I
mentioned in my first post, I made it about 3/4 of the way across the river
( I could have easily made it to the far side of the river) when I decided
it was time to head back. Not sure if I was tired or what, however I was
having a hell of a time trying to get back. I ended up walking to the far
side and up river about 200 yds. to a safe crossing.

Thanks,

JT

"Sierra fisher" wrote in
:

2) any wading stick with an elastic cord isn't worth shi... I was
standing in the middle of the Hood river when my wading stick became
as limp as Wayne's d.... The cord had stretched and wouldn't hold it
together. When I complained to the manufacturer, they offered to
replace the cord for a fee..more than half the cost of the stick. It
didn't bother them that I had been stranded in the middle of a river
with their poorly designed stick. Go with the Simms which has a metal
cord and won't let you down.



When the cord in a Folstaf goes, they'll replace it for free. As with many
other things, shock cord doesn't last forever, but it doesn't go all at
once. Inspecting your safety gear is important.

Scott

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"Sierra fisher" wrote in
:

2) any wading stick with an elastic cord isn't worth shi... I was
standing in the middle of the Hood river when my wading stick became
as limp as Wayne's d.... The cord had stretched and wouldn't hold it
together. When I complained to the manufacturer, they offered to
replace the cord for a fee..more than half the cost of the stick. It
didn't bother them that I had been stranded in the middle of a river
with their poorly designed stick. Go with the Simms which has a metal
cord and won't let you down.



When the cord in a Folstaf goes, they'll replace it for free. As with
many
other things, shock cord doesn't last forever, but it doesn't go all at
once. Inspecting your safety gear is important.

Scott

i have a hiking staff which is telescopic just twist and it locks in place
at the desired height anywhere from3ft 5ft only cost me $39.00 aus and has
saved my neck a few times between the staff and my carpet boots i have been
going where no man has gone b4(well me anyway)
tony

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"Sierra fisher" wrote in
:

2) any wading stick with an elastic cord isn't worth shi... I was
standing in the middle of the Hood river when my wading stick became
as limp as Wayne's d.... The cord had stretched and wouldn't hold it
together. When I complained to the manufacturer, they offered to
replace the cord for a fee..more than half the cost of the stick. It
didn't bother them that I had been stranded in the middle of a river
with their poorly designed stick. Go with the Simms which has a metal
cord and won't let you down.



When the cord in a Folstaf goes, they'll replace it for free. As with
many
other things, shock cord doesn't last forever, but it doesn't go all at
once. Inspecting your safety gear is important.

Scott

i have a hiking staff which is telescopic just twist and it locks in place
at the desired height anywhere from3ft 5ft only cost me $39.00 aus and has
saved my neck a few times between the staff and my carpet boots i have been
going where no man has gone b4(well me anyway)
tony

"Jeff Taylor" wrote


Thoughts, ideas, suggestions appreciated...



I have two .... one bungi cord pop together one similar to the one on e-bay

another one piece walking stick I found abandoned in the mud along the HFork
and put a new handle on


Folding the Folstaff (sp) is NOT nearly as simple as it looks ... the
sections jam together .. in effect it becomes a one piece that can only be
folded with difficulty and tools, back at the trailer

A one piece staff is a pain, just about as often as it is useful ... but I
simply MUST have it when I need it, my knee is that bad .. so I put up with
it the rest of the time

As much as I hate to admit it ... and I really really hate it ... I'm
thinking of getting the SIMMS staff ... it's too damn long, but looks like
it can actually be folded up and gotten out of the way, except when needed,
then looks plenty strong to be up to the task

In article , says...

Late September I found myself in a predicament standing in the N.F. of the
Clearwater, with that uneasy feeling of a Full Reid if I took a step in any
direction. I made it out without a dunking, however told myself it was time
to look for a wading staff.

I looked through the archives, although the information is a bit dated. Are
there any on the market that you would suggest and or stay away from?


I like to use a Stick(tm). Any stream with beavers in residence
(and I haven't seen one yet that didn't have any) will usually have
an assortment of Sticks(tm) scattered about the bank. I look
around for one that is about the right length, use it to cross
over, and leave it on the bank for the next guy.

Kevin,
no affiliation, etc...

--
reply to:
kevin dot vang at minotstateu dot edu

Jeff Taylor wrote:
snip
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions appreciated...

Wading staffs are just an excuse to go wading where you shouldn't
be wading. Besides that, they're a bother and a nuisance.

Follow the Fortenberry Rule of Wading, to whit:

Thou shalt not wetteth thy balls.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Jeff Taylor" wrote in message
...
Late September I found myself in a predicament standing in the N.F. of the
Clearwater, with that uneasy feeling of a Full Reid if I took a step in
any direction. I made it out without a dunking, however told myself it was
time to look for a wading staff.

I looked through the archives, although the information is a bit dated.
Are there any on the market that you would suggest and or stay away from?

I took a look out on e-bay and found the following:
http://tinyurl.com/47v53

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions appreciated...
\

Well, I think the argument about wading staffs is not about their usefulness
in certain situations, as its obvious that they are sometimes VERY useful.
However, the problem is in the storage of them for when they are NOT being
used, either when you are hiking around, or when you are midstream. They can
be a real PITA, tangling around your feet or snagging your line. The
collapsable ones get out of the way easily, however they can be flimsy, or
hard to collapse or assemble when you need them. The cheapo ski pole idea
has merits, as you don't miss it so bad if you break or lose it, but they
are the worst for entanglements and tripping, as well as pretty unportable.
Then there are some folks like Fortenberry who avoid the whole issue by
avoiding deep wading.

My personal summary is that, when you need them, you need them, otherwise
you are endangering yourself needlessly. And when you don't, they are a
valid burden and obstacle. So I've started just using a stick I find when I
know I'm going to wade. I carry a little nylon string that I can loop over
the stick to make a leash, and when I'm midstream I just clip the stick to
my wasteband behind me to keep it out of the way, but to keep it handy so I
can wade back to shore. Once I'm done wading, I toss the stick in the woods
and don't have to deal with it, and the string goes in my vest.

Its not a perfect solution, but a very reasonable one.
--riverman

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 14:56:57 -0700, "Jeff Taylor" wrote:

Late September I found myself in a predicament standing in the N.F. of the
Clearwater, with that uneasy feeling of a Full Reid if I took a step in any
direction. I made it out without a dunking, however told myself it was time
to look for a wading staff.

I looked through the archives, although the information is a bit dated. Are
there any on the market that you would suggest and or stay away from?

I took a look out on e-bay and found the following:
http://tinyurl.com/47v53

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions appreciated...

A compass on a wading staff? Two thoughts: 1) cheap, far East, (supposedly)
multipurpose crap - the KPOS of wading staffs, and/or 2) Silly-assed
GI-Joe-for-adults toy.

I tend to agree with Ken about them _in general_, but there are _limited_
situations where they are probably a useful and helpful thing, and for those
situations, Joel's offer of one fashioned from a ski pole is both generous and
useful. If one has a place to get inexpensive used ski gear and even a basic
hardware store in their area, they can have as many 5-10.00 wading staffs as
they want.

HTH,
R