Do you guys have a dedicated hiking staff? If so what is it made out of? Does it have any special features or addornments? Do you think a stick/staff is important when hiking/walking through the wilderness? I personally have a thick bamboo staff thats about 4 1/2 feet long. Where I hold my hand is wrapped with cord and on the top I have epoxyed a button compass. The bottom has a brass cap to stop me from wearing out the bottom. What do you guys have? Pictures are welcome <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Hi,

I use an Ratan staff about 5 feet long and about 1 1/2" thick, I mounted a threaded bush in the 'tip ' that can take either a sharp hardened point for walking or some other 'device', currently I have a 3 pronged fish spear insert for it.
Also the tip part is sanded down to exactly fit in the inside of a Cold Steel Bushman knife and the fit is a 'suction' fit and the bushman can be secured extra with a small screw that goes through the hole in the rear of the Bushman handle.

I then fitted about 20 feet coperwire around the staff juat below the 50 feet 2 mm thick black nylon braided rope I rolled around the gripping area and finished off with 10 feet 100 miles an hour tape.

The 'top' is drilled to hold an lanyard.

The Ratan is very strong and flexible and still very light.
I'm sorry but I don't see a possibility to attach a picture here that I have of my hiking staff.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera

Absolutely, In fact, I have several. I consider a hiking staff very useful in almost any kind of hiking terrain. Ones I have used range from a recycled mop handle found on the beach to a fancy Leki adjustable, bought on sale, but still about $35. The adjustable models are lighter and have a nice swing weight. They are very versatile, serving as tent/shelter poles, probes, splints, you name it. Their collapsibility makes them good travelers on boats, planes, and cars. The mop/tool handle variety are stronger, just about as versatile, and make better weapons. Often if I don't have a staff when I start I hike, I find/improvise one by the end. Hiking staffs are particularly useful in fording streams of any significant depth.

I have two.One was a Survival Staff that I bought off Ebay.And the other one is a Bamboo Stick that I made myself.And it is about 1 1/2 inches wide .I made mine so I can use the compartments for storing water.I am trying to find a good wood stick.Hope this helps

Wildernessman

My favorite hiking staff is one that I made a couple of years ago. I took a 1 in dowel, put on a rubber cane/crutch bottom, installed a ball top (wooden round curtain rod end), wrapped the handle with 25 feet of para cord and stained the whole thing. I keep it in my jeep and use it a lot when I'm groundhog hunting.

I've got a couple of commercial staffs that do pretty good, but they almost seem too lightweight.

HI yall
my hiking staff is about soulder hight and is hand made
(by me) out of cede. And has A leather string tied to it
(sorry no picture) an I am puting a compas on the top
happy hiking

Hi yall
This web site has some good ides about bamboo hiking stick.
http://www.therangerdigest.com/Tips___Tricks/Bamboo_Walkin_Stick/body_bamboo_walkin_stick.htm
Teen suriver