Or is it staves???

Anyways, what makes for a good hiking staff, either natural or manufactured?

In my experience, Western Red Cedar saplings make the best sticks I've ever tried. When thinning a cedar grove, I pick ones that are at least 2" diameter at the base and 1" or more at 6'. I've tried Spruce and a few hardwoods, but found Spruce to be too soft and tending to bow during the curing process too much. Madrona is my favorite hardwood, though it is heavy and finding a straight piece long enough is quite an adventure. I think some of the Madrona I've worked with is harder than English Oak!

Cedar is light but strong, though the wood will dent easier than others. It carves fairly easily, and tends to hold true better than any other evergreen I've worked with. It is naturally weather resistant, though I always varnish my sticks anyways. I have yet to have one split on me, though if one were so concerned, a simple thong wrap at the ends would tend to exclude that possibility altogether.

I've never been one for manufactured walking sticks, or staffs, though I realize that they can be made with far superior physical properties to natural ones. For me it is aesthetics I suppose, and the value of making my conservaton efforts pay a dividend or two.