Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll probably know that in 2020, I added a new type of mobility aid to my arsenal – a walking stick. The decision was an easy one for me – I was struggling to move around our house unaided, but found crutches too cumbersome to manage with a toddler. Under normal circumstances, I’d have taken myself off to the local mobility shop to try a few different walking sticks, but being high risk during a pandemic meant that this wasn’t an option. So if you’re wondering where to start with choosing a walking stick, keep reading!

For context, I have hypermobile Ehlers Danlos syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which affect my mobility. I use my walking stick along with my wheelchair and occasionally crutches and braces/splints, depending on my needs at any given moment and the activity that I’m doing.

I am writing this post having:

1. Ordered a Vine Folding Cane that was too long

2. Use the Aidapt Folding Walking Stick; Folding, 736mm to 838mm with a rubber grip T handle (also too long) and

3. Use the Neo-Walk Champaign Fizz walking stick (giveaway win); Fixed, 31 inches with a question mark handle and Neo-Walk Bubblebum Blush walking stick (purchased myself); 32 inches with a question mark handle

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Budget

As with many mobility aids (I’m looking at you wheelchairs!), walking sticks come at a variety of price points, starting at around £5 and going up to about £180.

When setting you budget, it’s worth thinking about how often you expect to use your walking stick. If you aren’t sure or you’re only going to be using it a few times a month, you may prefer to spend less. Someone who’ll be using their walking stick all the time may be inclined to invest more money and will have more options available to them as a result. Remember, the only right or wrong when it comes to budget is what works for you. There are some great, affordable options.

When shopping for my first walking stick, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a suitable mobility aid for me. So I set myself a maximum budget of £20. This price point gave me a decent variety of options to choose from.

Once you have your budget in mind, there are two main things to consider – fixed or folding and handle type. Once you have an idea about these, you can start to think about smaller details like the handle material and type of ferrule.

Remember; you may find that you need more than one walking stick to suit different situations. If you think this may be the case, make sure you review your budget and adjust to cover more additional purchases if necessary.

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Fixed Or Folding

The decision on whether to get a fixed or folding walking stick will likely be heavily influenced by the situations you are going to be using it in.

Folding walking sticks are a good option if you won’t be using it all the time, but need to have it with you. This could be day-to-day or when travelling. For me, a folding walking stick is a good option to have in a bag on the back of my wheelchair. I bought it for trips to the park with Elise, as there are some areas that I just can’t get to with my wheelchair. It has been a valuable tool for our park excursions. In addition, it has allowed me to try out a walking stick at an affordable price, to make sure it was a suitable mobility aid for me.

Currently, I only use my folding walking stick when out and about. I can’t get out without my wheelchair and folding it’s more practical to throw in a bag than a rigid/fixed stick. At home and when visiting family (where we can park right outside their front door) my fixed walking stick is more suitable for me.

A fixed (also described as rigid) walking stick can be a good option if you’re going to be using it all the time, or if you don’t need the portable benefits of a folding walking stick.

I’ve found that my fixed walking stick has a solid, stable feel. My folding stick, with its adjustable joints, just doesn’t give the same level of stability. With my folding walking stick, my body has to work that little bit harder to compensate for the movement in the walking stick, as well as the lack of stability in my own bendy joints.

It’s important to note that because of the nature of my disability (in this case hEDS), I feel small movements more than most people. So while I feel a significant difference between the stability of a fixed walking stick and a folding, this won’t necessarily be the case for other people. There may also be variation among different walking stick manufacturers, depending on thickness of the stick and a number of other factors.

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Handle Style

Once you’ve narrowed down whether you need a fixed or folding walking stick (or both for different purposes), it’s time to think about the handle style that will best suit you.

There are three main handle styles, used by a variety of manufacturers; ‘ergonomic’, T handle and candy cane style.

In addition, there are some less common styles, including the question mark handle made by Neo-Walk Sticks – my personal favourite as your weight is directly above the stick itself, making it more comfortable for my wrist and less wobbly than other styles. It has the additional benefit of being able to be hung over your arm when needed – great for rooting around in your bag, finding your keys and unlocking the front door. Also particularly useful with the logistics of having a young child.

If you’re looking for a walking stick that keeps weight close to the length of the stick, but don’t think a question mark handle is quite right for you, a T handle style could be a good option. Some had groves to evenly spread fingers, encouraging the hand to distribute your weight evenly over the handle. Some T handles are very straight, while others are shaped to give your palm some support.

Ergonomic handles can be great for people who experience hand pain, as the hand is supported in a natural resting position. It may not work well for those who’s hands are more uniquely shaped.

I’ll be honest, I’m not really sure what to say about candy cane style walking stick handles. They’re a common option, but not one I get on well with. But just because I don’t, doesn’t mean you won’t either – everyone is different.

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Handle Material

As with handle styles, there are a variety of different materials a walking stick handle can be made from. Wood, metal and plastic are common options and some manufacturers also add a rubber grip to their walking sticks – great for those who find it hard to grip things comfortably.

Again, there is no right answer or option for everyone. For a comfortable hold, selecting the right handle shape and material are important. Personally, I find the smooth question mark handle of the Neo-Walk sticks supportive and comfortable. My hand sits on the handle comfortably and I don’t have to grip hard (an important on for me). The T handle of my folding walking stick is also comfortable, with its rubber grip and ridges that fit between the fingers. The rubber grips my hand, rather than the other way round. Without the grip and moulding that my T handle has, I don’t think I would find it comfortable.

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Stick Length

Getting the right length of walking stick is really important, for maximum comfort and to avoid injury. It’s important to remember that our disabilities affect us differently and what’s right for one person may not be for another, even if they’re the same height. Where possible, it’s a good idea to check in with a professional who can advise and fit check your walking stick (or other mobility aid) to make sure it’s right for you and your circumstances.

Bear in mind that while some walking sticks are adjustable, the height that’s right for you may fall between two settings on the stick. And if you’re taller or shorter than the average person (I’m on the short side), some walking sticks won’t extend or reduce to the height you need.

I ordered my first walking stick online during the pandemic and even on the shortest setting, it was too tall for me. I returned it for my current (yellow) folding walking stick, which was much better but still not right – you can probably tell from the photos.

While my yellow folding stick is too long for me for everyday use, it has become the perfect sand park stick – sinking into the sand to become just the right length for me!

I struck gold when I won @luuudaw’s Neo-Walk sick giveaway in December 2020. I chose a 31 inch question mark stick, which was the ideal height for me. However, this is only the ideal height for me when I’m wearing flat shoes. I ordered my next Neo-Walk stick to be 32 inches, which is a great length when I want to wear (small) heels and is also comfortable, though not ideal) in bare feet. If you’re wanting to get a fixed length walking stick, it’s worth considering the height of your most worn shoes and potentially factor needing more than one stick, at different lengths, into your budget.

It’s important to note that the handle style and how your hand sits on the handle, can affect what the right stick length is for you.

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Ferrule

Most walking sticks come with a standard ferrule, which could be slim, chunky or in between. For those tackling more hazardous weather, mud/ice grips and t-pronged ferrules are available. Just be aware that if you’re wanting to change the ferrule on your walking stick, you’ll need to check the thickness of your walking stick and make sure that the ferrule you buy is the right size. Otherwise it could slip off or worse, not fit at all!

If a standard ferrule isn’t absorbing enough force when your walking stick comes into contact with the floor, a springy ferrule could be the answer. I know that some people with a hyper mobility syndrome love these because it reduces jolting in their joints, which we can feel from minimal impact. Without having tried one, I’m unable to comment with certainty, but for myself I would be worried that having a bending element within the ferrule could reduce the stability of the walking stick. I’ll leave you to make your own judgments on that.

Ferrules wear down with use. Many can be replaced, but some are fixed to a walking stick – worth considering when choosing your walking stick as the price of ferrules are often less than buying a whole new walking stick.

Tips For Choosing A Walking Stick: Wrist Strap

A seemingly small, but important detail when choosing a walking stick is whether you want a wrist strap or not.

The main benefit of having a wrist strap is that you can use two hands to do things, like pay in a shop or get your door keys out of a bag, without having to put your walking stick down (and risk it falling over and you then having to pick it up). On the flip side, it can be challenging not to knock things over or bash people, as you do things with the stick as it’s hanging from your wrist. Another drawback of having a wrist strap is that it can sometimes get caught on things. The situations you’ll use your walking stick in will likely determine how much of a difficulty this could be for you.