How often do you carry a walking stick when kilted

[svc40bt]

All these collections are making me want to expand my own. Right now I have only the one, collected and produced by myself from my father's property 20 odd years ago. Never felt the need for another, until now.

Here it is out hiking.

[Howard Clark]

I voted "often". Nearly all the walking I do is out in the field and woods of the farm country where I live. I must say that my staff is pretty plain compared to many of the ones pictured here. Simply a length of 35 mm diameter ash with a steel cap on one end. Very handy for keeping one's balance on slippery ground. Think quarterstaff and you're there.

[dtandthekilt]

Using a walking stick has always been useful when I hiked even in my teens. I do not have one today, but think that one would be useful when going for a walk or to the games since a lot of walking is usually the case.

[Riverkilt]

Reading these posts got me to thinking about why I don't use a cane/stick/pole/et.al. other than when hiking. I believe its because it takes away the use of one hand.

Kind of like before I quit smoking I wondered what non-smokers did with their hands. Now as a non-smoker I wonder how I ever managed to give up my hands to smoking and its rituals.

Nice to have hand's free when out and about.

Hmmmm, does anyone make a scabbard for a cane or hiking stick so we could tuck them away when we need both hands?

I know if I just propped mine somewhere I'd probably walk off and forget it. Been known to stop to rest and enjoy the scenery while hiking then head off leaving my stick, canteen, eyeglasses behind.

Not sure what the world would think of an aged olde kilted geezer whipping a cane out of a scabbard....

Ron

[Peter C.]

I myself have been favoring this simple one with a brass mushroom head as of late



Cheers

Jamie

That looks like a malacca cane Jamie. I have a very similar victorian one which has a silver mushroom top. I love it and use it when it fits in with what I am wearing.

Peter

[Riverkilt]

Stumbled on this while looking for something else.



A temporary driftwood cane of sorts from Marble Canyon of the Colorado River. Had not taken a hiking stick down Cathedral Wash since its pretty much a clamber with the route too narrow to place a hiking stick or the overhangs too low to do anything but drag a stick along. The wash did widen near the bottom as it approached the canyon and going back up I found a stick helpful.

Left the stick behind at the cliffs for the climb back out.

Ron

[caig]

I use a cromach at highland games and similar events, as it is part of the outfit, just as a sgain dubh is. I have two, both made by Caledonia Sticks near Aberdeen. I occasionally take a Leki walking pole whenout in difficult conditions in winter or very rocky terrain.

[thescot]

When all dressed up, I carry a very nice cromach.

For hiking, I have three rougher sticks of cromach length which are very handy for navigating hills, crags, and berns. I would never hike without some kind of stick, and didn't do it when I was young and agile. Avoids turned ankles, hyper-extended knees, and falls.

For general walking in the neighborhood, I often take a cane length stick. I have, oh, let's see, 6 or 7 from which to choose of varying dressiness. A couple are black metal with fancy tops, and one is rough wood. I also have a couple which fold up for packing when I travel.

As you can see, I am quite a fan of sticks. I would carry one all the time if my wife didn't think it looked "affected" or some such drivel.

In fact, for over a year after my transplant, I did carry one at all times. I was known around town as the guy who always wore a hat and carried a stick and was often kilted. Hard to miss an old geezer like that.

[budd4766]

I'm recovering from a motorcycle accident and just now getting to the point where I can walk again without a stick. But I still use it....for now. Nothing fancy, though, it's a bubba stik.

www.bubbastik.com

[thescot]

For the gents here who never use a stick, let me assure you that it is quite a pleasureable and useful thing. Ron's right about it occupying a hand, but the added benefits outweigh that, I think. Expecially if you hike or walk on anything rougher than a flat sidewalk.

And besides that, it really does add a bit of dash to your overall appearance if that if the least bit important.