Help? Where can I buy my first walking stick?

Careful_with_that_Axe

RuthnJasper wrote: »

Ooooh - Good old Molly Mac's! That brings back memories! The guy in the van at the Hound Tor car park ("The Hound of the Basket Meals", I believe) also does a good cuppa!

Anyone who likes to get out and about but is less steady on the ol' pins than formerly could contact the Disabled Ramblers' Association (I deal with them sometimes at work) - they're a really good bunch who roam far and wide and sometimes use 4WD all-terrain mobility scooters. Here's a link to their website if anyone's interested: http://www.disabledramblers.co.uk/

Many years since I was in that neck of the woods; I'm in Cornwall now. Spent many years rambling around Two Bridges/Princetown/Tavistock and miss it greatly. That group looks great, but don't seem to come down here. I'll pass it onto a few friends though so thanks for that info.

Savvy_Sue

It is definitely worth doing something to make your stick look distinctive, even if it's just putting your postcode and house number on ready for the day you leave it on the bus!

And there is someone who will make a cheerful bag for your folding stick - or indeed any kind of bag, but since we're talking about sticks ... No personal connection, but the profile is here.

this 'stick as fashion accessory': I agree with you all that it's important.

Haven't tried to improve a stick, but when I had that ghastly muddy greeny/grey sling on for 6 weeks, my mood was immediately improved by wrapping bits of colourful silk around the bits where the velcro fastened: this meant that the velcro teeth didn't eat my clothes, but it also LOOKED better. then I had the bright idea of using a hairclip with a pink flower to cheer it up, which was even better!

I gave a friend who was temporarily on crutches some hair elastics with flowers on to see if she could improve their appearance (and also, I'm sure, their functionality. Don't know how you'd do much to a stick without paint or sticky backed plastic.

mcculloch29

I also fought off using a stick - and then discovered I was miles better with one. The same applied to my 'granny' shopping trolley. Marvellous thing. My adult's trike is in a league of its own. I haven't painted any of mine but you can still buy those little tin 'I was here' plaques in some touristy places to nail to wooden sticks. At Christmas, I had tinsel wrapped around my stick (secured with Sellotape), it made people smile, which was great.

luminated

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

putting your postcode and house number on ready for the day you leave it on the bus!

Now that really is an excellent idea as I regularly get through quite a few lost umbrellas. So not only on a new stick but on my two remaining brollys

Haven't tried to improve a stick, but when I had that ghastly muddy greeny/grey sling on for 6 weeks, my mood was immediately improved by wrapping bits of colourful silk around the bits where the velcro fastened: this meant that the velcro teeth didn't eat my clothes, but it also LOOKED better. then I had the bright idea of using a hairclip with a pink flower to cheer it up, which was even better!

Do you think this would be good for my street cred:rotfl:I am (or should I say was :cool: ) macho man. Six foot tall and built almost like a rugby player. Pink or er

Thanks for your input

Careful_with_that_Axe

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

this 'stick as fashion accessory': I agree with you all that it's important.

Couldn't agree more. With my crutches, I would HATE grey, clunky NHS ones. I'm just not a grey sortta person and the thought of using them is just depressing.

Not only are my coloured ones nicer looking, the ergo grip is wonderful, the cuff folds back for me to rest on and they don't make that distinctive clunk when I [STRIKE]hobble[/STRIKE] walk.

It's refreshing that people are thinking of the aesthetics nowadays.

I call all my various splints/crutches etc my accessories as I think the difference between us and the chimps is the ability to accessorise.

Savvy_Sue

luminated wrote: »

Thanks for your input

Well, Dad did have a coloured wrist loop he'd added to his stick which distinguished it from Mum's stick. They both had black ones.

BTW, Mum left her stick in Smiths on Saturday morning, so I had to go back for it, and then when we went out at lunchtime she left it at home, so I lent her one from the boot of my car. I kept a close eye on it!

mary-op

My patterned sticks arrived this morning:T
They're 'slimline' and I worried they wouldn't be as supportive as the NHS ones but tried them out going to the post box just round the corner and they were fine. Really pleased I got them. I'll keep the NHS ones for round the house and in the garden.

crutches

I got ergonomic handled adjustable sticks from the Social Services O.T.
I was unbalanced on just one stick so was given two

I bought some black crutches without arm grips (just comfy rests) on ebay .They have spikes on the end and are great on grass/snow/mud etc.My NHS ones were quite uncomfy around my arms.
BUT when I saw a DSS official he commented that only NHS crutches are seen as officially needed crutches for assessments as "anyone can go on ebay and pretend they need them" so beware!

mary-op

crutches - thanks for that info.......worth noting.

jetta_wales

I'm on the look out for some nice sparkly star stickers to decorate my cane with. I never thought I'd ever use one but I love it now.