I spent the weekend on the Guad and have another weekend coming up in January where I will also be on the Guad. If the future, I will probably make a trip or 2 per year. Some of the guys I fished with had wading staff and they were able to probe around for the next step and use it for a bit of balance climbing out of holes, etc. I ended up finding a nice stick to use but I wanted to pick up a collapsable wading staff.

Since I will only use it once or twice a year, I don't want to drop a bunch of money on it. Can anyone comment on any of the budget lines of wading staffs (Hammers, ,Zephr, Proline, Cabelas, etc.)?

if you have a cabelas near you they have a really great one on sale in the camping/backpacking area. My dad has it and loves it

I use a ski pole that I also use as a kayak stakeout pole. Works pretty good if you don't care if it breaks down or not.

I have an old cheap one that I use. But was wondering around Academy and in the camping section they have hiking staffs. $14 and they telescope from about 18" to 4 feet or so. Have both rubber tip that slipe on over the carbide tip. Walmart also has them for about the same price I think.

thats what I use too, broke off the things at the bottom and now its perfect. Not collapsable though

I want to go with something that will collapse and stow on my belt or on my sling pack.

Cabelas and Bass Pro have them complete with a belt holster and lanyard to fasten to your wader belt. I got mine at BP and have had good service from it.

I have the Academy collapsible hiking staff. Only caution is that over time, the locking mechanism gives out and you are left spending a long frustrating time trying to get the thing to lock!

There is another I have seen that has a thumb hinge that unlocks the staff rather than twisting it. I am going to look for that type.

The Guadalupe is a treacherous river to wade -- the bottom is slick and very uneven and the visibility is usually low, so actually seeing the bottom is seldom likely. So, a good wading staff is a must, especially at higher flows or in unfamiliar water.

I've had bad luck with cheap wading staffs -- one bent U-shaped as I was going under on the Bighorn and I had other times when I could not get sections apart or when the elastic cord stretched out and was easily tangled -- so I paid a bit extra and got a nice Simms collapsible staff. I never regretted it and have used it several years now with no problems whatsoever.

If it's in the budget ... I just got a pair of Simms Wading Boots featuring the new Vibram aquatic rubber compound/tread pattern. Amazingly good traction. Worth considering if anyone is in the market for a new pair of fish shoes.

J.

Simms makes an excellent staff. Not cheap, but very very good.