I think I need to get a wading staff. My balance walking on slippery rocks isn't as good as it used to be.
Is the Simms Wading Staff @ $130 really any better than the Perfect Hatch Wading Staff @ $40?
Any other recommendations?

https://www.simmsfishing.com/shop/gear/accessories/wading-staff
https://perfecthatch.com/categories/1786-wading-staff-54-collapsible-aluminum.html

Not sure about the quality of the cheaper one, but my Simms staff was worth every penny. Simms doesnt put out junk and when you’re in the middle of the river is a bad time to figure out you should’ve spent the extra $$$. Just my 2¢

I’m done with the Simms staffs. I just sent another one back the other day. I have a Fishpond one but it doesn’t fold up it just shortens. Honestly the two pack I got from REI on sale for people to use are just as good. This is just my opinion although I really would like to try a Folstaff

Was your Simms wading staff made of aluminum or carbon fiber?

Staff


It says aluminum

What happened to it? Mine is the newer version

The Simms website is sold out of the regular aluminum wading staff and the Pro carbon wading staff.
Tailwaters in Dallas only has the Pro carbon one in stock and I am not ready to pay $180 for a stick I will use about 3 times a year.

I made some out of a few old carbon fiber golf club shafts by cutting off the heads and gluing an aluminum threaded piece at the tip. Works good enough for me, also used them for hiking and walking in the recent snow.. Both were custom cut for me at around 42" long. The one piece is around 4 oz, and the 2 piece folds to 22", weighs 6 oz.

2-piece golf club shaft? I have never heard of this. Most fly fishing wading shafts seem to be 54” and 4 pieces. Most golf club drivers seem to be in the mid-40s and 1 piece. I read the PGA limits drivers to 48”. Please provide more details.
Last year I was using an old broom handle which worked but is was a pain to fish while holding on to the wading staff. I eventually dropped it while fighting a fish and it floated off. I need a staff to walk along the waterfalls at the Blue River. The rest of the time, it will be folded up and hanging off a belt loop. I took a hard fall in November without a wading staff and was thinking about about Careflight but couldn’t get cell reception so I rested for 1/2 hour and then limped out.

It is possible to cut several of the 44" or so drivers to any size necessary to stack the pieces end to end even of different brands. The pieces are trimmed a little at a time to get just the right taper (There is a lot of waste material) so that there is a snug fit between the male and female parts. Any length can be made this way, and there could be more than 2 pieces if you have enough drivers to experiment with.

It somehow comes loose like the inside cord stretches and the sections won’t stay tight

Another way might be to cut down some old 3 section cane poles, some have locking ferrules that won't slide apart, or just use the ferrules on golf club shafts.

I have a Folstaff that I bought from Orvis when I worked there back in about 1999 or 2000. Let me tell you that it has saved me from doing the polar bear plunge dozens of times! It has a little carbide tip, and a couple of years back, I noticed it was gone. I contacted them, and they had me send it back to fix the end.

The VERY NICE lady that I talked to wanted to clean the cork and re-paint the shaft. I asked her please not to because every scratch and nick and the dirty cork are all memories. She understood and didn’t charge me a dime for the repair.

I also have a Fishpond staff that I bought when Jessie King still had his fly shop just outside the park on 259. I had gotten away without my Folstaff, and my balance in the water just isn’t good enough for me to wade on the slippery rocks at Beavers Bend. It has come in handy as a loaner from time to time.

Over the years, I have posted here and on the BBFSMB that it should be illegal to wade in some areas at Beavers Bend without a wading staff. There are areas at the Blue River where you can be standing in waist-deep water and with one step, you’d be in 10 feet of water!!

There have been times, too, that I have used my wading staff to kill a water moccasin. A wading staff can save your life if you’re crossing the river and the current is stronger than you originally thought.

If you think you might need a wading staff....... GET ONE!!

JR

I am a big guy and clumsy... The Folstaff has saved me countless times. It is a quality product, sturdy, and comes in two different lengths. It's not cheap at $130 but I feel it is well worth it. I got mine online at LL Beam and you can see it gets very favorable reviews.

Bamboo wading sticks? Good enough for fly rods, why not? I have an endless supply.