Call me a little old lady but.........
I don't even walk along stream banks without my wading staff. I've always got my wading staff in one hand and my fly rod in the other when I'm going from one place to another, even on dry ground. It's saved me from falls on gravel bars in less than two inches of water. It's saved me from from a ski ride down a mud bank in felt sole waders. It's allowed me to poke around suspicious logs that did harbor snakes. It's helped me fend off several less than friendly dogs. I should add that I have no locomotion impairment but I grew up in the Colin Fletcher school of backpacking and have always walked with a staff in one hand. Just my two cent percent of dollar. When fishing I just let the wading staff go and drift on its tether cord.
NYfisherman, I'm glad the you didn't have a worse experience than you did. That wading staff can be worth its weight in gold. 8T :)