How tall should a wading staff be?

[rawfish]

Hello all,
I am in the market to buy a wading staff and I am not sure how long mine should be. I am 6'4" and I notice most come standard between 52-56 inches is this long enough for me? and if not how long should I get it and where can I find a long one?
Thanks,
Rawfish

[oldfrat]

I'm 6'2" and had a 50" Folstaf. It worked OK for me, but I recently got one of their 59" models and like it better. It really is a matter of personal choice, though. Shorter if you like to use it like a cane; taller if you want to use it in front of you in a tripod stance.

[BH Spey]

Stand up straight with your arm at your side and your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle (forearm parallel to the ground); the wading staff should be tall enough that you hand is on the grip with your arm in this position. Vary up or down slightly to personal preference.

Good Luck

[Jed]

I prefer mine at arm pit height. This allows me to use it as a staff, not a cane and when the river bottom dips I can use it as a cane and as a stick to see how deep it is going to be. Armpit ehight is roughly wader height so if I can see the top of my staff I know I can wade their dry.

jed

[Peter F]

My folstaff is 49" and I am 6-1. This length is perfect for me because:

With my hand on the handle, my hand is then about chest high. If water comes up above the shaft and my hand gets wet, it is too deep to step forward (unless I can see the bottom and the water is flowing very slowly). This provides a very easy measuring guage for where I can wade.

[anglerdave]

I am glad to see this thread. When I was fishing the Big T up by Estes this summer, I sure could have used one. I thought I will most likely buy one before next years trip, but had no idea what length to look for.

[rawfish]

Thats exactly why I posted. Went out yesterday to the Housatonic and thankfully my guide has a staff for me because otherwise I think I may have taken a spill. Wasn't used to such fast water after all my calm fishing out on long island

Wading Staffs are similar to Walking Staffs, in function, and use. The purpose of the Staff is to aid in balancing while crossing hazardous terrain, help a person from losing their balance.

In the design of the Wading Staff, the length of the staff should be the same length as the length from your arm pit to the ground. Some may think this is too long a length. But you need the extra length to use the wading staff to probe ahead of you to find the drop-offs, unseen below the water surface.

I mark my Wading Staff with some Duck Tape, to mark the depth I do not want go past, while wading in the water. The depth of the water can be deceptive, so if you wade in water, have a staff. ~Parnelli

http://www.folstaf.com/sizing.htm

[RG/AR]

You can also get an adjustable length staff from Orvis, or buy a hiking staff in Wal-Mart for about $10 that works very well and is also adjustable in length.