I am 6 ft. tall and wonder if the 59 inch staff will be too tall. Thanks for any input.
59"??? I’m 6’2" and mine is ~49 1/2" to the top of the cork. I added a “high water mark” at the same height as my hippers.
Cheers,
R
[This message has been edited by RonT (edited 01 June 2006).]
YOur right at the borderline, so it depends on which feels more comfortable for you. Personally, I like longer over shorter.
You can test it out by measuring a broom handle at both lengths and see which you proefer.
RonT - The high water mark on the staff is a great idea. Why didn’t I think of this! I am always filling my hippers!
Thanks
I struggled with the same choice (I’m 6’2-3"), experimented with bamboo sticks I had laying around. Was tempted to ask the folks at Fly Tyers Carry All to make a custom length in between (they will). Finally went with the 59" and am glad I did. It’s a bit too long as a long-journey hiking stick (arm would be too elevated), but is perfect for the stream. Very often I put it ahead in a hole that is lower than my current footing, and it is helpful to pull myself up with when climbing a bolder or log.
Plan on getting one o’ those “fly retrievers” for it too, and the extra length will help.
If you can get out into a stream before you order it, take/get a stick or 2 that are exactly the target lengths.
Don’t forget to pick up a rubber foot.
nuthatch. Check your e-mail. Ron
Dang! Folstaff! Havn’t drunk any of that stuff in close to 60 years! I’m surprised to learn that it comes in such big bottles though…and with cork stoppers. How big around are those 59" bottles. I usta be 6’2" tall…do you think I could handle a whole bottle?
Ol’ Bill
My length selection comes from my downhill skiing days and pole length determination. At the time we recommended standing upright and with your forearm parallel to the ground, to determine length (less basket to tip). Hiking sticks and cross country poles were typically measured to the armpit…(~59" for me).
The right angle arm position gives me the leverage and stance that I want…YOMV.
R
I am 6’2" and I find the H&H staff to be great, Not to mention it’s only 26 bucks!!! and made just as sweetly as a folstaff.
Same design and effortless setup/Takedown.
Just something to ponder!
Sorry Bill, even though they are not a sponsor, I do not agree. We both use Folstaff. Have seen and heard of too many reports of other ones failing and then the guy ends up buying a Folstaff instead. Bad economy.
Oh Folstaff is not a sponsor…OK I got that through my thick head…!!!..LOL…H&H is still a sponsor here ???
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 03 June 2006).]
Just Noticed something…Welcome RonT…as you can see in this thread we Have a member with a strikingly similar Username…I thought all the posts in this thread were his…My bad!..Welcome aboard!
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
Everyone wants to excel in this sport but at the same time we let traditionalists place restrictions on our tactics, methods, and ideas. I always assumed that fly fishing was a sport that allowed imagination, creation, adaptation, investigation, dedication, education, revelation? : Fox Statler, On Spinners (Not the dainty Dry Fly kind) “Spinner’d Minner Fly”
“Wish ya great fishing”
Bill
Bill, take a deep breath, relax. H&H is still a sponsor. FOLSTAFF isn’t! Did I just defend a company that is not a sponsor (again) ? Yes.
I like the Simm’s staff, it folds up like a blind mans walking stick, only it comes with a neophrene holder and a bungee cord so you won’t drop & lose it.
Thanks Bill,
Have been RonT for many years on other boards. BTW, I also had a local Amish harness shop remove the two rivets and add two snaps to my Folstaff belt loop. Makes it a lot easier to put on and off when “crick hopping”.
R
[This message has been edited by RonT (edited 03 June 2006).]
Ray, no staff does it all. Some want one that will ‘snap’ together (bungee). Others want one that will not come apart when pulled on (to pull someone out of the water). Ya can’t have it both ways. They can be thinner walled, narrower tubing, inferior quality, less features…
I can’t rave enough about my 20+ year old Folstaf. I got mine personally from Joan Stolliar when she and Arthur, her husband used to make them in the basement of their Greenwich Village home.
The best news I got regarding it was a few years back from Lee Stolliar Dufresne, Joan & Arthur’s daughter who now runs the company. When I inquired about replacing a missing tip I found out the dang thing had a lifetime warranty!
For a nominal fee I sent it into them and I got back my staff with a new tip, new cork grip and new shock-cord! I was so happy I hand sewed a new leather holster for it.
If you are in the market for a collapsible shock-corded type wading staff that will last a lifetime and safely support just about anybody, spend the extra $$$ and buy the original Folstaf.
You won’t regret it!
[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 03 June 2006).]
Try the Simms out as well and judge for yourself! It is a great staff and has many features the others don’t. My friend has gone through two cheaper models already and wishes he would have paid the extra money to get the Simms.
It is a little pricey, but is it worth not getting dunked in the river or a possible ride down the river? You bet! The retractable cord is really sweet and it folds up neatly and goes in it’s neoprene pouch or you can let it swing behind you. It is very sturdy and holds a tremendous amount of weight without felling flimsy at all. Either way I have much more confidence when using it especially in winter. Brrrrrrrrr!
“A smart man learns from his mistakes,
A wise man learns from others”
[This message has been edited by cctyer (edited 03 June 2006).]
I in no way intended to ‘knock’ any brand. Mostly you get what you pay for. Be sure what features you want. They are not all the same. Cheap seems to break sometimes. There are 1/2 inch ones and 3/4 inch ones. Choose carefully. (Hey, if yer a fat guy, ?) lol 
A friend and I have debated brand a number of times. He likes the Simms for its loking feature. I like the Folstaff for its quick one-handed deployment.
I recently bought an Orivs one that looked in the catalog like it had the best of both features --a bungee cord with locks. Discovered that it is the worst of both. Each section has to be locked by hand.
I kept it, though, as it was on sale, was longer than my Folstaff, and I like the lower noise level of its rubber tip. And, truth be told, I am now at the stage in life where I keep the staff deployed any time I am in the water.
I recently saw a device that intrigues me. A magnetic catch that keeps the handle of the deployed staff next to your wading belt and available for a sudden grab if needed. May be the best of both worlds for me.