{"id":54297,"date":"2019-07-23T09:11:48","date_gmt":"2019-07-23T16:11:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/?p=54297"},"modified":"2020-01-21T08:58:10","modified_gmt":"2020-01-21T15:58:10","slug":"brazos-walking-hiking-stick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazos Walking Sticks &#8211; This Hickory Walking Stick ROCKS!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Brazos Walking Sticks &#8211; This Hickory Walking Stick ROCKS!<\/p>\n<p>Over the years, I&#8217;ve hiked thousands of miles&#8230;in the military, as a Boy Scout Leader, just in my rural neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p>For many of those miles, especially recently, I&#8217;ve used a sturdy walking-hiking stick.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"My_favorite_is_from_Brazos_Walking_Sticks\"><\/span>My favorite is from Brazos Walking Sticks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#My_favorite_is_from_Brazos_Walking_Sticks\" title=\"My favorite is from Brazos Walking Sticks\">My favorite is from Brazos Walking Sticks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Brazos_Hiking_Sticks\" title=\"Brazos Hiking Sticks\">Brazos Hiking Sticks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Benefits_of_a_Brazos_Walking_Sticks\" title=\"Benefits of a Brazos Walking Sticks\">Benefits of a Brazos Walking Sticks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Walking_Sticks_You_Choose_Makes_a_Difference\" title=\"Walking Sticks You Choose Makes a Difference\">Walking Sticks You Choose Makes a Difference<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Brazos_Walking_Sticks_is_a_Superior_Hickory_Walking_Stick\" title=\"Brazos Walking Sticks is a Superior Hickory Walking Stick\">Brazos Walking Sticks is a Superior Hickory Walking Stick<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Walking_stick_customization\" title=\"Walking stick customization\">Walking stick customization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Free_Form_Hickory_Hiking_Stick\" title=\"Free Form Hickory Hiking Stick\">Free Form Hickory Hiking Stick<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/#Hickory_Walking_Stick\" title=\"Hickory Walking Stick\">Hickory Walking Stick<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>The quality of the hiking\/walking stick you carry makes all the difference.<\/p>\n<p>The day I first tried <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brazos-walking-sticks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brazos Walking Sticks<\/a> changed my hiking life forever.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, their Brazos Hickory Hiking Stick has become my favorite companion on dozens of treks.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s so comfortable in my hand that I&#8217;ve started to feel a little out-of-step when I don&#8217;t have it with me even for a short stroll around the block.<\/p>\n<p>I didn&#8217;t always feel that way.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brazos_Hiking_Sticks\"><\/span>Brazos Hiking Sticks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I used to meet people on the trail who were using walking sticks, and I couldn&#8217;t figure out why they&#8217;d want to burden themselves with that extra gear.<\/p>\n<p>In my mind, walking sticks were designed for strenuous, multi-day treks through back-country terrain.<\/p>\n<p>I just didn&#8217;t want to be weighed down with a stick.<\/p>\n<p>My perspective began to evolve when I joined a group that included a number of avid hikers.<\/p>\n<p>Many of them stared at me in disbelief when I expressed my preference for hiking without a walking stick.<\/p>\n<p>They enlightened me as to why a stick might be a handy piece of equipment to have on a day hike, even one that covers well-known terrain.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/GoGreenTravelGreen-2014\/i-F6CQCqZ\/0\/1001993a\/O\/Brazos%20Walking%20Sticks%20Hickory%20Walking%20Stick.jpg\" alt=\"Brazos Walking Sticks \u2013 Brazos Hickory Walking Stick\" width=\"335\" height=\"600\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benefits_of_a_Brazos_Walking_Sticks\"><\/span>Benefits of a Brazos Walking Sticks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Carrying a walking stick truly does <a href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/hitchhikers-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">enhance your safety<\/a> in the wild.<\/p>\n<p>It also can make for a more comfortable trek.<\/p>\n<p>This is especially important as you age and body parts like your knees start to protest on those longer hikes.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s nothing like a walking stick for shoring up your balance when you&#8217;re on a steep slope.<\/p>\n<p>When you&#8217;re moving uphill, the stick helps to propel you along.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re going downhill, it can help you to control your descent.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, it will take some of the pressure off of your knees and lower back.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, using a walking stick is a great way to incorporate more of an upper body workout into your trek.<\/p>\n<p>Periodically switch hands on the stick throughout your hike to get the most benefit and to keep muscle development in balance.<\/p>\n<p>Moving through tricky terrain is easier, too.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s helpful to have another supportive limb making contact with the ground when you&#8217;re moving over an especially rough or rocky area.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve found that walking sticks are handy when fording streams.<\/p>\n<p>Spring runoff can cause a small stream to become a rushing creek.<\/p>\n<p>Just probe the depth of the water with your walking stick before you step in.<\/p>\n<p>You just might save yourself from a sprained ankle.<\/p>\n<p>Walking sticks can make for excellent self-defense on the trail as well.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve used them to ward off dogs that approach aggressively without a human in sight.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve clicked my stick against a rock to scare off sizable wildlife.<\/p>\n<p>For areas with venomous snakes, a walking stick can be a lifesaver.<\/p>\n<p>Really, there are so many uses for walking sticks, that I&#8217;m surprised now that I hiked for so long without one.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Walking_Sticks_You_Choose_Makes_a_Difference\"><\/span>Walking Sticks You Choose Makes a Difference<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I&#8217;ve known some hikers to just pick up an obliging tree limb lying alongside the trail.<\/p>\n<p>Others have whittled their own walking sticks.<\/p>\n<p>I acquired my first one at a sporting goods store with little more consideration put into the purchase than a glance at the price tag.<\/p>\n<p>That walking stick was all right.<\/p>\n<p>It got the job done until it didn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p>That was the day that it broke.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, I was planning a big hike for the very next day.<\/p>\n<p>I was unfamiliar with the trail, but I knew that the going was reported to be tough.<\/p>\n<p>I really needed a walking stick for that adventure, and I didn&#8217;t want to put it off.<\/p>\n<p>So I called a friend who wasn&#8217;t going on the next day&#8217;s trip.<\/p>\n<p>He offered me the use of his Brazos Hickory Walking Stick.<\/p>\n<p>Half-jokingly, he told me that he was afraid I wouldn&#8217;t want to give it back to him.<\/p>\n<p>I laughed and told him, &#8220;It&#8217;s just a walking stick!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You won&#8217;t want to go back once you&#8217;ve tried it,&#8221; he answered. &#8220;Just make sure that you bring mine back to me. You&#8217;ll have to buy one for yourself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>I reassured him that I understood that this was a loan, but I was shaking my head as I hung up the phone.<\/p>\n<p>That day, I felt like my friend was more than a little obsessed with his walking stick, but by the end of the next day, I was beginning to understand his feelings.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/GoGreenTravelGreen-2014\/i-mWhQs7r\/0\/b2918128\/O\/Brazos%20Walking%20Stick.jpg\" alt=\"Brazos Walking Stick\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brazos_Walking_Sticks_is_a_Superior_Hickory_Walking_Stick\"><\/span>Brazos Walking Sticks is a Superior Hickory Walking Stick<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The walking stick that I borrowed was a Brazos Hickory Walking Stick, and it really changed my perception of this particular piece of equipment.<\/p>\n<p>After using it on one hike, I understood what a difference quality craftsmanship and using only the best materials and methods can make.<\/p>\n<p>I contacted Brazos to see if they would send me one to review. (All of these opinions are my own)<\/p>\n<p>I learned it&#8217;s available in four sizes: 41 inches, 48 inches, 55 inches and 58 inches.<\/p>\n<p>The size you choose depends largely on your height.<\/p>\n<p>I love that each and every walking stick that Brazos makes is a one-of-a-kind original.<\/p>\n<p>They build each one by hand, one at a time and using only natural wood.<\/p>\n<p>This makes for exceptional strength and durability, which are both critical when you&#8217;re completing a challenging trek.<\/p>\n<p>More than that, these walking sticks look incredible.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a combination of the wood and the finish, which gives the piece a beautiful patina.<\/p>\n<p>Best of all?!<\/p>\n<p>They are <a href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/made-in-america-products-why-choose-them\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">made in America<\/a>!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Walking_stick_customization\"><\/span>Walking stick customization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Unlike mass-produced walking sticks, you can customize Brazos hiking sticks.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the add-on features and accessories include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Laser engraving like a monogram, name, initials, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Compass on the top of the stick<\/li>\n<li>Thermometer<\/li>\n<li>Whistle &#8220;cut in&#8221; the top<\/li>\n<li>Spike tip (choices)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/photos.smugmug.com\/Travel\/GoGreenTravelGreen-2014\/i-X7gfZ2W\/0\/a11ecc04\/M\/Brazos%20hickory%20Walking%20Stick-M.jpg\" alt=\"Brazos Hickory Walking Stick\" width=\"92\" height=\"450\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Free_Form_Hickory_Hiking_Stick\"><\/span>Free Form Hickory Hiking Stick<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I can&#8217;t say enough about the sturdiness and quality of this stick.<\/p>\n<p>To be sure you choose the correct height, you can look on their website which explains it easily.<\/p>\n<p>There are also pictures to help you choose correctly.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a good weight to carry on a longer hike, but still has enough heft to it to feel really solid in my hand.<\/p>\n<p>Also, it&#8217;s just the right diameter to fit comfortably in my hand.<\/p>\n<p>It feels natural to have it with me.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hickory_Walking_Stick\"><\/span>Hickory Walking Stick<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Everyone loves the way it looks, and so do I.<\/p>\n<p>The artisan who made it really paid attention to the tiny details and found ways to bring out the natural textures in the hickory.<\/p>\n<p>Again, I also appreciate these walking sticks are made in USA.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a family-owned company located in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brazos.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brazos River Valley<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Not everyone agrees that a walking stick is an essential accessory for the day hiker, but I have plenty of arguments to counter them.<\/p>\n<p>I love my walking stick.<br \/>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/api.tablelabs.com\/t\/16g3eaxr.js\" defer=\"\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brazos Walking Sticks &#8211; This Hickory Walking Stick ROCKS! Over the years, I&#8217;ve hiked thousands of miles&#8230;in the military, as a Boy Scout Leader, just in my rural neighborhood. For many of those miles, especially recently, I&#8217;ve used a sturdy &#8230; <a title=\"Brazos Walking Sticks &#8211; This Hickory Walking Stick ROCKS!\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/brazos-walking-hiking-stick\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Brazos Walking Sticks &#8211; This Hickory Walking Stick ROCKS!\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4482,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54297"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}