I bought the Riverstick wading staff almost two years ago to replace a Simms staff that I didnÂ’t care for. The original Simms staff was pretty good, but when the inner cable began to fray they replaced it with an adjustable height staff that had one long section and three shorter sections. Hated it. It was awkward to store, and difficult to deploy; not to mention weak.
The Riverstick is extremely sturdy, deploys in seconds, and breaks down quickly. It stows easily in the retainer provided. I like that it can easily be serviced, and all the parts such as spare rubber tips are available at the local hardware store. IÂ’ve secured it with a Natureboy Paracoil; the combination has performed flawlessly for nearly two years.
The cons so far have proven to be minor annoyances. It is heavier than other staffs, so you need a good belt. If the tip gets stuck on the bottom, you have to work it out carefully so that it doesnÂ’t disassemble. The larger diameter tube at the bottom can be difficult to push forward through the water. These have not been significant issues for me, so I would highly recommend this combo for anyone looking for a bulletproof staff.