[BlindTlk] Alternatives to Ambutech Canes

[Humberto Avila]

Dear Kelvy, 

Thanks for reaching out. I use an NFB branded cane and have been using their canes since 2019. I switched from the Graphite Ambutech canes, because like you, they were breaking off, sometimes either through the string that holds together the cane or because they become to dirty and weathered. Any cane can be dirty and weathered but I find that the NFB versions are much slimmer and more efficient to handle. Those AmbuTech ones need more effort to cary as they are heavier. 
I still use my NFB 51′′ telescoping cane I bought a couple of years ago and also have a folding NFB 51′′ cane. Both are high quality and they are great especially because the metal tips emit more sound on the ground as you use tap / point-touch techniques which is useful for echo location. However I wouldn't use a telescoping cane while hiking or doing some heavy outdoorsy type of activity as those do telescope easily. In case you didn't know, a telescoping cane is one whose parts slide inwards and outwards. So if you want to deploy it, you would expand it by pulling the tip slightly and the cane's inner tubes / parts would slide out in full size so that you can now use it like you would use any other cane. To put it away, you would simply push the handle of the cane downwards such that if the parts slide inward and contract. The tip then will hook up to an area with rough edges to make it stick so you can now put it in your purse or pocket. I don't know if my explannation is that useful but hope it helps in considering a next cane. 

Happy cane-hunting, 

Humberto 


“Be kind; for everyone you meet is fighting a really hard battle.” — πλατο 



> On May 14, 2022, at 10:24 AM, kelby carlson via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Of the last three canes I've bought from Ambutech, all of them have the problem of the elastic on the inside fraying and eventually tearing near the folding joints of the cane. As you would expect, the tearing eventually makes the cane totally unusable. As far as I can tell I'm not mishandling the canes this has only begun happening fairly recently. I can't keep replacing and paying for canes every few months, so I am looking for another cane manufacturer to try. Any suggestions of one would be very much appreciated.
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