[nabs-l] Telescopic cane question

Tue Apr 2 11:40:41 UTC 2013

I only use ambutech canes. I'm sort of a cane snob that way. I am thinking of getting a telescopic cane, but they are kind of ouch on the pocketbook. I do love how portable they are.
Jess

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On Apr 1, 2013, at 11:03 PM, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Me neither; I love those.
> 
> On 4/1/13, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>> And I haven't had those problems with a Chris Park cane with a metal tip.
>> 
>> Chris Nusbaum, Co-Chair
>> Public Relations Committee
>> Maryland Association of Blind Students
>> Phone: (443) 547-2409
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joshua Lester
>> Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 5:12 AM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>> 
>> Chris: his canes are too fragile!
>> His folding cane that I bought, last year didn't last long, because when I
>> folded it up, after I got it, and tried to unfold it to go to my next
>> session, the stupid thing was already messed up, and one of the joints was
>> broken.
>> His straight canes are a disaster!
>> The tips come off, way too easy!
>> I tripped, on my way back from Denny's, and when I picked up my cane, when
>> I
>> got back, the tip was gone!
>> I haven't had those problems with my Ambutech cane!
>> Blessings, Joshua
>> ________________________________________
>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Chris Nusbaum
>> [dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com]
>> Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2013 10:22 PM
>> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>> 
>> I'd agree that it isn't good for PR, but I must say that he makes a good
>> cane.
>> 
>> Chris
>> 
>> Chris Nusbaum, Co-Chair
>> Public Relations Committee
>> Maryland Association of Blind Students
>> Phone: (443) 547-2409
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joshua Lester
>> Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2013 4:50 AM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>> 
>> I met Chris Park at the 2012 convention!
>> He's into his canes, and he bad-mouths anyone and everyone that doesn't
>> order his stuff!
>> He's not a really nice man, unless you are using his products!
>> That's not a good P.R. move!
>> Blessings, Joshua
>> ________________________________________
>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Kaiti Shelton
>> [crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com]
>> Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2013 8:07 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> Chris Park's site is:
>> www.chrisparkdesign.com
>> 
>> As we were saying earlier on the thread though, there unfortunately isn't a
>> way to purchase through this site.  You could try emailing him on the
>> contact page and seeing if you could just go through him directly, but he
>> seems to sell through NFB.  Having had experience with both the NFB and his
>> model of telescopic cane, I'd totally recommend going through the
>> Independence Market and just requesting his model.  In my experiences it's
>> totally been worth it.
>> 
>> Chris: Really?  I didn't know Ambutech started making lighter models; that
>> was why I started going with NFB for all my canes, although like you I
>> found
>> their folding ones had joint problems and some other issues and didn't last
>> long.  You'll have to share how that one feels when you get it.  :)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 3/30/13, christopher nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Arielle, I agree. I got my NFB folding cane for Christmas, but after
>>> only 2 months the joints are chipping to the point that I can no
>>> longer fold it without having to do a lot of wiggling to get it
>>> unfolded. I was very excited about this folding cane, but
>>> unfortunately I have been disappointed by its performance, or lack
>>> thereof. I now have an Ambutech Ultra Light folding cane on order.
>>> 
>>> Chris Nusbaum
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>> On Mar 30, 2013, at 5:34 PM, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Could someone send the URL for the Chris Park site? I would really
>>>> love to get a better-quality telescoping or folding cane than what
>>>> I've gotten from NFB. Their straight canes are wonderful, but I have
>>>> yet to be satisfied with any non-rigid cane from them.
>>>> Arielle
>>>> 
>>>> On 3/30/13, christopher nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> You might also call the Independence Market at our national center.
>>>>> The number is (410) 659-9314, option 4 from the main menu.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Chris Nusbaum
>>>>> 
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Mar 30, 2013, at 3:45 PM, Kaiti Shelton
>>>>> <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> That is right, unless you clarify in the comment section the model
>>>>>> you want.  If you tell them you specifically want the Chris Park
>>>>>> model in the comments they won't ignore that and you'll get what
>>>>>> you want for your $35.  The clarification might be there for people
>>>>>> who don't know to do the comment thing, (which I'm assuming would
>>>>>> be the majority of people), but they don't make it impossible for
>>>>>> you to get what you want for your buck.  Actually, my ability to
>>>>>> see the pictures probably further complicated the issue; had I just
>>>>>> gone off the cane type and commented that I wanted the Chris Park
>>>>>> model from the start I would have saved myself some confusion,
>>>>>> although I'm not sure many other people would have known to do that
>> either.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Have you been able to purchase directly from Chris Park's site?
>>>>>> That was where I looked after the NFB store was confusing me and
>>>>>> before I called, but I didn't see any links to the specific models
>>>>>> or to checkout/purchase anything.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 3/30/13, Brice Smith <brice.smith319 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> Right. So if you just order a type 7 cane from the NFB store,
>>>>>>> there's no guarantee what you'll actually get when you spend your
>>>>>>> $35? You might get Chris Park's model, but you might also get the
>>>>>>> old (pre
>>>>>>> 2010) model that most people universally seem to dislike? The
>>>>>>> amusing thing here is that while Kaiti can check out the pictures,
>>>>>>> other users of the store ... can't. So the NFB's lack of
>>>>>>> clarification here makes perfect sense! Got it.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Anyway, Chris Park has his own website.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> http://www.chrisparkdesign.com/sub_01_new.html
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Brice
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 3/30/13, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Brice, I guess what they do is they just classify the canes by type.
>>>>>>>> E.G, all the 5 or 6 section telescopic canes are listed on the
>>>>>>>> site as type 7.  This type includes all the models that fit into
>>>>>>>> that category, so when you buy one you might get any model
>>>>>>>> depending on what they have in stock unless you specifically tell
>>>>>>>> them you want a specific type, E.G. the Chris Park.  That one is
>>>>>>>> still the latest and greatest thing out there, so I guess we were
>>>>>>>> both lucky to get it when we bought our canes.  What got me into
>>>>>>>> trouble looking through the search results was that I didn't
>>>>>>>> remember the exact type, so I assumed that the Chris Park would
>>>>>>>> have it's own little category in the search results, (I didn't
>>>>>>>> buy my last cane either, so I wasn't familiar with how to get to
>>>>>>>> it from previous experience).  Looking at the picture for the
>>>>>>>> type 7, it shows two different models of NFB canes, but neither
>>>>>>>> of them were the Chris Park.  I was looking for that distinct
>>>>>>>> grip which is much bigger than a lot of the NFB models and didn't
>>>>>>>> see it.  Now we know.  :)
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I suppose every cane is different, Joshua, but I had
>>>>>>>> significantly more collapses with my NFB telescopic cane I bought
>>>>>>>> in 2009 than I have with the Chris Park model.  I don't think you
>>>>>>>> had the newest one; the collapse-resistant model just came out in
>>>>>>>> December of 2011, so anything before that would be more
>>>>>>>> collapse-prone.  A lot of people, including myself, seem to
>>>>>>>> really like this newer one.  Different strokes for different
>>>>>>>> folks, but don't base an opinion of an entire company over one
>>>>>>>> cane from several years ago which has since been improved upon.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On 3/30/13, Joshua Lester <JLester8462 at pccua.edu> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Those Chris Parks canes are nothing but trouble!
>>>>>>>>> Those were the ones that collapse too much!
>>>>>>>>> His folding canes are awful too!
>>>>>>>>> I got the telescoping cane in 2010, and I didn't like it.
>>>>>>>>> Blessings, Joshua
>>>>>>>>> ________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Brice
>>>>>>>>> Smith [brice.smith319 at gmail.com]
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 10:45 PM
>>>>>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> I'm still a bit confused. Which model is the one listed on the
>>>>>>>>> site now? Is the Chris Parks model now "old" and is there a
>>>>>>>>> newer model out now? You and I both must Have bought his model
>>>>>>>>> last year. Have they replaced it with something different? Even
>>>>>>>>> better?
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Mar 29, 2013, at 10:55 PM, Kaiti Shelton
>>>>>>>>> <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Yeah, they're well worth checking into, or at least I think so.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> I found out why I wasn't seeing it in the search results; The
>>>>>>>>>> NFB site groups all types of canes together, but doesn't
>>>>>>>>>> descriminate between the models.  So, I was seeing pictures of
>>>>>>>>>> the older canes because that's the type the new one still fits
>>>>>>>>>> under, (5 or 6 section telescopic). The particular cane I got
>>>>>>>>>> last time was made by Chris Parks, and I just got it because it
>>>>>>>>>> was what they had in stock.
>>>>>>>>>> They
>>>>>>>>>> don't show it on the site, but if you know the particular model
>>>>>>>>>> you want you can request it in the comments section when you
>>>>>>>>>> check
>> out.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> On 3/29/13, Joshua Lester <JLester8462 at pccua.edu> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> I want to look at the new ones.
>>>>>>>>>>> Blessings, Joshua
>>>>>>>>>>> ________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Kaiti
>>>>>>>>>>> Shelton [crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com]
>>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 11:21 AM
>>>>>>>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Joshua, I didn't say that you said anything, I was merely
>>>>>>>>>>> sharing my experiences. I've heard from several people that
>>>>>>>>>>> those canes are thought to be indestructible, so it seemed
>>>>>>>>>>> like it might have been a common misconception.
>>>>>>>>>>> That is what is so improved about this model of the telescopic
>>>>>>>>>>> cane, it doesn't collapse near as much as the old oones. I
>>>>>>>>>>> rarely had to stop and fix mine.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> On Friday, March 29, 2013, Joshua Lester wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Kaiti!
>>>>>>>>>>>> I never said that the Ambutech canes were indestructable.
>>>>>>>>>>>> I just wish that they'd make the telescopic canes more
>>>>>>>>>>>> stirdy, so that they'll collapse, only when I want them to.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Blessings, Joshua
>>>>>>>>>>>> ________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org <javascript:;>] on
>>>>>>>>>>>> behalf of Kaiti Shelton [crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>>>> <javascript:;>]
>>>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 3:02 AM
>>>>>>>>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> *the beginning of that was supposed to say that I'm the
>>>>>>>>>>>> opposite.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Sorry for the weird cut off.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> On 3/29/13, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> posite; telescopic canes last much longer for me than the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> folding ones, I think because of the weight and because of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> my pace.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> That
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>>>>> why I prefer the NFB canes and will most likely avoid the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> bulky folding ones.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> The next time someone tells you an Ambutech cane, or an
>>>>>>>>>>>>> aluminum one, is indestructable, don't necessarily buy it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> In the first week of school this year I was going out to a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> campus event with some friends and because I had issues with
>>>>>>>>>>>>> people stepping on and breaking my telescopic canes in high
>>>>>>>>>>>>> school I chose to take my folding one from ambutech.  It was
>>>>>>>>>>>>> so heavy for me that when I stepped off the curb it went
>>>>>>>>>>>>> down into a drainage grate.  It must have gone right between
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the bars because I didn't feel it hit anything or realize it
>>>>>>>>>>>>> wasn't on the ground, but I kept walking and tripped when I
>>>>>>>>>>>>> felt that my cane wasn't coming with me.  I dropped it and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> when a friend of mine grabbed it and pulled it out of the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> grate the bottom shaft was sliced open where the grate had
>>>>>>>>>>>>> dug into it and it was bent at a 45 degree angle from where
>>>>>>>>>>>>> it should have been.  For a while I used a straight cane
>>>>>>>>>>>>> that was kind of my old-faithful cane, (My O&M instructor
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and I made it when I was in the 4th grade and I still had it
>>>>>>>>>>>>> as a college freshman).  It was a little short for me, but I
>>>>>>>>>>>>> didn't grow much after making it so it would have worked all
>>>>>>>>>>>>> right till I could order a new one over Christmas break.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Then again, I was walking with friends, and the cane got
>>>>>>>>>>>>> stuck in a really big crack in the sidewalk.  When we pulled
>>>>>>>>>>>>> it out the tip was still wedged into the crack, but the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> bottom of the shaft was dented all over to the point where I
>>>>>>>>>>>>> doubt another tip would be able to stay on it.  (The kicker
>>>>>>>>>>>>> was that this all happened within a month).  Then I started
>>>>>>>>>>>>> using the telescopic cane because I had no other choice, and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> not only were people more conscious about avoiding stepping
>>>>>>>>>>>>> on a white stick, but all my problems with grates and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> sidewalk cracks magically went away.  (and my wrist liked it
>>>>>>>>>>>>> better too).
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 3/29/13, Joshua Lester <JLester8462 at pccua.edu> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Another thing I should mention, is that I found out that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cane tips cost over $1.50, per tip!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Good grief!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Those tips are small, unlike the tips you find on VR canes!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Why not just charge 50 cents a tip?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks, Joshua
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Joshua Lester [JLester8462 at pccua.edu]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 2:21 AM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Telescopic cane question
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I bought an NFB folding cane, and a straight cane from them!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I had issues with the tip coming off of the straight cane,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and the folding cane broke after the first day, because
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> they aren't stirdy enough!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I had a telescoping cane as well, and it would collapse
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> when I didn't want it to, and it wouldn't collapse when I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> did!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ambutech, (on the other hand,) is awesome!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Their canes are stirdyer, and they may be bulky, but they
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> get the job done!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I can't imagine myself with a thinner cane, no matter what
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> it is!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> My Ambutech cane has lasted longer than my VR canes, and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> those NFB canes combined!