[nabs-l] Telescopic cane question

Sat Mar 30 17:17:50 UTC 2013

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!
>>>>>>> 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 2:10 AM
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Kaiti
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Kaiti
>>>
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>>
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>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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