[nabs-l] Telescopic cane question

Sat Mar 30 21:43:58 UTC 2013

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!
>>>>>>>>>>> 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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>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Kaiti
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Kaiti
>>>
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>>
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