[nabs-l] Telescopic cane question

Sun Mar 31 01:17:49 UTC 2013

Just to clarify: "UltraLite" is simply the ™ Ambutech gives to their
standard, regular graphite mobility cane.

Brice

On 3/30/13, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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!
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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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>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>> Kaiti
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Kaiti
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Kaiti
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
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>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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