The best walking stick for tall walkers (6 ft and over)

The standard handmade Irish walking stick is sized for a 5’10 user. That length — typically 36 to 38 inches — works well for users in the central two-thirds of the adult height distribution. Users at the tall end need a different length, often a different diameter, and a different conversation with the maker.

This guide is for walkers 6 ft and over.

The standard-size mismatch

The Irish stick-making tradition crystallised around the average rural-Irish-adult-male height of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries — roughly 5’8 to 5’10 in average footwear. The 36-inch stick became the canonical working length because it fit that user in working boots at the comfortable elbow-flex target (see Sizing and fit).

Modern users are, on average, taller. A 6 ft walker in trainers needs about 39 inches; in boots, about 40 inches. The standard 36-inch stick puts that walker’s elbow at almost-straight, forcing them to hunch forward over each step. Over a long day, the postural error fatigues the shoulder, the upper back, and the lower lumbar.

The fix is straightforward: order at the right length. Most working Irish makers can build to any specified length within the natural limits of the wood; the catalogue’s “standard” sizes are just what sells most frequently, not a constraint.

Specific lengths by height

These are approximate starting points for level-ground walking in average footwear. Use the seven-measurement method in Sizing and fit for a precise number.

User height (in walking shoes)	Approximate stick length
6’0 (183 cm)	39–40 inches
6’1 (185 cm)	39½–40½ inches
6’2 (188 cm)	40–41 inches
6’3 (191 cm)	41–42 inches
6’4 (193 cm)	41½–42½ inches
6’5 (196 cm)	42–43 inches
6’6 (198 cm)	43–44 inches
6’7+ (201+ cm)	44+ inches; commission required

Adjustments:

• Hill walking: subtract 1 to 2 inches
• Substantial heel (hiking boots, work boots): add ½ to 1 inch
• Forward-leaning posture: subtract 1 to 2 inches

The user’s actual measurement should always be the starting point; the table is for orientation.

The shaft-diameter problem

A 36-inch stick at 22mm shaft diameter feels substantial in the hand. A 42-inch stick at the same 22mm diameter feels whippy — the longer lever amplifies any flex in the wood, and the user feels the stick “bend” with weight transfer. The fix is a proportionately larger diameter.

Working diameters for tall walkers:

• 39–40 inch stick: 24–26mm at the grip; 22–24mm at the ferrule
• 41–42 inch stick: 26–28mm at the grip; 24–26mm at the ferrule
• 43–44 inch stick: 28–30mm at the grip; 26–28mm at the ferrule
• 45+ inch stick: 30+mm at the grip; specific stock selection required

For blackthorn specifically (see Blackthorn), getting a 30mm-diameter, 44-inch straight section out of a working blackthorn stem is genuinely difficult. The stem has to be unusually straight, unusually mature, and from a working hedge that’s been cared for over decades. Makers who supply tall users often hold specific stock for this purpose and may have a waiting list.

For other woods — ash, hickory, oak — the dimensional constraint is easier. Ash and hickory both grow much larger diameters at long lengths, and a 44-inch ash or hickory stave at 30mm is straightforward stock for any working maker.

Weight implications

A 36-inch blackthorn at 22mm typically weighs around 350–400 grams. A 42-inch blackthorn at 28mm weighs about 600–700 grams. That’s a substantial increase — almost double — and it’s noticeable over a full day’s carrying.

For tall walkers who do long-distance flat-ground walking and find the extra weight tiring, switching to ash (see Ash) saves about 20% mass at the same dimensions. A 42-inch ash stick at 28mm runs around 470–520 grams. The weight saving is real; the tradeoff is the lighter, less assertive character of ash against the denser, harder blackthorn.

For tall walkers doing serious hill walking, the weight is less of a concern — the stick is bearing genuine load and the extra mass contributes to leverage. Stay with blackthorn or oak (see Oak) for the harder character.

For tall walkers using the stick primarily ceremonially (see Best stick for ceremonial use), the weight is irrelevant. The aesthetic register of a substantial blackthorn at 44 inches is unmatched; the lack of all-day carrying means no fatigue cost.

Wood recommendations for tall walkers

The wood choice interacts with the length and diameter requirements. Recommendations by use case:

Long-distance flat-ground walking, weight-sensitive: ash at 41–43 inches, 26–28mm. Light, springy, durable. See Ash and Hickory vs ash for hiking staves for the comparison.

General country walking, mixed terrain: blackthorn at 40–42 inches, 26–28mm. The canonical choice; the harder character compensates for the increased lever length. See Blackthorn.

Hill walking, serious upland use: hickory at 41–42 inches, 28–30mm. The American hardwood offers more shock-resistance than blackthorn at the proportionate dimensions. See Hickory.

Heavy working stick, defensive register: blackthorn or oak at 39–41 inches (shorter relative to height for closer-in control), 28–30mm. The denser woods give the stick presence and impact capacity.

Ceremonial / presentation: blackthorn at the user’s natural standing height (the upper end of the height-based table), 28–30mm, with a substantial root-burl knob and visible thorn-stub character. See Best stick for ceremonial use.

Stock vs commission for tall walkers

Most off-the-shelf Irish stick suppliers carry stock in the 34 to 38 inch range, with limited inventory above 40 inches. Tall walkers should expect to commission rather than buy from stock for any length above 40 inches.

What this means in practice:

• Lead time — typically 6 to 10 weeks for a custom-length stick, vs 1 to 2 weeks for stock. Working makers select specific stem stock for tall commissions and may need to wait for the right wood.
• Price — modest premium (~10–20%) for custom lengths above the standard range. The price reflects the additional stock selection and the slower workflow, not artisan markup.
• Specification — the maker will want the user’s wrist measurement, footwear type, terrain, and posture. See Commissioning a bespoke stick for the full briefing template.
• Trim allowance — most makers deliver 1 to 2 inches above target length for at-home trimming. Tall walkers should explicitly confirm this; trimming a 44-inch stick to 43½ inches is straightforward, but a 44-inch stick that arrived at exactly 44 inches leaves no margin.

For the journal’s recommended Irish maker who handles tall-walker commissions routinely, see The makers page.

Handle and balance considerations

Tall walkers face an additional ergonomic question: where the balance point sits relative to the grip.

A 36-inch stick balances naturally around the midpoint, which sits about 18 inches below the grip. A 42-inch stick balanced at its midpoint sits 21 inches below the grip. The longer lever amplifies any imbalance; a head-heavy 42-inch stick feels clumsy, and a tail-heavy 42-inch stick feels twitchy.

Working makers adjust for this by:

• Selecting stem stock with naturally tapered character — the working end (ferrule) sits in the thinner end of the stem; the head sits in the thicker end. This natural taper produces a balance point slightly above the midpoint, which feels right in the hand.
• Choosing a proportionate knob — a 28mm-diameter shaft can carry a larger root-burl knob without becoming head-heavy. The same knob on a 22mm shaft would tip the balance forward awkwardly.
• Avoiding heavy metal collars — silver and brass collars look traditional, but they add mass at the head and shift the balance. Long sticks for tall walkers often run plain (uncollared) or with a thin brass band only.

A buyer commissioning a tall-walker stick should ask the maker to balance-check the finished piece before final dispatch.

What to expect at delivery

A tall-walker commission arrives differently from a stock 36-inch stick:

• Heavier shipping — a 44-inch blackthorn weighs more and ships in a longer parcel. International shipping costs from Ireland scale with parcel dimensions; expect modestly higher freight than for a standard-size stick.
• Trim allowance — confirm the 1–2 inch margin before unboxing; some users have inadvertently used the trim allowance as a posed-photograph length and then been frustrated when the stick still needed trimming.
• Initial seasoning check — a long blackthorn stem holds residual moisture longer than a short one. The maker will confirm full seasoning before dispatch, but the buyer should leave the stick in normal indoor conditions for 2 to 4 weeks before first hard use, allowing any residual moisture to equilibrate. See Why blackthorn must be seasoned.
• Hand-feel adjustment — a tall walker accustomed to a too-short stick will need 1 to 2 weeks of regular walking to adapt to the correctly-sized stick. The new postural register feels foreign at first; the user’s wrist and shoulder adapt quickly.

Common tall-walker mistakes

The most frequent errors among tall-walker buyers:

• Buying a stock 38-inch stick because “tall is fine” — produces a 1 to 4 inch sizing error. The stick is too short; the user hunches over each step.
• Specifying the right length but the standard 22–24mm diameter — produces a whippy stick that flexes uncomfortably under load.
• Forgetting the trim allowance and trimming to exact target — leaves no margin for posture change, footwear change, or terrain adjustment over the stick’s working life.
• Choosing a heavy head decoration on a long shaft — shifts the balance forward; the stick feels clumsy in motion.
• Trying to use a short stick from a previous size on a tall body — produces a working tool that’s permanently mismatched; the user attributes the discomfort to the stick rather than the size.

A tall walker who orders to the right length, the right diameter, and the right balance gets a stick that feels as natural in the hand as a 36-inch stick feels to an average-height user.

Where to commission

For commissioning a tall-walker-spec Irish stick, see The makers page. The journal’s recommended maker handles custom lengths up to about 46 inches, custom diameters up to 32mm, and the full range of wood choices discussed above. Lead times for tall-walker commissions typically run 8 to 12 weeks; the right stock has to be selected and the seasoning has to be complete.