new bunch of sticks

Thank you for the info,those are nice sticks.

I agree with MJC4 -- anything bigger than 2" starts getting cumbersome and heavy. Usually 11/4 -- 11/2 will fit nicely!

Certainly a 2" diameter is going too large for most hands to hold. I've looked over my sticks, and none have more than 1.5", most closer to 1"

I usually press on stick stock with a little sideways pressure as well as downwards. If the stick flexes more than a little, I don't bother with them. Ones that flex slightly are OK by me for walking around town. But if I want something for trekking up and down hills, or supporting me when hopping over streams, I want something very sturdy.

Part of the question can be answered by the kind of wood. I've managed to find 1 good piece of hornbeam. The grip of the stick has a cross section of about 1" x .5", which is almost too thin for my stiff hands. The wood, however, is completely rigid. I have a few of white oak and one of hickory, and the cross section on those is slightly less than 1". But I also have some made from sassafras and sycamore which are a bit thicker, as those woods are much lighter and less shock resistant.

I kinda thought the sticks were more for balance,and a little forward push rather than actually holding alot of weight.I guess I'll have to take a couple out for a test walk soon.

On one of my first sticks, I made two narrower sections to grip, one low for ascending steep inclines or stepping up rock ledges, and one high for stability during the descent. That does come in handy.