My new SCUBA cane.

[Waterwulf]

I am sixty eight years old and disabled. I received a "minor" Traumatic Brain Injury in 1981 but it had minimal effect on my daily life. Then in 2006, I had a "less minor" Traumatic Brain Injury among other injuries. Fractured ankles, broken ribs, broken fingers, broken elbow, etc., a very fractured skull and a Sub Arachnoid Brain Bleed. They prepped me for surgery three times to open my skull but each time, the bleeding receded. They never opened my head but I got some brain damage out of it anyway. Word recognition problems, short term memory loss and loss of natural balance are the worst. I fall over pretty regularly. It used to be three to four times per week but is only about once per week now. It's not dizziness, it's just not "feeling" which way is up. I walk with a cane. Having two "legs" on the ground helps to keep me upright. (If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of my body!!)

After that incident, I lost my ability to do a lot of things but I can still dive. SCUBA, SNUBA and snorkeling are all ok. However, I did run into a problem. Some of the places I want to dive at on this upcoming Florida trip require me to walk a short ways carrying all of my gear. I'm planning on some drift dives. I already fell once on an earlier trip and and let me tell you: Having a tank on your back ram your face into the ground isn't fun. Taking my cane along isn't an option. But, maybe it is!

This is my new collapsible "Dive Cane". Slip it together and it's a full length walking stick. Pop it into four sections...all corded together so nothing gets lost.....and it straps on under my torpedo dive flag float. Pop it together into two sections and it's a super sized set of Nun Chuks in case of enemy divers or drunken belligerant tubers. Totally water proof, plastic armored, sturdy and lightweight.

 

[Rob9876]

Looks good, hope it works well for you! I've also heard of some people using collapsible trekking poles like this one.

 

[Still Kicking]

As a longtime flyfisherman, the technical term is "wading staff."

Folding Wading Staff w/ Lanyard

Wading staff for extra stability in the river. Comes with a lanyard, so you don't lose it, and a carrying pouch for easy storage. 58" long.

www.flyfishfood.com

 

[happy-diver]

Commendable but realise that when it collapses you will injure yourself completely unnecessarily
due to relying on your stick, where you may not have injured yourself, had you not been using it.

 

[Waterwulf]

Commendable but realise that when it collapses you will injure yourself completely unnecessarily
due to relying on your stick, where you may not have injured yourself, had you not been using it.

Uhhmm why would it collapse? Besides, I'm not sure I'm following that strange logic. "If I had not been using it, it would not have broken and dumped me on my head". Of course, if I had not been using it I would not have been doing what i was doing anyway because I can't do it without my cane for support. I don't understand! Why would it collapse? It's made out of 3/4" Schedule 80 PVC covered in shrink tube.

 

[Waterwulf]

As a longtime flyfisherman, the technical term is "wading staff."

Folding Wading Staff w/ Lanyard

Wading staff for extra stability in the river. Comes with a lanyard, so you don't lose it, and a carrying pouch for easy storage. 58" long.

www.flyfishfood.com

Well Dang! I thought I invented it! I guess I better call that TV sales company and tell them to disregard!

 

[Waterwulf]

Looks good, hope it works well for you! I've also heard of some people using collapsible trekking poles like this one.

Yeah, but mine looks more "submariny".

 

[Boarderguy]

It's made out of 3/4" Schedule 80 PVC covered in shrink tube.

That stuff is bendy and the collars you have joining them are designed for expanding pressure, not lateral pressure. They may hold well enough but if you flex that thing, especially with a scuba load on your back, you may end up finding their limits the hard way. I really like the look of it though...

 

[Still Kicking]

Uhhmm why would it collapse? Besides, I'm not sure I'm following that strange logic. "If I had not been using it, it would not have broken and dumped me on my head". Of course, if I had not been using it I would not have been doing what i was doing anyway because I can't do it without my cane for support. I don't understand! Why would it collapse? It's made out of 3/4" Schedule 80 PVC covered in shrink tube.

When you have a cane there is a tendency to lean on it. If the cane breaks, you're suddenly off balance and may fall. PVC is rated for internal pressure not lateral strength, as stated. It also becomes brittle with time and might crack.

I think you should get an aluminum wading staff. But it's a free country ....

 

[The Chairman]

I think you should get an aluminum wading staff. But it's a free country ....

...but they charge for aluminum.

However, if you're carrying a flag, just use a hefty 1.25" wooden curtain rod with a clip. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-96-in-L-x-1-3125-in-H-x-1-3125-in-W-Wood-Closet-Rod/1000442341

I can't find mine, but when I had Achilles Heel issues, I needed a staff to get over a ledge at Venice Beach, Florida. I painted it with marine paint after I epoxied a rather large eye into the end. I attached a clip and would just clip it to my flag. Stupid strong with absolutely no flex in it. I liked that I could really use it to lift my fat ass over the ledge with no worries of it failing.