Hiking sticks

Are all telescoping fiberglass hiking sticks made by a single company (Arriba)? I have an older (brand unknown) stick that seems really heavy and sturdy, its inside section may even be solid fiberglass. I have a two year old Arriba that feels lighter but when I recently fell on it while extended the inside tube splintered into five pieces. Also, the new one started getting balky after two seasons. Even after cleaning and dry lubing it would still not slide smoothly anymore like it was starting to warp or something. If all fiberglass sticks are Chinese junk now maybe the cheaper aluminum sticks would be a better buy.

Hot sticks are US made. Aluminum would dent or bend in the same situation and become unusable.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Ive been using my hotstick for almost 20 years and it works as good at the day I bought it. make sure that you rinse all of your equipment after everytime you go sailing and you will be amazed how well it WILL hold up.

Arriba sticks are made by Hobie 20 sailor Bob Edmonds in Little Rock, Arkansas - one of the nicest, friendliest guys on the planet. If you've got a problem with a relatively new one, give him a call and he'll take care of you.

If you think the fiberglass ones are fragile, you will be greatly disappointed with an aluminum one. They bend (useless), kink (useless), break (useless) and conduct electricity.

Most racers use the stock fiberglass tiller extensions. No moving parts.

I just wish the Hotstick could be made with smaller diameter tubing, my hands are small.

My next stick will probably be a stock fiberglass one. Three out of the four guys I sail with had problems with their Arriba sticks this season. Do the stock hiking sticks have any kind of grip on the end? If not, what do you guys use if anything?

There's a foam grip on the end that's about 8" long.

I use strips of duct tape, spiraled around the last 3' of the tiller, but it's not pretty and it doesn't last very long. Sure is sticky while it does though.

I would think that hockey stick tape would work well, but I've never tried it.

I have been using a new aluminum tiller for a couple years... it's "okay"... it is slipper when wet, which is obnoxious... and the twist-lock type of thing to extend it happens a bit too easy.. suddenly I have way more tiller than I want. I haven't hiked out with it yet... so I'm not sure how well it works for that, but I'm betting that it's not very stiff once fully extended.

At some point... I'll buy a hot stick. I was just a bit cheap when I first started sailing it...

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1982 H16 (C:\Worthy)
Yellow/White Prism type sails

Buy one from Marstrom. They're tiny, very nice, super light, and aren't a heck of alot more money than the carbon hotsticks.

I personally like the fat tube. I've got monkey hands though.

If you do spend the money on a Hotstick, remember not to leave it lying on the tramp when you drive off. If you do, the first turn that you make will send it flying off into the roadway. Yes, I know from experience. Mine flew off onto a major 4 lane US highway. I did not realize it until I looked in the mirror to see if I could merge into the lane and I could barely see something rolling out into the inside lane of said road. Needless to say, I realized immediately what it was and instead of trying to back down the center turn lane, I stopped, jumped out of the truck and ran toward it and a herd of cars all the while watching it roll into the lane and praying no one would run it over. All the traffic was able to avoid it and I retrieved it with no harm done. I am a little more careful with it now.

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'88 Nationals Blue
Hobie Alter Signature Model
Sail #11

Hobie Mirage Classic

I believe Arriba's Hotsticks are just black fiberglass and not carbon fiber. At least they are not marketed as carbon fiber. That might be a bit more durable though. Then again, I see pissed off tennis players constantly shatter carbon fiber rackets on the hard courts. Are Marstrom's carbon fiber?

Arriba sells a carbon stick as well as the fibreglass models. The Marstrom hot sticks are all carbon as far as I know.

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe the Carbon sticks are class legal.

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1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD