We call those sticks canes. White canes if you ever need to be specific.

Anyway, do you want a cane to identify to others that you have low vision or do you need to get one to navigate? If you only need others to know then you should get an ID cane. They're much lighter and easier to carry.

If you need one to get around then you will need a mobility cane. If you don't know how to use one then it would be a good idea to get training. In the US each state will have their own agency for resources like these. There are also local and national organizations that can provide resources for blind and low vision people.

Good news is that canes are one of the few accessibility devices that aren't eye-wateringly expensive. My personal favourite canes are from Ambutech. They have exchangeable tips and conical joints that make them easy to fold and unfold. You can also pick different handle materials to reduce weight.

I don't know if this is a universal rule but my instructor taught me a cane should reach from the ground to the base of your armpit. Some people like them a little longer though if they walk fast. There are also lots of different tips to choose from: different materials, different shapes, different sizes, etc. Ambutech even has a tip that can flex. Hell, you can choose whether you want hook-on or screw-on tips from them. The other company I know of is Revolution. Their canes are all graphite with no aluminium bits anywhere so they're a bit lighter but you can't easily replace tips. Also graphite fibers can splinter off and they're sharp AF.

TL;DR there's different types of canes based on needs. There are a few rules to pick the right one but beyond that it's up to personal preference.

A cane. You also need to know the rules of using the cane. Yea there’s rules.

Why should you pay for a cane? Nearly every town has a local Non Profit that will give you one and teach you how best to use it for free.

There is also: $1.

Mine is a custom solid titanium, but I was an accomplished swordsman prior to losing my vision. Only had to wield it twice when I lived in LA, but there you have it. Being blind doesn't mean helpless.

$1 is a great detailed guide and will help you a lot.

I would recommend you get a cane that at least goes to your chin, nose would be better. Mine goes to my eyebrow as I have a long stride and walk very fast.

Check out your state's comission for the blind. It's hard as fuck to take the first step to want to advertise you're blind, especially in the hood, so congrats on that.

My state, CT, paid for multiple canes until I was happy, gave me training, and at any point I can just call them and have them bring me out a new cane if I decide I need a longer or shorter cane. Generally shorter, like under your pecs up to your collarbones, is about where you should start as you get used to proper cane use. As you can walk faster, you can move up to longer ones, and I personally like mine about to my chin, but some people have canes up to their nostrils or eyebrows because they walk very fast. I'm not about that life, under my chin is plenty.

Basically, you use your cane to find obstacles and make sure you don't walk into them, so the faster you're moving, the longer your cane needs to be to give you advanced warning. If you walk slow, a longer cane just mostly gets in the way.

I personally like 4 piece canes, any more than that and it becomes unweildy and awkward IMO, and I like the marshmallow tip. For me, it gives me the information I need without being annoying like a roller ball, and it's also helpful as an actual walking stick if I need to lean on it or if I need to climb over a snowbank.

Depending on your state, there may be free classes on how to maneuver with the cane. Check to see if there is a blind institute in your area for a class. Lions Club will sometimes get your cane. Also, there are different kinds of tips, so you'll want to find the one that's right for you.

As others have said, your best bet is to contact your state's commission for the blind. they'll be able to get you Orientation and Mobility lessons, which will help you with cane technique as well as giving you the opportunity to try different tip/cane types. and I'm not sure how it is in your state, but my canes have always been free through the commission for the blind.

Yeah, it’s called a cane and get mobility lessons.

And to the person who suggested that no one needs to buy a cane? Really? Come on? Let’s talk about entitled blind person who wants things for free?


I mean the NFB free cane program is really super useful.


But buying a cane can also be good it can give you what you want. I also wouldn’t rely on agencies in your area just donating one to you. Bad ethics if I ever saw some.

As a previous post bench and you really should seek out mobility training. It’s not just grabbing a cane and going. It is a skill learned.

And besides that a mobility and structure can help you pick the right came for you. Meaning the length of a cane. There isn’t one set rule. I am a very fast walker. I have to have a came a little longer otherwise I literally can’t stop in time I got a curb. But the right cane and away I go.

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