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First Ambutech purchase questions (self.Blind)
submitted by [deleted]
After my second cane started giving me issues a few weeks ago, I've been considering getting a new one. So far the ones I've used were all provided by my national org for the blind, but I've been saving up to get one that isn't either secondhand or just generic and not suited to my needs at all, as my previous two have been.
I've heard good things about Ambutech so that's the products I'm gonna be asking about, but I'm open to hearing other brand suggestions. I'm located in the European Union.
The issues with my previous canes have been:
- Length: My first one was way too short, reached my armpit or thereabouts and to reach a decent length/stride combo I had to strain my arm from all the stretching.
- Material: They are aluminum, which is not only super heavy but has given me problems related to bending/denting/outright breaking.
- Tip: I used a marshmallow roller tip for most of the time I've used a cane, and that got stuck every-fucking-where even though I live in a big European city. I eventually got a rolling ball tip, which works great on every surface but is very bulky and adds to the already hefty weight of the cane.
- Aesthetics: I started using a cane fairly recently and I'm still very shy about it; both white-only and white-red stripes, which are the only kind my national org for the blind provides make me very self conscious. I think having a splash of color might help with that, as well as provide a solid conversation starter.
Since portability is something I value a lot, having it be folding is a must. I considered telescopic as well but I think it doesn't provide identification as well as a folded cane and it's something I need even when I'm not using it and just carrying it, as I am low vision and need ID even in situations where using a cane might not be necessary.
With that in mind, I think I'm opting for graphite for its durability and lightness. Now, here comes the barrage of questions!:
- Regular vs. Slimline: Again, very tempted to buy slimline because of the portability factor (I like to be able to carry my cane in my relatively small backpacks) but I wonder if the rolling ball tip might be too heavy, or that the bumpy, shitty sidewalks and roads might be too much and it'll crack. Any experiences with Slimline canes as a daily driver? I also wonder about the durability of the foam grip, honestly...
- Sections: Mine have been 4 (the short, uncomfortable one) and 5 (adequate length, shitty everything else). What impact does the amount of segments have on durability? I know 6 and 7 fold up smaller in height which is very convenient but I don't know if having more joints makes things flimsier.
- Color: I have heard from other folks that making the body a non-standard white or red-stripe makes people miss the fact that it's an aid for a VIP. Does anyone have any experiences with this? I also wonder about the way the shades look, so if anyone has ambutech canes in colors beyond white and red, my low vision self would love to see pictures.
- Backups?: Ambutech shipping to Europe is Really Expensive; I have saved up enough to cover the costs of it, though, and I'm wondering if I should get more than one cane to save myself the costs of future orders. If so, should I invest in the same kind of cane as my primary purchase? Or the other (Regular/Slimline) option so that I have one of each type?
Thanks for reading if you got this far!
I've heard good things about Ambutech so that's the products I'm gonna be asking about, but I'm open to hearing other brand suggestions. I'm located in the European Union.
The issues with my previous canes have been:
- Length: My first one was way too short, reached my armpit or thereabouts and to reach a decent length/stride combo I had to strain my arm from all the stretching.
- Material: They are aluminum, which is not only super heavy but has given me problems related to bending/denting/outright breaking.
- Tip: I used a marshmallow roller tip for most of the time I've used a cane, and that got stuck every-fucking-where even though I live in a big European city. I eventually got a rolling ball tip, which works great on every surface but is very bulky and adds to the already hefty weight of the cane.
- Aesthetics: I started using a cane fairly recently and I'm still very shy about it; both white-only and white-red stripes, which are the only kind my national org for the blind provides make me very self conscious. I think having a splash of color might help with that, as well as provide a solid conversation starter.
Since portability is something I value a lot, having it be folding is a must. I considered telescopic as well but I think it doesn't provide identification as well as a folded cane and it's something I need even when I'm not using it and just carrying it, as I am low vision and need ID even in situations where using a cane might not be necessary.
With that in mind, I think I'm opting for graphite for its durability and lightness. Now, here comes the barrage of questions!:
- Regular vs. Slimline: Again, very tempted to buy slimline because of the portability factor (I like to be able to carry my cane in my relatively small backpacks) but I wonder if the rolling ball tip might be too heavy, or that the bumpy, shitty sidewalks and roads might be too much and it'll crack. Any experiences with Slimline canes as a daily driver? I also wonder about the durability of the foam grip, honestly...
- Sections: Mine have been 4 (the short, uncomfortable one) and 5 (adequate length, shitty everything else). What impact does the amount of segments have on durability? I know 6 and 7 fold up smaller in height which is very convenient but I don't know if having more joints makes things flimsier.
- Color: I have heard from other folks that making the body a non-standard white or red-stripe makes people miss the fact that it's an aid for a VIP. Does anyone have any experiences with this? I also wonder about the way the shades look, so if anyone has ambutech canes in colors beyond white and red, my low vision self would love to see pictures.
- Backups?: Ambutech shipping to Europe is Really Expensive; I have saved up enough to cover the costs of it, though, and I'm wondering if I should get more than one cane to save myself the costs of future orders. If so, should I invest in the same kind of cane as my primary purchase? Or the other (Regular/Slimline) option so that I have one of each type?
Thanks for reading if you got this far!
MostlyBlindGamer 2 points 1y ago
As far as length goes you can get whatever you need in 5cm increments.
I have a folding graphite cane and wouldn't mind it if it were even lighter, but I'm in the sand situation as you, so I'll take the compromise of extra weight in exchange for it fitting in a bag.
It's got red flame decals for fun and to make me faster.
I have a folding graphite cane and wouldn't mind it if it were even lighter, but I'm in the sand situation as you, so I'll take the compromise of extra weight in exchange for it fitting in a bag.
It's got red flame decals for fun and to make me faster.
[deleted] [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Since you mention flame decals, are there any shops that sell things in materials that stick well to the actual cane? I feel like washi tape won't cut it :P
MostlyBlindGamer 1 points 1y ago
I just looked for stickers and got lucky on my first try. I don't know what they're made of, to be honest.
SoapyRiley 2 points 1y ago
So my very first cane is an Ambutech slimline that I technically ordered too long (58 inches/147cm when I’m 5’5”/165cm and it comes to my chin) in purple with the blue hi lites colors. It is very bendy even with the rolling marshmallow. I chose 6 sections and it’s perfectly portable and very light but again, bendy. I prefer constant contact technique but my city has disappearing sidewalks that give way to splotchy grass and to keep from being stabbed 20000000 times in a single 2 mile trip, I have to switch to two point touch. Thing is the cane is so floppy with the marshmallow roller it bounces way higher than it’s supposed to for 2 point touch. My roller ball tip comes Wednesday so I can tell you how well that one works on this cane later this week. Something to note: the slimline cane only uses 8mm screw on tips and there are limited options for that. I have had to order a thicker cane that uses hook on tips because I hike and am going to try the rover wheel to manage the missing sidewalk situation and the Dakota disc for hiking. Most people here in the USA seem to recognize my cane for what it is. I’ve even had a lady snatch her children from my path assuming I was totally blind. I did wrap a couple strips or reflective tape around my cane because the purple seems very dark and I don’t know how much drivers can see of it at night. Also, the grip is just as slim as the cane, so if you have beg hands, they might cramp. I have child hands and mine cramped at first. So all that to say if you use it mostly for an ID cane and occasionally poke at things, the slimline is excellent and I’d 100% recommend. If you’re tall, have large hands or have a need to use the heavier cane tips, go with the “full size” graphite cane.
SoapyRiley 1 points 1y ago
Wanted to update you now that I’ve had a chance to use the rolling ball on my slimline cane. Not as floppy as I feared! It’s not much heavier than the marshmallow roller and goes over the clumpy grass much better. I after comparing with the aluminum that I got for camping , I’ll probably stick with the graphite slimline as my daily driver with the rollerball.
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 1y ago
My city doesn't have disappearing sidewalks but it does have a lot of cracks, bumps and textured pavements where a pencil tip (and even a rolling marshmallow) get stuck, the ball tip was a welcome change for me. I prefer constant contact, so I would be very interested in knowing about the ball tip experiences! And I'm a frequent hiker as well, so that bit about tip attachments was a very good heads up, thank you!!
QuentinJamesP89 1 points 1y ago
My mobility instructor said the cane should reach to around your chin. I've been pretty happy with my cane from Ambutech. Mine is graphite with a metal glide tip, folds into six sections, and is white with red on the bottom. I have used it off and on over the past year plus, but recently after an accident I have started using it all the time. It's already surprisingly beat up, but it has withstood all the bumps and dents pretty well. If you are able to it can be nice to order several tips at once. That way you save on shipping but also have options in case one doesn't work well for you.
I tried an NFB cane briefly and found it very inconvenient. It's light weight, which is nice, but it tends to get stuck in things and impale me. I also prefer a folding cane because it's easier to fit places.
I tried an NFB cane briefly and found it very inconvenient. It's light weight, which is nice, but it tends to get stuck in things and impale me. I also prefer a folding cane because it's easier to fit places.
mehgcap 1 points 1y ago
I used Ambutech aluminum for most of my cane-using days. I got a guide dog in 2013, so have used canes less often. I got a graphite slimline, since it would fold much smaller and be lighter, making it much easier to carry in a pocket or backpack. If I had it to do again, though, I wouldn't do this. As a backup it's fine, but I don't really like it for heavy use. As others have said, the slimline graphite is too flexible, providing less feedback and bouncing and flexing too much. A slimline aluminum may work better, but I'd worry about it bending. I've bent full-sized aluminum canes, so one that's thinner would likely bend even sooner. Oh, and I hate the grip on the slimline.
For a primary tool, rather than something I use on the occasions my dog is unavailable, I'd definitely go for a full-sized cane. I don't know whether graphite or aluminum is best in that size. For tips, though, I really like the ceramic tip. It's not very bulky, and has very good sonic and tactile feedback. It's more expensive, but tends to last longer than the nylon tips.
Oh, and I opted for a white body and blue end section. Like others here, I wondered if a non-white body would be too confusing, so I kept the white color, but opted for something less boring on the end section.
As to getting two, I'd do more research on the different materials. Find the one you want your primary to be made from, and get that, then find a backup. Slimline aluminium, full-sized graphite, or something else, just something you want to try and that you can use should your primary break or get lost. That way, you have a spare, but can try two styles. Just keep your backup cane stored unfolded. It takes a while, but a folded cane really will become less and less easy to unfold if it is kept folded constantly. I learned that the hard way when I first got my dog and left my cane folded in a backpack. After a couple years, it wouldn't snap together without coaxing.
For a primary tool, rather than something I use on the occasions my dog is unavailable, I'd definitely go for a full-sized cane. I don't know whether graphite or aluminum is best in that size. For tips, though, I really like the ceramic tip. It's not very bulky, and has very good sonic and tactile feedback. It's more expensive, but tends to last longer than the nylon tips.
Oh, and I opted for a white body and blue end section. Like others here, I wondered if a non-white body would be too confusing, so I kept the white color, but opted for something less boring on the end section.
As to getting two, I'd do more research on the different materials. Find the one you want your primary to be made from, and get that, then find a backup. Slimline aluminium, full-sized graphite, or something else, just something you want to try and that you can use should your primary break or get lost. That way, you have a spare, but can try two styles. Just keep your backup cane stored unfolded. It takes a while, but a folded cane really will become less and less easy to unfold if it is kept folded constantly. I learned that the hard way when I first got my dog and left my cane folded in a backpack. After a couple years, it wouldn't snap together without coaxing.
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I use it often enough that you peeps have convinced me that a standard is my best option. I've always assumed ceramic tips would be extra fragile, like maybe cracking on rough terrain? Otherwise it sounds wonderful but I'm also a hiker and so far the rolling ball works great both in urban and more landscapey terrains.
Thanks for the advice on secondary cane upkeep, I wasn't familiar at all :)
Thanks for the advice on secondary cane upkeep, I wasn't familiar at all :)
codeplaysleep 2 points 1y ago
>I've always assumed ceramic tips would be extra fragile, like maybe cracking on rough terrain?
Wrong type of ceramic, my friend. There are many different ceramics, so we're not talking dinner plate material here, more like space shuttle. I have used this tip and it's very durable.
Wrong type of ceramic, my friend. There are many different ceramics, so we're not talking dinner plate material here, more like space shuttle. I have used this tip and it's very durable.
mehgcap 1 points 1y ago
Tips are a very subjective thing, and depend on both preference and terrain. Get the tip that you know works, but nothing says you can't get several other types. Changing tips is very simple, so long as you make sure the elastic doesn't disappear into the cane. Put a pen or something in it to keep this from happening and you'll be fine. Come to think of it, if you want color, I think some of the nylon tips come in a bunch of colors. Grab a few, and swap them out to keep things fresh. Nylon tips are cheap, so if you're already placing an order, you may as well get spares even if you decide not to try different styles.
Vicki7789 1 points 1y ago
I have a slimline cane, currently waiting on delivery of a regular folding graphite one. The slimline is amazingly portable but it only has a single elastic cord and it’s not meant to be a daily or heavy use cane. I’m using mine way more now so want the durability of a regular cane. I was going to go for a pink HiLite and a pink bottom section but that would take about 6 weeks to arrive, so this one is just a regular all white cane. I’m in the UK so we don’t have any red on the cane unless we also have a hearing impairment.
FinFlipper1328 1 points 1y ago
I love my graphite one. I have a folding cane with a large ball tip. It works great.
chinakow 1 points 1y ago
Ambutech actually lists the graphite canes as being for heavier use than the aluminim canes. I've had both and I like the graphite much better.
As mentioned the slimline canes are very floppy and I use canes that are over 60 inches(150 cm). . The regular graphite are noticably lighter than the aluminum and the graphite can bend more than the aluminum without breaking. The aluminum can become permanantly bent and that has not happened with my graphite cane yet even though I have owned it much longer.
the colored and white tapes they use on the canes are 3M reflective tape so no matter which color you choose, they will reflect car headlights back at the drivers fairly well. I do not know what they do to color the connectors so I am not sure if they are reflective but the rest of the cane will be.
Ambutech no longer ships rigid canes to the US for indicidual customers. I assume this was because the shipping was insane. So you might want to check with a local company and see if they can order rigid graphite canes because I can tell the difference in weight between my rigid and folding canes of the samelength and materials. If you do go with the folding, I would just recommend getting 2 if possible or ordering a couple rolling ball tips. My sidwalks must be in better condition than yours because I do not have much issue with a marshmallow rolling tip.
The other nitpick I have is that the factory for ambutech likes to put some sort of knot in the handle which makes it impossible to remove the elastic. This is not a big deal because it doesn't seem to really wear out. But if I needed to replace a section then it would be a non-starter.
Oh and yeah, I saw someone else complaining about the elastic wearing out. I've never noticed this happening with the ambutech canes. I have a spare cane that sits folded in my backpack and I take it out every couple months and it snaps right into shape.
Hope my ramble is helpful.
As mentioned the slimline canes are very floppy and I use canes that are over 60 inches(150 cm). . The regular graphite are noticably lighter than the aluminum and the graphite can bend more than the aluminum without breaking. The aluminum can become permanantly bent and that has not happened with my graphite cane yet even though I have owned it much longer.
the colored and white tapes they use on the canes are 3M reflective tape so no matter which color you choose, they will reflect car headlights back at the drivers fairly well. I do not know what they do to color the connectors so I am not sure if they are reflective but the rest of the cane will be.
Ambutech no longer ships rigid canes to the US for indicidual customers. I assume this was because the shipping was insane. So you might want to check with a local company and see if they can order rigid graphite canes because I can tell the difference in weight between my rigid and folding canes of the samelength and materials. If you do go with the folding, I would just recommend getting 2 if possible or ordering a couple rolling ball tips. My sidwalks must be in better condition than yours because I do not have much issue with a marshmallow rolling tip.
The other nitpick I have is that the factory for ambutech likes to put some sort of knot in the handle which makes it impossible to remove the elastic. This is not a big deal because it doesn't seem to really wear out. But if I needed to replace a section then it would be a non-starter.
Oh and yeah, I saw someone else complaining about the elastic wearing out. I've never noticed this happening with the ambutech canes. I have a spare cane that sits folded in my backpack and I take it out every couple months and it snaps right into shape.
Hope my ramble is helpful.
mehgcap 2 points 1y ago
Just FYI, that knot can be undone. I've replaced the elastic in a cane before. I wouldn't wish that torture on anyone, but it can be done. Plus, if you're replacing all the elastic anyway, you could just cut the old strands and pull them out through the cane.
chinakow 1 points 1y ago
I was talking about a knot that is inside the cane handle and not the on that keeps it from getting sucked into the cane. I wanted to tension the cord some before because I didn't like theur idea of how tight it should be but I could only pull a couple more inches out of the handle before re-tying the external knot.
It has not been an issue recently since I just added a comment saying not to install the elastic and they have been more than happy to send me a pile of what are essentially reflective tent poles.
If it does come yp, I'll try harder to get the elastic out next time. :-)
It has not been an issue recently since I just added a comment saying not to install the elastic and they have been more than happy to send me a pile of what are essentially reflective tent poles.
If it does come yp, I'll try harder to get the elastic out next time. :-)
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Good to know that slimline gets floppy on longer canes because it's what I mostly use, and I wasn't sure if the colors were reflective so that's great to know also.
Puzzled_Teaching_197 1 points 1y ago
I have a regular folding graphite cane from Ambutech. I like it a lot better than the slimline. I’ve found that having more folding joints makes it a lot bulkier when folded. It hasn’t had an impact on flimsiness though. Personally, I order 2 canes at the same time as shipping is expensive in the US as well. To make sure people know it’s a blind cane, I have a white cane body with a colored stripe and colored grip. It makes it fun but recognizable
codeplaysleep 1 points 1y ago
My Ambutech cane is graphite, 6 sections, all of them white, except the bottom one, which I made purple. This adds a bit of color and doesn't seem to confuse anyone.
I had just enough room under the golf grip handle on the top section to wrap a bit of purple nebula patterned tape and then I put a rocket charm on the cord. It's all subtle, but I love it.
$1 since you asked. I actually just recently replaced my old one (which was exactly the same), so this one's basically still new (note, that's not an Ambutech tip on mine).
Personally, I find the slimline cane to be quite flimsy, especially with a heavy tip like the rolling ball or marshmallow. I don't use my cane all the time so I technically could get by with a slimline and it would serve the purpose I need, but the regular one does it better. Also, it just felt cheap and flimsy and I found it hard to take myself seriously with it. I'm actually more confident (socially) using the regular cane.
I kept my slimline as a backup.
I had just enough room under the golf grip handle on the top section to wrap a bit of purple nebula patterned tape and then I put a rocket charm on the cord. It's all subtle, but I love it.
$1 since you asked. I actually just recently replaced my old one (which was exactly the same), so this one's basically still new (note, that's not an Ambutech tip on mine).
Personally, I find the slimline cane to be quite flimsy, especially with a heavy tip like the rolling ball or marshmallow. I don't use my cane all the time so I technically could get by with a slimline and it would serve the purpose I need, but the regular one does it better. Also, it just felt cheap and flimsy and I found it hard to take myself seriously with it. I'm actually more confident (socially) using the regular cane.
I kept my slimline as a backup.
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 1y ago
This was super, super helpful. I was considering getting a blue/green bottom for mine and the charm idea is brilliant. And the heads up about how I would feel with a thinner cane also made me realize slimline might not be for me for more than utilitarian reasons.
Thanks a bunch for the picture, as well, the color looks so different from the site's palette! I have to ask about the length, it looks so compact... if you know, how long is it and how tall are you? Mine is 5 sections and never quite fits anywhere, but 6 would be great, and I might make it shorter as well since it's max length atm. Knowing how big yours is could help me figure out something more reasonable for it to fit nicely.
Thanks a bunch for the picture, as well, the color looks so different from the site's palette! I have to ask about the length, it looks so compact... if you know, how long is it and how tall are you? Mine is 5 sections and never quite fits anywhere, but 6 would be great, and I might make it shorter as well since it's max length atm. Knowing how big yours is could help me figure out something more reasonable for it to fit nicely.
codeplaysleep 1 points 1y ago
Glad I could help! The color difference is partially due to the phone lighting and the fact that the purple section (like all the others) is reflective, so that's why it looks so much brighter in the pic.
I'm 5'5" and I'm a slow to average-speed walker with a fairly short stride. My cane is 48in, which is on the shorter end. If I were a full-time cane user or had less remaining vision, I think I'd want it to be a bit longer. But for what I need, it works fine and I love how compact it is.
I'm 5'5" and I'm a slow to average-speed walker with a fairly short stride. My cane is 48in, which is on the shorter end. If I were a full-time cane user or had less remaining vision, I think I'd want it to be a bit longer. But for what I need, it works fine and I love how compact it is.
macadamia_owl 1 points 1y ago
I'm too from Europe i had the same dilemma last year when i lost my white cane in sewer (it just slipped down there trough the hole!) It was old aluminium cane with small ball roller tip non changeable and my 2 Revolution graphite canes died quickly (bands broke off after few months) i really wanted something lighter anyway but it was my first time ordering cane alone i had no idea what to order.
I really wanted those colorful Ambutech but in my country there's stupid law visually impaired and blind are recommended to walk with standard white ones so no shop is selling colorful ones. Only kids version with colorful grips and rainbow stripes on top section. I was thinking of going to nearby country shop Altix and buying there because they're few official partners of colorful ones from Ambutech. But because of COVID borders were closed. But i know they sold many of those.
Graphite is so much more comfortable to arm than aluminium yes more bendable but it will hold many bumps, crashes.
Slimline is much more delicate it has only one rubber band it will last less than regular one with two rubber bands inside - that's less tension it won't break so fast. More sections impacts wear up of rubber band too, slimline has much more sections.
I have read there's fiberglass - supposed to be even lighter than graphite but as i understood it it's less resistant to big temperature changes I'm not sure.
Titanium and even kevlar add-on- very sturdy yet lightweid
I have heard good things about canes from Svarovsky being very durable yet not too heavy, Comode are interesting because they're telescope yet having extra adjustable length of few centimeters if needed.
I really wanted those colorful Ambutech but in my country there's stupid law visually impaired and blind are recommended to walk with standard white ones so no shop is selling colorful ones. Only kids version with colorful grips and rainbow stripes on top section. I was thinking of going to nearby country shop Altix and buying there because they're few official partners of colorful ones from Ambutech. But because of COVID borders were closed. But i know they sold many of those.
Graphite is so much more comfortable to arm than aluminium yes more bendable but it will hold many bumps, crashes.
Slimline is much more delicate it has only one rubber band it will last less than regular one with two rubber bands inside - that's less tension it won't break so fast. More sections impacts wear up of rubber band too, slimline has much more sections.
I have read there's fiberglass - supposed to be even lighter than graphite but as i understood it it's less resistant to big temperature changes I'm not sure.
Titanium and even kevlar add-on- very sturdy yet lightweid
I have heard good things about canes from Svarovsky being very durable yet not too heavy, Comode are interesting because they're telescope yet having extra adjustable length of few centimeters if needed.
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