Length for my body type?

Sorry if this is a newbish question, and i know length depends on preference but I'd like a more experienced opinion.

Im a guy, 5 feet 7 ish, 130 lbs. I don't want a baton but I don't want a huuuge staff either. Just something good to start with, something i can decently contact with.

suggestions for length/weight?

side question, do i really need a heavier wooden staff to do contact moves with or is aluminum stil ok

thanks for the help in advice

I was always told that the ideal length staff goes to your armpit....mine does...and I think it's perfect.

As for the second question I can't answer that....I don't do contact moves yet

as long as you feel comfortable with, and the same for the weight, i use a lot of short light sticks, but have just got me a heavy long one, and love it just as much....just play!

I reckon you chin height is a good start if your into contact. But really anything over four foot will work well enough.

As for heavyiness, dont worry about it. The lighter a stick you can contact the better you'll be.

My own fave contact sticks are 1.5m x 20mm with 2ft of 4inch wick and dowel inserts at each and.

Having heavy ends is more important that having a heavy stick as it contributes more to the momentum. Which is handy

best o luck

a

pedant

we tend to use an old martial arts measurement (there are a couple) when making a staff... 2 sizes really, 3ft and 6ft!

if you spread your arms out either side of your body, a 6ft staff would be finger-tip to fingertip! a 3 ft is half tht (duh) fingertip to sternum!

i know that mine works brilliantly out of 19mm beech dowel rod with a 19mm aluminium tube forced over each end (tedious) and then bound with wick! ends of the dowel should be 150mm into the aluminium on each end and there should be a 50mm gap between the "end of the dowel" and the wick!

hell... i must defenately get a pick of the ends sometime for you guys to see!

i personally prefer the 19mm... but a friend of mine preferes 16mm, and another prefers 22mm!

check what suites you better!