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At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, walking sticks were as much a part of every day life as were hats. A majority of men carried walking sticks or canes, and in many cases, ladies did as well. Walking sticks could be used to conceal whips which would be used to spur on horses or whilst driving a carriage or wagon. They could even be used to conceal guns, knives, swords, even musical instruments or stolen goods. At one time in American history, it was considered a rite of passage for a young man to carve for himself the walking stick he would use for the rest of his days.

It is no wonder, then that printed walking sticks were among the earliest promotional items put to use by advertisers. The first records of walking sticks as promotional tools come in the 1920's. The name or logo of a business could be printed on the length of the cane or the head of the walking stick could be a symbol of the company, so that every time a client closed his hand around that head, he was reminded of the business that he acquired the item from.

Though walking sticks are not as much a part of our everyday dress as they once were, they are still used, and therefore still make good promotional items. The most important thing is to know your customer base. Who uses walking sticks, and what kind do they use? There are two types of walking sticks, the classical type that can also be called a cane, and the king used for hiking.

Traditional Walking Sticks

Branded walking sticks used to be made only out of wood, and you can still get very nice ones with beautiful wood veneers. These are excellent backgrounds to your company brand, logo, and contact information. Traditional walking sticks can also be made of aluminium, which is a light metal and offers many different colours. There are three major customer bases for these walking sticks. The elderly use them frequently in order to help them maintain their balance and take pressure off sore joints. Younger disabled people use them for the same reason, especially since a walking stick is less intrusive in their lives than crutches or a wheelchair. And of course, there are the old-fashioned who dream of a more elegant, refined time, when a gentleman was never without his walking stick.

Hiking Sticks

Branded hiking sticks also come in wood and aluminium of varying colours. They can be highly decorated with either a traditional or modern motif, which is a real benefit for the promotional industry, since they offer more surface area for imprinting your information than do traditional sticks. As the name suggests, hiking sticks are most useful to those who hike, but they also appeal to those who have a sense of the tradition behind them. Not everybody can carve their own walking stick, so your promotional gift will serve them well as they walk.