The simplest way to size a walking stick is to stand in your usual shoes with your arms relaxed at your sides, then measure from the crease of your wrist to the floor. That measurement is your ideal stick length. For a quick estimate without measuring, half your total height gets you close to the right number.
The Wrist Crease Method
This is the most reliable technique, and you can do it alone with just a tape measure. Put on the shoes you’ll actually be wearing with the stick, stand upright against a flat wall, and let your arms hang naturally. Find the bony bump on the outside of your wrist, right at the bottom crease where your hand meets your forearm. Measure straight down from that point to the floor. That distance is your target stick length.
When you hold a stick cut to this length, the handle will sit right at your wrist joint, and your elbow will bend at roughly 15 to 20 degrees. That slight bend is the sweet spot: enough flex to absorb impact and push off comfortably, but not so much that your arm is doing extra work. If you’re using the stick primarily for balance rather than weight support, a touch more bend is fine.
If you have a slouch or forward-leaning posture, measure yourself in your natural standing position rather than forcing yourself perfectly upright. The stick needs to match how you actually walk, not an idealized version of your posture.
The Half-Height Shortcut
If you can’t easily measure from wrist to floor (say, you’re buying a stick as a gift), the standard medical formula works well: multiply the person’s height by 0.50. Someone who is 5’10” (178 cm) would need a stick around 35 inches (89 cm). Physical therapists and occupational therapists use this same calculation worldwide because it reliably produces that 15 to 20 degree elbow bend for most body proportions.
The shortcut has limits, though. People with unusually long or short arms won’t get a perfect fit from height alone. The wrist-to-floor measurement accounts for individual arm length, which is why it’s the preferred method when you can do it yourself.
Sizing a Hiking Staff or Trekking Pole
Hiking sticks and trekking poles are sized differently from everyday walking sticks. Standing with your arms at your sides, measure from your elbow to the floor, then add 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). The result is your baseline hiking staff length. This gives you a higher hand position than a standard walking stick, which makes sense because you’re using it to propel yourself forward and maintain rhythm on trails, not primarily to bear weight.
Terrain changes the equation. For sustained uphill sections, shorten each pole by about 5 to 10 cm from your baseline setting. A shorter pole lets you plant it more easily on the slope above you without raising your arm overhead. For long downhill stretches, lengthen each pole by 5 to 10 cm. The extra length keeps your upper body more upright as the ground drops away, which improves balance and takes stress off your knees. The steeper the slope, the more you adjust.
This is one of the best arguments for adjustable trekking poles. A fixed-length walking stick works perfectly on flat ground, but a hike with significant elevation change means constantly working with the wrong length unless you can telescop the pole to match.
Why Wrong Sizing Causes Problems
A stick that’s even an inch or two off can cause real issues over time. Too short, and you’ll lean forward to reach it. That forward tilt shifts your center of gravity ahead of your feet, increasing fall risk and straining your lower back. People who walk with a too-short stick often develop back pain they assume is unrelated.
Too long is its own problem. A tall stick forces your shoulder up or your elbow into an awkward angle with every step. It also reduces the support the stick can actually provide, because you can’t press down on it effectively when your arm is nearly straight. Over a long walk or hike, this can lead to shoulder and wrist fatigue.
Either way, a poorly sized stick compromises the one thing it’s supposed to provide: stability. If the stick doesn’t let your arm sit at that natural, slightly bent position, your body compensates in ways that create new strain rather than relieving it.
Shoes Matter More Than You Think
Always measure with the shoes you plan to use. The difference between a pair of flat sneakers and thick-soled hiking boots can be an inch or more. Some popular hiking boots have heel stacks of 19 to 20 mm just in the midsole, and the outsole adds more on top of that. If you measure barefoot and then wear boots, your stick will effectively be too short.
If you wear different shoes for different activities (walking shoes around town, boots on trails), and you’re using a non-adjustable stick, size it for the shoes you’ll use most often with it.
How to Check the Fit
If you already have a stick and want to verify the size, there’s a simple test. Stand on a flat surface in your usual shoes, grip the handle, and look at your elbow. It should be slightly bent, not locked straight and not bent past about 20 degrees. Your shoulder should be relaxed, not hiked up. Your wrist should be in a neutral position, not angled sharply up or down.
If you’re unsure whether a length feels right, grab a broom handle and hold it at different heights while walking around. Even a few minutes will make it obvious which height lets you move most naturally. This is especially useful if you’re choosing between two sizes of a fixed-length stick and can’t decide.
For adjustable sticks and trekking poles, set the length using the wrist crease measurement, walk for 10 to 15 minutes, and then fine-tune. Some people prefer their stick a centimeter shorter or longer than the formula suggests, and that’s normal. The measurement gets you to the right neighborhood; a short test walk gets you to the exact address.