I have mixed feelings regarding my double tapered 5’ bo, mostly good. First the positive: Karate Depot ships bos in heavy-duty tubes that give good protection. I like this. I’ve received bos from other companies that use only paper wrapping. Also the shipping cost is most reasonable and I receive products in a timely manner. All are good selling points. And then Karate Depot has enough interest to inquire about my opinion of the product. As for the bo, it is what I had hoped my other two oak bos would be in these respects: It feels good and lively in my hands. The overall weight is perfect for me. A subjective statement if there ever was one. It is heavy enough to be effective, and yet light enough to change directions of a strike quickly. The other two oak bos feel like dead weight. And in respect to the 6’ straight bo you sent and I trimmed to eyebrow length, much dead weight. That sucker is heavy and in my personal opinion too heavy for combat, although the extra weight does have other advantages. The 1” diameter of the tapered bo fills my hands nicely and the stick feels solid and gives confidence. I started with the Shaolin school, but like the Kobudo school better as they go in more for thrusts. I have a tree that I practice penetration on and have found the following to be true: with the rattan 1” bo I get 1”-1 ¼” penetration (and much flex), with your 1 ¼” straight oak bo only 3/8”, if that much (but it really rocks the tree), with a 1” straight white oak bo 1 3/8”. And with the double taper a whopping 2 ¼” penetration. This is probably due in part to the taper, giving a better grip. I am interested in the bo for defense as opposed to sport. Robbers and dogs sometimes make sport of me and I carry a cane as my principle weapon. This could be a wooden Cane Master (my favorite) or a sword cane. I’ve used both on dogs and men, so you could say that I’m a veteran when it comes to street use. I have found that a thrust is faster and more difficult to counter than a swinging strike. Hence the interest in Kodubo school. I find a 5’ stick easier to manage in the streets than a longer one even though eyebrow length is my preferred length when space is not a consideration as it usually is, and in taxis that length is beginning to get unhandy. 6’ is difficult even on a bus. I live in Centro America and the envelope people use here is smaller than in the States. In a spacious gym a 6’ job would be great. I’m 5’9” tall. On the negative side I’m disappointed in the quality. The 6’ bo you sent had a slight waver that I called a wrap. I think now that I overstated it and should have called it a waver. It also has a couple of small knotholes, one of which appeared to have been filled. The tapered bo has a much more pronounced waver (it appears, like the first bo, to have a warp and then the warp reverses itself). It too has a small knothole that appears to have been filled. The knotholes in both bos are small and I don’t think will cause a problem. However, the tapered bo has a fill almost at one tip the measures 18mm x 32mm. This causes me concern. The Shaolin school teaches ground strikes and with age I am afraid the patch may fall out. I sanded it smooth and whoever did a good job at colour matching, making it hard to detect. So appearance wise there is no problem. I did sand the entire bo finishing with 1200 paper and oil giving it a better feel. Maybe the problem is that I’m comparing your $20 bos with my $100-$200 canes and am not being reasonable in the quality that I expect. Perhaps I’d be happier with your ash combat bo at $35. I know oak, white and red, Chinese and American. I know nothing of ash other than it’s a wood often used in hiking staffs. Even considering the negatives I have no regrets in ordering the tapered bo although I do wish that it was straighter and without that large patch. I probably won’t order the ash bo because by the time I receive it I’ll have at least $75 tied up in the bo, and at present I have three serviceable oak bos. And while I think the bo is superior to the cane as a weapon I will continue to make a cane my primary weapon as it has many advantages that I won’t go into over the bo. I do like bos and will continue to train with them with an occasional carry.

I like. I opted for the plastic sole jobbies. There was the smell many people talk about, but I did not find it objectionable. I find the traction good, and hardly notice that I’m wearing a shoe. I wear 9 and 1/2; and ordered 9, rightly or wrongly? They feel a little snug at the toe, but so far no problem as the material is stretchy. Am curious about the size 10, but I fear they maybe too large. I wish that they came in half sizes. Without socks a get lateral play at the heel. With socks they fit like a second skin, or a part of my foot. They are lighter and take up less room in my backpack then previous shoes. I am considering wearing them when traveling as they are more airport friendly than my cowboy boots.