I'm fairly new on the bo staff scene. Currently, I have a 6' bamboo bo near identical to the Elite Striped sold here. I've done a few practices with it and love how it handles as well as the feel of it. However, I was doing some strong strike/block drills with a partner who has the same bo and both have dents from every exchange. In general, I'm very hard on my bo. Weight's not an issue. The bamboo is lighter than what I'd prefer to be training with. I've been reading the reviews and doing some hunting on the red oak, but would like to be sure of what I've heard. The bo will be used for both creative forms and practice which include full contact drills where a lot of the beating will come from. Will the red oak handle the drills better than the bamboo? I'm assuming (and hoping) that the red oak will be heavier and more durable than the bamboo and am anticipating less give.   Permalink