Fusion Collapsible Fire Contact Staff

Variations

Material

• Aluminum 7075: This aluminum is the strongest aluminum alloy commercially available. It’s slightly heavier than carbon fiber and more budget friendly.
• Carbon Fiber: Carbon fiber’s high strength-to-weight ratio makes it ideal for lightweight, high-performance parts. Lighter than the Aluminum 7075 handle.

Grip

• Silicone: a continuous tubing made of high-temperature resistant silicone rubber. This particular tubing is air textured to make it more grippy compared to other silicone tubings. This also helps to reduce loss of traction in moist conditions. It is one of the tackiest and longest lasting grip. Silicone is grippiest when clean and dry. Depending on the environment and person, occasional wipe downs to remove any moisture may be required. It is easier to clean compared to EPDM because you can spray it with water or rubbing alcohol and wipe down.
• EPDM: a synthetic black rubber grip that is durable, grippy, and padded. In comparison to silicone, it is better at retaining grip in moist conditions and is slightly lighter. This makes it more suitable for consistently sweaty, humid, or dusty conditions. EPDM becomes more grippy with use and ages like a fine wine. It has a slight tendency to leave black residue on skin which can be cleaned with soap and water. This grip is better for those who don’t want to regularly clean their grip. If it does get dirty enough to be problematic, you can use a slightly moist towel to gently wipe down the grip. Do not spray down like silicone tubing.

Length

Staff length should be about chin length. For a majority of people 1500mm (59″) sits at about chin length and is the most popular size. Refer to our blog How to Choose the Perfect Staff Length.

Flowers

Flowers slow down a staff’s rolling speed and add extra weight to its ends. For contact staffs, this added weight helps the center of the staff stay firmly in contact with the body. The slower rolling speed is especially helpful for learning moves like Angel Rolls and Steves, which roll down the body. However, using flowers comes down to personal preference—some people prefer lighter staffs or faster rolls. The good news is that flowers can be easily removed and reapplied with silicone tape without causing any damage.