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Escrima Sticks, Kali Sticks, or Arnis Sticks: Bodyguard™ Sticks by TAK and Grip Tape 

                                                         These are the last pair of sticks you will ever have to purchase! 

During the early stages of Escrima stick development in 2001, every synthetic and non-natural material that was available was tested- rigorously. Everything from fiberglass to nylon to carbon fiber to aluminum to polycarbonate. Hands down, we and everyone else who tried them, kept picking up one particular pair that had the best characteristics that we wanted: weight close to rattan, reduced shock, and absolutely indestructible. These were sticks you could hit against a telephone pole as hard as you like and then carry into the studio for partner training. As luck would have it, the material cost was the highest of all. So, a decision had to be made; carry a less than perfect Escrima stick that the customer might use occasionally or have to be replaced, or carry an expensive stick that lasts forever and covers the entire range of training. The later was chosen. Consider this, the next time you buy an inexpensive pair of sticks for half the price, the next pair you buy would have paid for your Bodyguard Sticks that you will never replace!  

From www.FMAtalk.com:  Well, I received my TAK 26" Bodyguard (original) Sticks today and I must say that I am impressed. First off, everyone that knows me knows that I love rattan for partner training and kamagong for individual training. In the past I have owned several varieties of synthetic sticks and really not one of them met up to my standards. The TAK Sticks were simply awesome in feel and similarity in vibrational standards to rattan. The weight felt right and when hitting something the sticks absorbed the right amount of the vibration so that it was comparable to rattan. Here is the real upside, I smacked, banged them against a tire, heavybag, together, rattan, floor and guess what not a dent, ding or scrape. Nothing, these things feel like they are going to last for a long, long, long time. These are great synthetic sticks that really in my opinion are better than any I have tried before.  Brian R. VanCise;   www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com

The finish on the Bodyguard Sticks are smooth and we machine the ends to eliminate sharp edges. The finish will not become slippery when your hands sweat. The material is a polymer which is specifically designed for high impact contact. The sticks do have a slight degree of flexibility and do not transmit shock back to the hands like harder woods will.  

Comparative Study of Escrima Stick Weights 

Endorsements and us talking about how our sticks are close to rattan still don't present the entire picture. Recently, when we decided to introduce the TAK Bodyguard Max, we decided to perform a comparative study on stick weights. We gathered up our training partner's sticks and set about making this table so you can determine the difference in stick types and where the TAK Bodyguard Sticks fit in that mix. Here are the results: 

Material Type	Diam.	Weight (oz.)	Notes
Straight grain plain rattan	1"	7.5	Entry level stick for beginning training or where speed is desired.
Rattan with nodes, sample #1	1"	8	Traditional classroom stick
Waxwood	15/16"	8.6	Smooth stick, no nodes
Rattan with nodes, sample #2	1"	9	Traditional classroom stick
TAK Bodyguard (original)	1"	9.5	Polymer stick close in weight to rattan
Bahi	7/8"	11.3	Heavier stick, very dense wood
TAK Bodyguard Max	1"	12.8	Polymer stick, approaching weight of kamagong but not as rigid
Rattan, big grip, sample #1	1 3/8"	13	Very large grip, used for strength training
Kamagong	7/8"	13.2	Heavy stick, strength training, may be too heavy for partner training.
CS Polypropylene	1"	13.6	Heavy stick, manufacturer's specs are 32" at 15 + ounces.
Kamagong	15/16"	14.6	Heavy stick, strength training, may be too heavy for partner training.
Rattan, big grip, sample #2	1 3/8"	15	Very large grip, used for strength training

All sticks have had their weights normalized to 28" for easier comparison. Weight is for single stick. Natural woods & rattan will vary a certain amount; your stick in the same material may be slightly higher or lower in weight. 

Bodyguard (Original)  24" $30 Buy Now 24" Loop $35 Buy Now 26" $30 Buy Now 26" Loop $35 Buy Now 27" $30 Buy Now 27" Loop $35 Buy Now 28" $30 Buy Now 28" Loop $35 Buy Now 29" $30 Buy Now 29" Loop $35 Buy Now 30" $30 Buy Now 30" Loop $35 Buy Now  Price is per stick

Bodyguard Max  24" $24 Buy Now 26" $24 Buy Now 27" $24 Buy Now 28" $24 Buy Now 29" $24 Buy Now 30" $24 Buy Now  Price is per stick  Bodyguard Max sticks are heavier than the original Bodyguard sticks. Use the comparison table to find a suitable weight match.

Left: Bodyguard (original)  Right: Bodyguard Max

 

Important: You have noticed by now that the Bodyguard Max sticks cost less than the original Bodyguard sticks. Please do not let the difference in price sway you to the Bodyguard Max unless you really want a stick approaching the weight of kamagong.    • If you are satisfied with how your rattan or waxwood sticks feel now, stay with the original Bodyguard sticks.  • If you already use kamagong or have been wanting a heavier stick for strength or pell training, then by all means, pick up the Bodyguard Max.  • If you are just starting your stick training, in most cases, you will be happier with the original Bodyguard sticks. The 3.3 ounce weight difference makes a BIG difference in how the stick feels and the impact it delivers when striking. It is more than you would imagine if you have never tried it (or felt it)! This allows for more "mistakes" when partner training.    So, why does the original Bodyguard stick cost more than the Bodyguard Max when there is less material? The process to make a hollow core stick (to get the weight near rattan) costs more than making a solid core version. The polymer material is exactly the same in both versions.

Want to learn or improve on your stick handling?  Intro to Sinawali & Double Sinawali DVD                  $30 each (1 DVD)   Buy Now                   •        •        •        •        •        •        •             Grip Tape  Don't waste your time buying the 16 foot roll of "friction tape" at your local home improvement store; for the same price you can get from us a 85 foot roll that was tested against 4 other brands and picked for its proper level of tackiness and thickness.    Grip Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $5 roll      Buy Now     You can also use this Grip Tape to wrap your rattan sticks. Use it to fatten up the grips on your training knives, live blades, hand tools, hatchets, sporting goods (hockey sticks, baseball bats) - anything that you would like to have a more secure grip.

While developing the new Vietnam Tomahawk trainer, we went through a process of evaluating every grip material we could get our hands on. While we didn't use this tape on the final design of the Tomahawk, we started trying it on the sticks to see what it felt like. WOW- a small wrap on the punyo (above left picture) made a huge difference in control. The tackiness of the tape allowed you to lighten your grip since the stick wanted to stay in your hand. We tried wrapping just the punyo and the bottom 8 inches. Everyone has a different opinion on what feels best in your hand, so try it and see what works best for you.

 

 

"Bodyguard" and "Bodyguard Max" are recognized trademarks of Tactical Advantage Knives, Inc.