Stick Time

[1042 Trooper]

If you had your druthers, which would you reeeeally want to carry.

WARNING: This will age some of us.

[lionheart45]

Asp for me, had hours of baton(pr24) training in the academy because it's still part of the coarse. As soon as I got out I had Asp training and switched right over.

My opinion might not mean much though because I have never used either in the field. But I will say the sound of the Asp opening really scared a few would be tough guys.

[Guams]

My training is with the ASP, so I guess I'm a bit biased. We worked a bit with the straight hickory but I didn't really like it, mainly because I have small hands and keeping ahold of that thing was relatively tough.

If only they made a sturdy combination of the two...

[MOGSOT]

My baton of choice is my trustee night stick. I also carry the asp but have only used it for busting windows. My night stick has had some flesh time. It really gets a reaction out of people when I pull it out of my car.

The big reason is when you hit something with the asp it has the tendancy to start to collapse after several strikes. I don't have that problem with my night stick.

[ask80]

i love straight wooden sticks , preferably Cocobolo. I hate pr-24s. ASPs are convenient because of it's size. it's one less thing you have to grab during a stop.

[winq]

A kokabola made night stick (i know, i'm showing my age). The real advantage about the asp, is that it is always on your rig, easy to carry.

The night stick is the real deal to cause pain, though.

[ateamer]

Nothing like good old hickory or cocobolo, preferably 29". Ironwood and Dymondwood are nice as well.

[POPO-FLA]

I really like my 6 D cell mag light

[SRT936]

Good ole fashioned straight stick, every time. I dumped the ASP years ago and will never go back.

I've seen the ASP fail too many times. Its a simple matter of physics. A lightweight, narrow piece of flexible steel does not provide enough dynamic fluid shock transfer. If you watch a slow motion video capture of an ASP in action, you'll see that it flexes to an incredible degree. Upon impact, it wraps around the target point, causing a change in the force direction. The straight stick has very little flex to it and direclty transfers the energy to the target point. Plus, the wider strike surface allows for greater energy transference.

LE switched to the ASP in droves for one simple reason, convienence. They're easy to carry, lightweight, and always available. Its basically the same reason we carry handguns instead of rifles while working. The handgun isn't particullarily effective, but it is portable.

[Dinosaur32]

Come alongs....but if not them a nightstick my Dad had made at the Steinway piano company for my uncle. Hardest stick my uncle ever used on patrol with the NYPD.

[winq]

I really like my 6 D cell mag light

OUCH!!!!

[pulicords]

Aluminum PR24! Works just like the plastic (or are we calling those "polymer" now too), but doesn't warp in the sun or break at the sidehandle. For awhile I had a cocobolo wood straight stick (that was real pretty too), but I broke it on a car window trying to rescue a dog!

[MilwaukeeCU]

Bring back the leather sap....

Kickin it old skool!!

[Kieth M.]

I said straight hickory, but I wish we could have that extra long riot stick.

But...

I once got to try out the side-handle PR 36, the extra 12" really made that paractice dummy dance. I could've sworn there were tears coming from that dummy.

I've carried my ASP since 1995 and I don't think I've ever even done a "Jedi" style opening for a suspect, and for sure I've never whupped someone with it.

But I wish, too, I had the ability to carry a "bokken." That's the wooden practice samurai sword. Our mounted cops get to use those.

[exComptonCop]

Bring back the leather sap....

Kickin it old skool!!

In three tasty Gonzalez flavors...415, 245, and 187