7 Best Walking Canes of 2024 - Reviewed

Oct 18, 2024

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With a curved, padded handle and a 500-pound weight limit, this cane is perfect for those requiring sturdier support. Read More

The unique shape of this attractive cane's handle offers alternative grip options. It's also adjustable to accommodate a variety of user heights. Read More

If you're looking for a cane you can toss in your bag, this is it. It folds down to a little over a foot, and it's just an all-around good cane. Read More

This cane's handle distributes weight more evenly than others, and it folds down to under a foot in length. It's easy to adjust and comes with a case. Read More

While the light and power buttons are clever, their placement is not. It's easy to accidentally activate the alarm and hard to turn it off. Read More

Updated August 30, 2024

Finding the best walking cane isn’t your grandma’s game anymore. Thankfully, there are lots of options to choose from including foldable and travel-friendly, all terrain, and artistic.

But choosing a cane is both an art and a science, says physical therapist Naseem Chatiwala, who founded Rehab Health360 in Massachusetts to provide care for patients with neurological deficits. Much of her work with those patients includes selecting and sizing mobility aids and counseling on proper use.

We tested seven popular walking canes and asked the physical therapist to chime in on the pros and cons of each. The Nova Heavy Duty Walking Cane (available at Amazon) was chosen as our best overall walking cane for its extended weight capacity, quad base, and comfortable grip.

Read on for the full results of our testing and expert insights on selecting the best walking cane for your personal needs

The Nova Heavy Duty Walking Cane enables smooth strides and has a curved handle for comfortable gripping.

Diminished mobility often means weight gain—rendering many canes’ ability to support just about 250 pounds unhelpful. The Nova cane is not only lightweight itself—at just 1 pound—but it can support users of up to 500 pounds (most bariatric canes top out at 300 pounds).

And while many bariatric canes have a quad base, the Nova has a round tip that allows for more seamless walking, says Chatiwala. This model may not have many bells and whistles—it comes in just black, silver, and purple on Amazon, and isn’t foldable—but our expert source feels it has universal appeal for many reasons.

Its curved handle redistributes weight, the round tip is easy to navigate, the padded handle is easy to grip, and the fabric loop for hanging or wrapping around the wrist is handy when users want to carry their cane at the same time as a shopping bag or plate of food, Chatiwala notes. She also gave the Nova bonus points for being easy to adjust height-wise, as well as its reasonable price point.

500-pound weight limit

Padded handle

Lightweight

Isn't foldable

C-Grip canes, like this CVS Health Comfort Grip option, are easy to store away and hang at home or while out in public.

This C-Grip Cane is notable for reasons related to both appearance and function, but that’s no surprise for fans of architect and home goods designer, Michael Graves. Sleek style meets stability with an easy-to-adjust cane made for short and tall heights (4-foot-8 to 6-foot-4 users), and those up to 300 pounds. The tips—it comes with two, standard round and one x-shaped—are also easy to swap in and out. They give new cane users a chance to figure out what works best for them.

Out of all the canes we tested, the C-Grip Cane with the light x-shaped tip made the least noise when touching the ground, and it also enabled this cane to stand up on its own. Replacements for either version tip are inexpensive, too. Chatiwala was intrigued by the C-shaped handle especially, which is not only artistic but uncommon, though she would only recommend it for users who aren’t overweight.

Conveniently, the handle style means it can hook onto the edge of a table without slipping off. The C-shape is unpadded, so it’s not ideal for walking longer distances, but the curvature is especially handy for using two hands to push up from sitting to standing.

Easy to adjust

Comes with two tip options

C-shaped handle

300-pound weight limit

The HurryCane Freedom Edition can stand on its own and provide more stability due to its hefty base.

It’s easy for new users to pinch a finger when this folding cane snaps itself into place. But the HurryCane has a leg up over other similar models like BeneCane when it comes to other key features, including a more user-friendly rubberized handle that’s comfortable and grippy.

It folds easily into a purse-sized 13.7 inches, and the elasticized wrist strap doubles as a fastener to hold the components in place when the cane’s in its compact state. The HurryCane’s tri-corner tip is also a lot lighter than the BeneCane’s hefty four-corner base and still allows it to stand.

Reasonably priced, HurryCane’s design—connecting the tip to the shaft—allows it to pivot like an ankle, and its cross-hatched tips provide traction on surfaces like sand or gravel. However, replacement tips are a proprietary design and must be replaced by someone with hand dexterity using a Phillips-Head screwdriver.

Rubberized handle

Folds to portable size

Tips offer good traction

Tips are proprietary and hard to replace

The round, non-slip tip on the Kmina Folding Orthopedic Cane doesn't disappoint.

Grip strength diminishes over time, which can be especially unfortunate for seniors who need a handheld mobility aid. The Kmina cane’s ergonomic handle’s wide base (available for both righties and lefties) immediately fits those who hold it. That means the weight bearing can be distributed more between the palm of the hand without putting too much focus on where the fingers meet. Its multiple (easy) height adjustment options also mean users won’t put pressure on the wrist, since the cane is likely to be properly fitted.

Chatiwala said she likes models like this, especially for patients who may have reduced grip strength. The high-quality woven (and moveable/removable) wrist loop is a nice touch for use when moving and when stationary, she says.

The round, non-slip tip is easy to get used to walking on and to replace. Although, the tread may track in mud or grass if not careful. We especially like how easily this one snaps into place with its interior elastic and appreciate that it’s less than a foot tall when folded (11.4 inches). The thoughtful carrying case is also made of high-quality, water-resistant fabric with a sturdy zipper. Just be careful not to misplace the plastic piece that holds together all four metal rods in the case.

Wide handle base

Easy to adjust

Folds to under 1 foot

Carrying case

Piece that holds cane together when folded could be lost

BeneCane is proof that some ideas are good in theory but not in practice. Putting a light onto the handle is a nifty idea, but it’s controlled by the same button that also controls the panic alarm—meaning it can easily be set off by anyone who touches it. It also doesn’t help that the alarm only turns off after completely removing the battery. The plastic handle is also unpadded, making this cane unideal for walking long distances.

In a pinch for travel, however, the BeneCane comes in handy in more ways than one. After initial practice that nipped our finger, the industrial elastic on the inside that holds together the foldable parts snapped together super easily to form the rod. The individual smaller tubes only need to be screwed together and locked in quickly, and users are off to the races.

“A lot of my patients, especially travelers, like something like this to put into a pocketbook to use only when they need it,” Chatiwala says. “This is a cane that works for someone who has mobility [limitations] but doesn’t need to hold on for dear life.”

BeneCane gets bonus points for its compact size when disassembled, although the rounded edge square base that allows the cane to stand on its own is quite heavy. It also takes more practice than traditional cane tip types to walk without altering one’s gait. BeneCane is not a standard cane diameter either, so replacement tips (including regular round tips) are a proprietary size.

Integrated light

Panic button

Great for travel

It's easy to accidentally hit the panic button

Unpadded handle

Proprietary replacement tips

For those who want to walk with swagger in the best possible way, the Royal Cane is top notch. The Fritz handle glitz—including a shiny collar attaching a colorfully stained wood grip—puts on the ritz in a way that attracts attention for those who want it, explains Chatiwala. “This is for people who want to be noticed when they walk into a restaurant. It’s more of a status symbol than anything else, for someone who needs a small amount of support on a long walk or on an uneven surface as a ‘nice to have,’ not a ‘need to have.’”

But this model is about more than form, and the curve of its handle is a function designed by a German physician in the 1500s for arthritis sufferers. Its open-ended handle makes it easy to grip, and this was the most lightweight of the canes we tested. Major thumbs-downs, however? This Royal Cane has the lowest weight limit (250 pounds) of the mobility aids we tested, and removing the tips for replacement proved extremely difficult. To be adjusted for height, this model must also be cut with a saw, meaning users with mobility issues or lacking tools will need to ask for help for even simple adjustments.

Stylish design

Arthritis-friendly handle

Lightweight

250-pound weight limit

Tips are difficult to replace

Adjusting height requires a saw

StrongArm comes not only with a hefty price tag but also heft and weight that make it unideal for walking seamlessly. The entire idea behind a cane is to “choreograph” movement, says Chatiwala. “You want your gait to be as efficient as you want. So you want your cane to facilitate your walking, but if you're carrying a cane that hampers that or changes the speed or mechanics of it, then that’s not what you want.”

As for the unwieldy StrongArm’s unique hook and wide, octagonal base? “I don’t like it,” the clinician said. This device is more for users looking for an aid to get from sitting to standing, and its unique curved top provides padded grip for both hands to do so. The wide base also means it can stand on its own. But as an easy-to-maneuver, “everyday” cane to get around, the StrongArm isn’t it.

Walking canes offer extra balance and support for activities like walking, physical activity, navigating around the house, and more.

As our expert source points out, canes should be situated at wrist height and placed in the opposite hand of the weaker leg. Then, step forward with that weak leg first, followed by the cane. Try to reduce leaning into the cane as much as possible, as this may result in injury if the cane is to slip.

Of course, this is just basic guidance for walking cane use. Anyone new to canes should be evaluated by a professional to make sure they’re using it in a way that best suits the user’s specific condition.

For assistance fitting or walking with a cane, Medicare beneficiaries in many U.S. states can go directly to physical therapists without a referral or visit to a physician, and with few restrictions in most other states. Here’s a guide to physical therapist services from the American Physical Therapy Association.

Many newer cane users also wrestle mentally with using a mobility aid, which is why Chatiwala often recommends using a hiking pole in lieu of a cane—or two, for balance. “When you tell someone they have to use a cane, the psychological response is often ‘I have a disability.’ But for people with neurologic deficits, especially people with Parkinson’s, pole walking is huge, especially when you have a weighted design for those who lift their hand up” (as part of the condition), she explains.

“You can have reciprocal movement because walking poles are in two hands. You’re using your cardio respiratory system, you’re getting aerobic activity, and not leaning into a cane, per se, because you’re balanced and upright.”

If a cane isn't for you, walking poles are a suitable alternative.

Users should make sure they select the best walking cane suitable for their weight. Monitor when tips need to be replaced—“like the soles of your shoes”—and above all, make sure the cane height is correct for the user. “Oftentimes, I’ve found that the grip type isn’t as big a problem as the height of the cane,” Chatiwala says. “If it’s not adjusted properly, that means you're putting too much or too little pressure on the wrist.”

The upper edge of the cane should be aligned with the user’s wrist, when they are standing with their arm resting or hanging loose. For those recovering from injuries, canes should be placed on the side of the user’s good leg.

Chatiwala’s other advice? Practice, practice, practice. “Using a cane is just as much a cognitive practice as a physical one. I’ve found that if someone can dance, they can generally use a cane,” she says. “For everyone else, it may take some time to learn a new skill.”

We purchase and test walking canes, evaluating them based on comfort, portability, stability, aesthetics, and more. Our tester is an experienced caregiver, and she consulted with a licensed physical therapist about the pros and cons of each cane included in this article.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

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Carley Thornell

Contributor

Carley Thornell is an award-winning journalist and health-tech writer whose first job was in an occupational therapy office. Her father was a disabled Army veteran, which made her passionate about all things healthcare and accessibility. Carley also covers DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) topics for many other publications, including Skift.

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