Picking an Eskrima Kali Arnis Training Stick

A common question often posed by new and experienced Filipino Martial Artists alike: What is palasan or basiko or labsika or kamagong or bahi or Molave sticks? So before I commence on the usage of each stick, I will just give a brief laymans term on each of the words I just used: Palasan: Is a type of rattan. Basiko: Is a type of rattan. Labsika: Is a type of rattan. Kamagong: Is a fruit tree found only in the Philippines, the wood of which is extremely dense and hard, and famous for its dark color. And like many other very hard woods is sometimes called 'Ironwood'. Bahi: Is the wood from a Coconut tree trunk or the Anahaw palm.Molave: Is a type of hardwood found in the Philippines. So here is some information to assist you when it comes to the difficult decision of picking the right stick for you.To find a stick that lasts can often be down to the individual stick rather than the type of stick. As a rule the palasans I stock are stronger because they still have their skins and often have more nodes, whereas the basikos are semi skinned and often have less nodes which can make them weaker. But it is not always the case. If you get a good dense feeling basiko of any thickness it can outlast every stick in your bag. I prefer the basikos myself because they are varied and you can find a stick for all purposes, light for more contact, dense to last longer, thick, thin or heavy. There is a stick for every occasion and person. I have 2 sticks purely for solo, 2 purely for double stick drills, 1 for espada 'y' daga (Stick