I’m actually glad it’s not hard for people to buy a cane. I live in an area where some people are scared to go to the doctor to get assistance because of their financial standings and legal status but they do need these tools.
As someone with a physical disability, I think the easy availability of mobility aids ( at least for physical disabilities) is an extremely good thing. A couple main reasons: 1. Medical gatekeeping of assistive technology is not cool. I'm allowed to use the tools that help me (and hurt no one) regardless of what a doctor thinks. ( I'm a young person with a chronic pain disorder. Doctors are terrible sometimes.) 2. Sales channels outside of the medical system generally lower costs, which is extremely important for access. 3. By the same token, selling on Amazon or similar creates a market where things like a variety of designs and styles can flourish and everything isn't just "medical gray and tan."
Medical tools and mobility aids get paid for by insurance, so getting a mobility aid shouldn't be too hard. You just need a prescription. Also it's important to benefit you best that a mobility aid is custom made (e.g wheelchairs) - it's important that they're a perfect fit to benefit you best and not cause further long-term damage to your body. (Which can happen with unfitting wheelchairs for example that are too big, too heavy etc. And cause lesion on the joints). So while it's important that mobility aids are east to access, it's just as important that they're good quality and a perfect fit!
@@onlytheartofliving6936perhaps they meant things like those "as seen on TV" products where an able bodied person is just fumbling can't pour from a milk jug (aka acting disabled). Basically they market those products to everyone but they're great for mobility issues. Like snuggies for wheelchair (and car seat) users Edit: my understading is a cane is just a matter of height mostly, as far as fit goes
@@onlytheartofliving6936 Ah, perhaps you are from a civilized country. Here in the US, it is not a good assumption that everyone has insurance to pay for things! And even if you do, it is likely that insurance can take a long time to approve the coverage and may only give a limited selection of options once they do.
Sometimes I’ll break a medical device (such as a leg braces) but my insurance will not cover new ones under 3 years old . Places like Amazon will sell the parts or even full braces for short term use while I fight my insurance company to cover repairs
I’ve been watching Molly for a few years now. I’m not blind, but I am otherwise disabled, and it’s super nice to see other disabled people living their best life!!! Keep up the good work Molly!!
How do you feel about her whining about mobility canes being easily accessible on Amazon even though they are already available to literally anybody who wants to buy one both in physical stores all over the place and online as well? I think she should be ashamed of herself for that bs take.
@@Lindseyisloony I agree with you, I think that mobility aides should be fully accessible. I don’t have access to aides through medical care for my mobility issues. I hadn’t gotten to that moment yet in the video.
In regards to Amazon, when I first lost my vision, and didn’t know what to do or where to buy a cane, and no supports, Amazon was the first place I went to. I think it’s amazing to have and easy-to-access option. They also work amazing as a budget travel cane. It was a great cane to learn with, but it was the worst cane by far I’ve had. I broke it within a month or two. Well prefer ambutech canes! My first was an aluminum one, which was ok. It cost me about $50 plus shipping back in 2021. My most rescent was a graphite cane that cost me about $70 ish, in 2024. I think having an Amazon cane available was an an amazing option for those who are new to it all.
Thank you for this comment. I love Molly but her take on the amazon can felt a little…icky. I think she forgets that she is well off and has an amazing family willing to support all throughout her life. Not every blind person is so lucky. Most are living in poverty, some have abusive neglectful family, most can’t afford medical care and eye care so getting a cane for free is out of the books since they can’t get the paperwork needed to prove they need a free one. Many blind people survive off of disability which barely pays for rent, how could they afford a legit cane. Not everyone is like Molly and went blind young and had a family and team to support her through it, many go blind when they are adults, while they are poor and alone, they can’t get medical care, they don’t have the time, funds or resources to get help, so the best they can do it get a cheap little cane so they can have some sort of independence. My blind dad had abusive and neglectful parents that hated him, and even when their blind son needed a cane they didn’t care. His home country has absolutely abysmal disability care and the president now and when my dad was a baby even said that the disabled are useless, so support was non existent. If this was modern day then he could have hopped on amazon and got a cane with his little paycheck as a teen. But this was before amazon was around in his country so he just suffered without one. Not everyone is an American with love and money. For some an amazon cane is all they have for a chance at life. To get rid of that chance because of the very very rare chance someone wants to fake is idiotic, why should the blind suffer because of the dumb?
@ it’s easy to forget when you’ve had good canes for so long haha. When I go from my ambutech cane to my old Amazon, I hate my Amazon one haha. But honestly, without it I wouldn’t have gotten very far!
It's incredible how you describe objects in your videos. I like to listen to RUclips while multi-tasking and whenever your video plays I can vividly imagine whatever it is your talking about without needing to glance for reference. Not many people have that capability.
And the flared rubber tip looks just like furniture leg end caps that your can buy in a hardware store at different heights and diameters. Obviously they're meant to do a little anti-slip duty.
I am visually impaired and I use a custom Cane from Kustom cane. That is a company that makes customized canes for the blind and visually impaired. You can choose everything from the color of the handle to the color of The different sections to even what the decals if you want any , the length , the amount of sections, how much reflective tape you want, the type of tip And if you want any charms on it. What I love about this is most of the money this company makes goes to the You Cane Give foundation. Which basically gives canes away to those who cannot afford them such as people in other countries
I need to check them out! I usually get my canes from ambutech - you can choose color, handle color, reflective, length, sections, tips. But they don’t do the decals or charms, and I’ve never heard of them donating any profits (although they are in Canada and I am not so I may just be uninformed on community involvement).
Huge fan of your videos Molly! As a mentally and physically disabled person, I wanted to share my opinion on the “should mobility aids be available on amazon” thing. Unfortunately, people will always find ways to exploit systems. By not providing helpful systems or creating a gatekeeping system to try to prevent fraud, we actually limit so many people in need. As a mobility aid user that has bought two different rollators on amazon, I personally think that all mobility aid and accessibility devices should be more readily available, not less. It keeps costs low and helps prevent things being required to get through insurance, as those options are far less cost effective. Until we have systems that listen to and help all disabled people, we should be focusing on helping each other, in my opinion. We can’t prevent people from doing wrong things. We CAN help each other and focusing on keeping things accessible for all, despite socioeconomic status. Thank you for making this and all of your content! Disability and accessibility education are so important for all of us. ❤
Getting the leather to that very bright, saturated "warning sign" red is probably hard! I like the look of the red leather as it is, looks very luxurious!
Then they should make the bottem a darker red, less saturated and less light in it, as long as the tape is still reflective it still does it's job. From a former graphic designer it should really match, I don’t care that the users don't see it or see it very well. I personally want the colors on my cane to match
@@Odyssey_0000 Aren't there rules in regard to the color? Like the warning sign red in the cane has to be that color to be safe, I thought at least. Genuinely could be wrong tho. As a current graphic designer, I dont think it matters lol
No, just that it needs to be white, here in Europe it needs to be white with two red stripes and in Canada white with a red bottem and in England fully white. The exact color doesn’t matter just that the tape is reflective for light and white, red (and in some countries, they have a color for visually impaired or blind, and I know in one it is green voor VIP in Ireland)
My husband was able to purchase canes online for a friend in Egypt who needed them. Not everyone has easy access to the mobility aids they need. They can also be used to teach all kids about blindness and o&m
I think the fact that the two reds on the expensive cane don't match is only visible if you hold them next to each other. When the cane is extended and they're not next to each other it's impossible to tell that there's a difference.
On one hand I like that canes are available on Amazon, but I don't like the idea of people getting one as their first cane without the training on how to use it. I have not yet been trained on how to use a cane, so I won't get one on Amazon until after I have training and get one through an agency that teaches me how to properly navigate with it. After that, I could see myself trying some out that come from Amazon.
Bottom line is canes are already available to ANYBODY on countless other websites and in physical medical supply stores all over the place! She is very literally whining about easier access to MOBILITY AIDS. That is actually insane. If somebody wants to pretend to be blind is not being able to buy a cane on Amazon going to stop them? No. They're going to simply get it another way. Driving to a medical supply store is even faster than ordering a cane online. And again, they are already available to anybody and cannot ever be made prescription devices, so she needs to get over herself and stop gatekeeping a mobility aid that, in reality, basically nobody is misusing at all. Pretending to be blind is very uncommon. Pretending to be wheelchair bound for attention or perks of some sort is common yet it's easy access canes that bothered her enough to complain about...
I LOVE this! I’ve got three of the Ambutech red leather graphite canes of varying lengths (and I always have a spare). I love that it has the give/bounce back too. How funny that of all of the canes on Amazon that’s the one you’re showing! As a bonus I feel like Daredevil because of the red leather and me being a blind lawyer.
With the leather handle it’s not as noticeable that the color doesn’t match when they aren’t right next to each other, and different lighting also obscures the difference.
Interesting, the colour combo. Here in the UK, I use r red and white both for my dogs harness and guide cane. Because I have dual sensory impairment. Here red and white means you have heating and visual impairments which are serious enough to both need assistance (I have heating aides as well) and white means visual only.
Also from the UK when I was a young teenager I was given what they called a Canadian cane which is a white cane with red tape at the bottom which is supposed to indicate that you have a severe sighte impairment. Does the red and white harness indicate that the dog is dual task trained or just that the owner has a dual sensory impairment. Apologies if this is a really stupid question but I know Guide Dogs were starting to do more dual task Dogs so I was just wondering. I also wear hearing aids however I only have a very mild hearing loss so my dog’s harness is the standard white.
I learned a lot about blindness and canes and guide dogs etc. When I was going because my aunt was legally blind at the time. (She had surgery for a brain problem and her vision got better!) She taught me lots too. I'm so glad because now that my vision is getting worse, I don't feel so alone and I have a plethora of advice and tips and knowledge and solidarity on your channel, Molly! Also the new square space design thing is really cool! 🎉 If my cane got lost in my luggage I'd want a cheap cane fast ( I don't travel because my wheelchair would be broken and I can't afford that) I can imagine some other people might feel that way if they're tappers. I also love the urban explorers features. Looks great! So glad you found another good one 🎉
Hi Molly! Not a cane user, but I am a TVI. Most of my students have cortical visual impairments and new findings suggest that it's wildly underdiagnosed (less than 20%). I love that these people can more easily access canes even if they can't obtain a diagnosis because, at the end of the day, everyone deserves to be able to travel safely and to access the world with dignity :)
I’ve had the leather handle no jab and Kane since last February! Absolutely love it :-) but it is hard not to play with the springs while you’re just standing places
I have MS and often use trekking poles, but I still found this fascinating. Thanks for sharing valued info for blind folks and a learning experience for everyone. And I love the way we still got some good Elton moments!
I have MS too, though I fortunately don't need any mobilty aid on my daily day, but I have seen many MS fellows using trekking poles, more than actual canes. I use trekking poles for trekking, because my balance isn't that good for that and I get it. They're so great. And the looks is much better. Canes makers should understand that not everyone that needs a cane is over 85. .
Fun video! I use a white cane part time as a legally blind person and I think it's 100% necessary to have white canes easily available for purchase. It would hurt a lot of people if you had to prove you were really 'blind enough', in order to get access to a white cane. Not everyone with a vision disability is diagnosed as legally blind. Some people don't have access to vision care, and some visually impaired/low vision people might not meet their country's criteria for legal blindness. Let's not forget the definition of blindness is different in each part of the world. For example someone who is blind in one eye might use a white cane to judge distances and the height of steps. But if it became illegal to sell white canes to the public or people who don't receive vision services, all those people would lose access to a tool that might give them safety and independence. BVI people, especially partials, are already very discouraged from using the white cane. There are plenty of obstacles to getting a white cane already, the last thing this community needs is more obstacles. The truth is, people who pretend to have disabilities will be up to their business regardless. If someone really wants to fake being blind they will find a way. Not being able to find a white cane off amazon would not stop a person like that. In the end I would rather have a hundred people fake being blind over having even just one BVI person be interrupted from accessing a resource they would benefit from. It will always hurt more people than it will help to add more barriers to accessibility, aids and adaptions.
I'm not blind, but I love learning about your lived experience as a blind person, including all the particular details like cane use! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
I almost think that the cheap one should have a disclaimer, that says "for dress up use only," but then again I don't think people should be dressed up as disabled people in the first place. Edit, I think mobility aids should be affordable, but I also think they should be usable, and not break easily. That cheap cane is an obvious cash grab.
I’m a rolling marshmellow tip girlie too! I constantly accidentally jab myself with my cane. I’ve been wanting to try the canes with suspension for so long. Hope it helps!
My 8 yr old uses an Ambutech cane...we've been through a few sizes as he has grown(he started O&M training at age 5). His O&M therapist measures his ideal length as being just under his armpit. He uses a red rolling ball tip as he has some vision and this helps him focus on where he is stepping. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that the cost of a mobility cane was not crazy expensive like so much adaptive equipment can be. Love your content. Any advice for parents of visually impaired kiddos??
I'm not blind but I am physically and mentally disabled (and very poor) and I think having a cheap mobility aid will always be worth it. Even if it's 1 to 100 of people who need it buying it
That's my thought process, too. I've needed canes, crutches & walkers since high school . Finances are tight, so I really like that affordable options are easier to get.
Physically disabled and I 100% agree. Most of my mobility tools were purchased on Amazon. With me needing "bariatric" equipment accessing mobility aides in my area would be nearly impossible without Amazon.
Mobility aids get paid for by insurance so no need to worry about costs. Also a customer chair is very important to benefit you best and not cause further long-term damage to the body. (E.g due to joint lesion)
@@onlytheartofliving6936 I laughed out loud, I loled. Not everyone has insurance??? Also at least for me I can only get ANY TYPE of mobility aid through insurance every 7 YEARS. So all of my aids have been through Walmart because I need the insurance money for wheelchairs. Also, even then it's not fully covered? You must be a child, and I'm genuinely so sorry to break it to you that that's not how the world works
As an aside about the reflective tape/paint/coatings used to help make things visible at night: they generally are designed to work when the source of the light is close to the thing processing the light (i.e. eyeballs or sensors) as they work by focusing all the light back to the "sender". For example, most of the signs used for driving are no longer directly lit up because the paint they use only really reflects back to the driver/car. During the day the white is lit by the ambient light bouncing all around, but at night good reflective material looks like a defocused version of whatever light source the viewer is sending out (so it is white, but glowing like you are staring into 40% the car's headlight.
I was lucky to get a no-jab ambutech cane with a marshmallow tip from someone who had an extra cane when I needed one. I will never go back. It is so worth the money for me. It has honestly been a game-changer for me in my cane-use journey. I really struggled before to have any desire to use my cane but now it's become a pleasure. Truly.
So happy to see a cane vid! A telescopic cane is purely an ID cane. The cheap cane similarly. The taller the cane , the faster you can walk. I like my black and red ambutech but i do notice there is a SLIGHT difference in people recognizing it as a blind cane.
Great video. I never thought about cheap versus expensive white cane. I am a full-time wheelchair user. And I know you have active wheelchairs and non-active wheelchairs. But I've never thought about canes before
I buy the ambutech ones as well for personal use and love the big roller ball although it is a little heavy for me. I own a company that on a small sale decorates mobility aids for members of my community at supply cost only. To keep my overhead low I use Amazon white canes ($~20 range)to show examples of my work - I took one out for a video/photo session and one of the joints completely broke within 20 minutes, but if it hadn’t that would have been a hard jam to my stomach so I’m kinda glad it did break.
I love watching your videos, and I’m glad you share all your knowledge. I have a disabled family member (not blind), whose disability is the only one I actually know anything about. It’s so interesting to learn about blindness since there’s so much to it that no one would even know. Thanks for sharing! I never knew how much there was to a cane.
3:56 my everyday cane I use is an Ambutech foldable cane; fiberglass, marigold color for most of it with two red stripes for the last segment at the bottom; black golf grip; high-mileage white ball hook tip with orange highlight. I’m 5’7”, or 67” / ~170cm, and my cane is 68” or ~172cm I walk REALLY fast so I need the extra length, letting me know ~3 steps worth of warning for obstacles. If I were to use either the free cane from the NFB or my other, “baby”, Ambutech cane, I would be at a great disadvantage and at a higher risk of being injured. The “baby” cane is at my sternum and gives me negative warning steps, just tells me when I’m right on the obstacle which really doesn’t help at all. The free cane from the NFB is at eye level which gives me around 1 1/2 steps worth of warning. I’ve been waiting for AGES for my counselor to approve and certify my O & M training so that I can begin the process of getting a guide dog partner. I sure hope by that point that Mira in Quebec opens up again to new and foreign guide dog owners.
I have the cheap cane as a combination support/signal cane. I wish it had a better support cane tip & handle because then it would be perfect for me. I've injured my wrists too many times to have a handle that's more parallel to the ground, so I need something more akin to a hiking pole. I also wanted something I could fold up to store (& not lose or trip on). I ended up wrapping bicycle handle tape around the handle to be more comfortable.
I tested quite some brands. I grew up with Ambutech and found that they are really heavy compared to other brands. My favourit cane now is from Comde. They make their own tips and they are so much better than any other tips I have tried. I also tried Swarowski. I always misspell the name. Love the look and got some compliments but the Comde still feels higher quality
The cheap cane may be more of an "indicator cane"? I've seen those as canes that effectively don't work as canes, but they're used to signal to people "I'm visually impaired." My aunt who primarily relies on sighted guide but sometimes has to travel alone with airport assistance found that she'd be forgotten about a lot if she didn't have any "indication" that she had a disability. She got one of the indicator canes, and no more issues with airline assitance.
Elton so sweetly and gently welcomed Molly back while looking at the canes almost sadly like he was wondering where everyone went without him. What I'm getting from this video is that a clunky cane catches crevices.
This video reminded me (a sighty) of the time I went on a date with a guy who, like Molly, has retinitis pigmentosa. We were sitting in a restaurant chatting over our food when there was a sudden explosion of sound and movement from his bag on the floor next to us. The elastic holding his folded-down cane had failed and the cane kind of sprang back together. It was very dramatic and funny.
You can literally hear how the cheap cane doesn't glide at all OMG. I feel like this video perfectly illustrates intentional design. Also love how cane's have like a ponytail i didn't know that
Im blind in my right eye, i have severe hearing loss, i have no sence of smell, i have arthritis. Been watching mollycs channel/content for a couple years now. I love how informative and disability awareness her videos are. Her fashion style is so unique and cute
I am usually a guide dog user, although he is nearing retirement now, I was travelling last year and brought a version of the ambutech cane (always had ambutech from the rnib as a child) and absolutely loved it, the bit to stop you from jabbing yourself is really helpful, my childhood self would have loved it. Edited to add: I am a rolling marshmellow tip user, and I was also always told the same thing as you about the height of a cane, I have mine slightly higher as I am a slightly fast walker, but still kind of on the chest area.
There's so much great unintentional ASMR in this video with the cane tapping and tracing. And the sound of the rolling tip on the sidewalk is a perfect ASMR sound. On another note, you did a really good job of showing all the differences in quality and usability between the two canes. Great video!
I’ve been using a can for going on 20 years… I started with ambutech aluminum folding cane b/c that’s what the commission for the blind gave me. Then I discovered the graphite canes and I loved how much lighter they were. I have the standard “gold grip” handle and a teardrop tip. I had no idea there was a no-jab style! I might have to get one and try it out.
I know I'm 2 weeks late here. I was in UK&France for 2 weeks. And in the first 3 days we walked Hadrian's wall and on the first day there were steps and I used my walking stick sometimes as a kind of cane to find the edge of the stairs to help me down. I know that's not what a blind cane is used for but just mentioning it.
My slimline Ambutech cane with shipping within Canada, was $80. Not sure what the standard Graphite Ambutech runs because like you I got mine for free from CNIB and as such only know what the replacement tips cost. That said, I do approve of more options being available to disabled people not less. As you said it is illegal to pretend to be blind and the reality is that if a person is going to fake being blind they can very easily just order off of the CNIB website or directly from Ambutech and get one of the canes off there. There is a verification process for the free canes but anything you purchase is available to anyone, meaning that bad actors will do it regardless of if Amazon makes it available or not. Honestly that cheap cane reminds me of what I was using as I was dealing with my early POTS symptoms, I did not need weight bearing but more of a reminder of where down and since I was starting to experience vision loss to test out what was in front of me. But that is highly niche and certainly not what they were thinking of while designing it.
Cane user here! I use a standard fullybwhite folding cane from ambutech. I use a jumbo roller ball tip but I feel like I need to try different tips because I'm changing the ball so much due to wear and tear
I love the folding no jab cane. I get them from the DOR and it takes a while to get them but I get them from Ambutech. I didn’t even know that that was a thing where you can extend the cane. Also, I feel like it depends how fast you walk. If you walk faster you’re going to want a longer cane like me. If you walk slower the shorter cane seems fine. I always get a 56” cane and I am 5 feet 3 inches.
I got the no jab cane a year ago roughly and I love it I mainly use it at night and when it’s cloudy out because the sun isn’t giving me enough light to see anything so far what I have found is that the no jab cane is the best hope all goes well for you and your family and animals and friends much love from the Blanton’s family
I am not blind but have had to buy a lot of durable medical equipment in the past few years due to several foot/ankle surgeries. Amazon has been great. You can get good quality products for a fraction of what medical supply companies charge (or at least used to charge before Amazon was an option). You need to be an educated shopper-but it’s a great resource.
I’m legally blind and I’m glad I found this video; since I’ve had the same cane since I was 11, and I’m in my senior year, I’ve been watching your channel for years now and like how you sometimes have described your eyes as “dancing” with nystagmus (which I also have), and that kinda inspired me to write a song about my disability (it’s called Unstable Eyes), so thanks, and keep up the good work! ❤ Edit: I love the extendable cane, didn’t know that existed!
i use to be a hard core ambuteck guy. Now I switched to an nfb cane and now I can't switch back. They are just so light and i am a tapper. I am so much more confident with the nfb cane.
I am from Scotland 🏴 I am Deafblind so use the Ambutech anti-jab cane mine was £110 (had to add & buy my red reflective tape from RNIB )mine is 125cm I am 157cm so 5ft2 ish I was told between breastbone and collarbone. RNIB is pretty much the only stockist of canes in the UK and they stock an infuriatingly small range of ambutech products e.g. no Deafblind long cane just a symbol cane. Hopefully my cane will have 4 paws soon as I have my guide dog mobility assessment on the 30th of October.
I’m also from Scotland and like you I feel that the selection of canes that are available to us, is pretty poor, I haven’t looked in awhile but I don’t think they even have all the nice fancy colourful ones either. it’s not good that you had to get the red tape yourself, good luck with the guide dog assessment, hope it goes well.
The reds on the expensive one are different but maybe kinda for the good, the tip is bright and visible while the leather is more of a stylish wine or evening color and probably goes better with a black tie dress. It's pretty clearly different and not matching while folded up though..
I've used tech my whole life. Maybe some other random lighter canes at one point that may or may not be ambutech, but pretty much always used amputech. I just switched to nfb. I love it. The medal tip is great. It's new, it's cool, more compact I love it. Way better then amputech, highly recommend. My first nfb and I am saying goodbye to amputech. I'm gonna keep using nfb.
For the height debate, in the United States below the nose or nose level is for children and teens, for adults chin for fast paced walkers, sternum or armpit height for medium pace walkers but for first time adult users it is sometimes recommended that you have a cane 5 inches shorter than your height
@MollyBurkeOfficial Question: How does Elton handle your extended seperations emotionally? Like, during your overseas trips? Given his training and natural work drive, combined with his bond with you, does he have special engagement activities he does with his caretakers while you are apart to prevent depression or frustration?
I would like to propose a video concept where you feature one of Elton's siblings and compare their similarities and differences. This could be an interesting and engaging topic for your audience, and it would also allow us to see the differences in them that have happened since guide dog training school. X
I have used the NFB canes before and I didn’t love it because the handle is super skinny and completely circular and I’m used to the no jab cane leather handle and the NFB one doesn’t really have a tip which makes it get caught on stuff
“I kinda feel like it should be illegal” hahahaha. that was literally my thought process when I found that out a week ago that they sold canes on Amazon too!! Even though it says the brand is Ambutech,I don’t know…I’m hesitant in how good of a quality it actually would be. I feel like other companies would take the time to make sure that canes are safe for us and not some random store on Amazon. Story time! My first cane I received was from the NFB . That one did not fold, it was all one white color, and it had a metal tip. I hardly ever used it. I was so afraid of scratching up the floors with it and I wasn’t ready to accept I needed it. also, the sound bothered me when I tried gliding it (funny coming from a deaf/hoh person but I do wear hearing aids!) . I am not a tapper either . Then I got a special cane that was $225 with a marshmallow tip. It was a LED Mobility Cane that lit up at the bottom. It was heavy and folded up and well……it was an awesome cane. I had nothing to compare. It is what got me to break out of my comfort zone and put myself out there for my own safety. Having RP, the light helped me at night. It made me not scared anymore. Before buying it, my friends told me I should do a fundraiser to get it paid for, so I did. And that accumulated enough to buy myself that cane plus help someone else. So I gave the rest to a friend and then she set up a fundraiser and accumulated enough to buy herself that cane plus someone else! So then we both knew a guy who could benefit from that and then once he received that cane he donated $500 and asked us to find two teens who needed it and so we did. So a total 5 people with RP was blessed with that special cane . Yes, it was expensive but the giving hearts of so many was so wonderful to be apart of. My favorite lightweight cane I received was from Ambutech from Leader Dogs and I got a roller tip and love that. I did just learn they made a 360 roller tip soooo I am going to put that on my wish list. It’s definitely not in my budget these days. Love that there are many options out there! Thanks for sharing!
When you opened the cheap cane and had the duck quacking sound effect I almost died, I need a cane that quacks when I crash into things 🤣🤣🤣 can you also link up your cane that gets longer for high heels? I always order the wrong size and then can't wear my high heels lol 24:51
Hi Molly, thank you for making this video. I would really love to see a a video about collapsible canes if possible. I've been really interested in those two. Also, I have one of those cheap canes at home that I've only used once I agree with you, not that great. Hope you're having a nice day
I don't think you need to worry about the length of your cane just because other people say so. If you are comfortable with a mid-sternum cane and can get around easily with it, then there's no problem with you using one, even if it's not the "ideal" tool for you to use.
I know in the states some people have canes from the national federation for the blind that tend to be one piece and hollow, and like Barbie people tend to get NFB canes really long for some reason. I’m 4’10 and I have a 48 in ambutech that is about mid sternum that my O&M says is the right height.
Molly, this Texas guy has never seen you look more beautiful than you do here. With your hair wrap you remind me so much of the glamorous Gloria Swanson. Your make up is impeccable and I truly appreciate your sharing the information on White canes. There is nothing wrong with my vision, but I remember as a child Decades ago, being intrigued by the idea of being able to walk around with my eyes closed. Same thing for the ability to read braille.
Love your cane video❤ I use a basic Ambutech cane reaching to the top of my sternum with a solid marshmallow tip cause I'm an annoying taper not a glider like you. I would love the cane that cuts out getting jabbed 😊
I’m a hiker and appreciate the Ambutech canes like none other. While I’m somehow allowed one cane a year for free, I frankly forgot how to obtain it from the state of Washington. I have one of the cheap joke canes in the trunk of my husband’s car, and I also hate it; I only have it in case the elastic in my good cane breaks but frankly, I’d rather hold my broken one together with electrical tape. Another backup is a relatively short telescopic cane but it is, in fact, quite short. I prefer a foldable cane that comes up to my forehead. Finally, I may have to check out this Urban Explorer; thank you for the heads-up. 😀
I have 2 canes. They’re both Evolution canes that are 50 inches and made of graphite. The one I’ve had the longest has a pencil tip. I’m not a fan of the pencil tip, it gets stuck in every tiny divot and I’ve jabbed myself so many times while using it. It has a rounded handle with a flat edge, I think it’s made of rubber. I got this one for free since I was at my states blind school at the time and when I out grew my old cane I just traded it in. I gave them my old one and they gave me the new one that I’ve had since. I’ve probably had it for around 12 years now. I’ve only had my other cane for around 7ish years. Can’t quite remember how I got this one. I think my VI coordinator got it for me when I transferred schools out of the blind school into my local mainstream public high school. This cane is my preferred one out of the 2 I have. It has a rolling marshmallow tip, which is the best thing ever since unlike the pencil tip the rolling marshmallow doesn’t get stuck on every single divot. I love that I can feel the difference in the ground texture both based on the sound I am hearing of it going over the ground, and by the change in vibrations in the handle. The handle is a rounded one that’s made of rubber I believe. This cane is thinner than my other one, I’ve been told it’s more of an ID cane, but I don’t really know if that’s why. It looked exactly like my other cane except for the shape of the handle, the tip, the number of segments, and the thickness of the entire thing. They’re both completely white except for the handle which I think is black, and the last segment which is red. My older cane has 5 segments, and my newer one has 7. I’ve always been a roller, tapping just doesn’t work for me. I started training to use a cane when I was around 3-4 years old. I don’t regularly use my cane especially in places where I regularly go. Such as around my neighborhood, or places I’ve been to so many times that I am comfortable moving around in where the layout doesn’t change. Such as my place of work, and my states fair grounds. I do however use my cane when I fly, or go to places I am unfamiliar with that has a large crowd mostly to let other people know that I can’t see them. Such as when my family and I went to Disney World, and again when I went back with my high schools marching band, also when my mom and I went to Universal Studios, and when I go to metal concerts. Anyone reading this and wondering why I mentioned how, why, and when I use my cane just remember that blindness is a spectrum. Not everyone sees the same, just like some people choose to use a guide dog instead of a cane, or in my case be a part time cane user. Or sometimes not using either a dog or cane at all, it all depends on each person and their preferences.
I actually ordered my canes off of Amazon. I think it’s great that they have them on there cause they’re usually cheap cheaper than places like Amtech and so on.
watching this makes me think, i really need to get a new cane when i have the budget for it. my cane is like shaft from different old canes that i've put together to make a somewhat usable cane.
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I’m actually glad it’s not hard for people to buy a cane. I live in an area where some people are scared to go to the doctor to get assistance because of their financial standings and legal status but they do need these tools.
As someone with a physical disability, I think the easy availability of mobility aids ( at least for physical disabilities) is an extremely good thing. A couple main reasons:
1. Medical gatekeeping of assistive technology is not cool. I'm allowed to use the tools that help me (and hurt no one) regardless of what a doctor thinks. ( I'm a young person with a chronic pain disorder. Doctors are terrible sometimes.)
2. Sales channels outside of the medical system generally lower costs, which is extremely important for access.
3. By the same token, selling on Amazon or similar creates a market where things like a variety of designs and styles can flourish and everything isn't just "medical gray and tan."
Medical tools and mobility aids get paid for by insurance, so getting a mobility aid shouldn't be too hard. You just need a prescription. Also it's important to benefit you best that a mobility aid is custom made (e.g wheelchairs) - it's important that they're a perfect fit to benefit you best and not cause further long-term damage to your body. (Which can happen with unfitting wheelchairs for example that are too big, too heavy etc. And cause lesion on the joints). So while it's important that mobility aids are east to access, it's just as important that they're good quality and a perfect fit!
@@onlytheartofliving6936 Having insurance, or being able to afford a copay are huge factors in why people may be looking for other options.
@@onlytheartofliving6936perhaps they meant things like those "as seen on TV" products where an able bodied person is just fumbling can't pour from a milk jug (aka acting disabled). Basically they market those products to everyone but they're great for mobility issues. Like snuggies for wheelchair (and car seat) users
Edit: my understading is a cane is just a matter of height mostly, as far as fit goes
@@onlytheartofliving6936 Ah, perhaps you are from a civilized country. Here in the US, it is not a good assumption that everyone has insurance to pay for things! And even if you do, it is likely that insurance can take a long time to approve the coverage and may only give a limited selection of options once they do.
Sometimes I’ll break a medical device (such as a leg braces) but my insurance will not cover new ones under 3 years old . Places like Amazon will sell the parts or even full braces for short term use while I fight my insurance company to cover repairs
I’ve been watching Molly for a few years now. I’m not blind, but I am otherwise disabled, and it’s super nice to see other disabled people living their best life!!! Keep up the good work Molly!!
How do you feel about her whining about mobility canes being easily accessible on Amazon even though they are already available to literally anybody who wants to buy one both in physical stores all over the place and online as well? I think she should be ashamed of herself for that bs take.
Same boat here. But Molly dear be careful how much you rub the cane with a closed hand. The people who can see might perceive that as a lude action 😅
@@Lindseyisloony I agree with you, I think that mobility aides should be fully accessible. I don’t have access to aides through medical care for my mobility issues. I hadn’t gotten to that moment yet in the video.
@@Lindseyisloony although I do feel like your reply is a bit aggressive, I agree that mobility aides should be accessible to anyone
@@Lindseyisloony👎
In regards to Amazon, when I first lost my vision, and didn’t know what to do or where to buy a cane, and no supports, Amazon was the first place I went to. I think it’s amazing to have and easy-to-access option. They also work amazing as a budget travel cane. It was a great cane to learn with, but it was the worst cane by far I’ve had. I broke it within a month or two.
Well prefer ambutech canes! My first was an aluminum one, which was ok. It cost me about $50 plus shipping back in 2021. My most rescent was a graphite cane that cost me about $70 ish, in 2024.
I think having an Amazon cane available was an an amazing option for those who are new to it all.
Thank you for this comment. I love Molly but her take on the amazon can felt a little…icky. I think she forgets that she is well off and has an amazing family willing to support all throughout her life. Not every blind person is so lucky. Most are living in poverty, some have abusive neglectful family, most can’t afford medical care and eye care so getting a cane for free is out of the books since they can’t get the paperwork needed to prove they need a free one. Many blind people survive off of disability which barely pays for rent, how could they afford a legit cane. Not everyone is like Molly and went blind young and had a family and team to support her through it, many go blind when they are adults, while they are poor and alone, they can’t get medical care, they don’t have the time, funds or resources to get help, so the best they can do it get a cheap little cane so they can have some sort of independence.
My blind dad had abusive and neglectful parents that hated him, and even when their blind son needed a cane they didn’t care. His home country has absolutely abysmal disability care and the president now and when my dad was a baby even said that the disabled are useless, so support was non existent. If this was modern day then he could have hopped on amazon and got a cane with his little paycheck as a teen. But this was before amazon was around in his country so he just suffered without one. Not everyone is an American with love and money. For some an amazon cane is all they have for a chance at life. To get rid of that chance because of the very very rare chance someone wants to fake is idiotic, why should the blind suffer because of the dumb?
@ it’s easy to forget when you’ve had good canes for so long haha. When I go from my ambutech cane to my old Amazon, I hate my Amazon one haha. But honestly, without it I wouldn’t have gotten very far!
It's incredible how you describe objects in your videos. I like to listen to RUclips while multi-tasking and whenever your video plays I can vividly imagine whatever it is your talking about without needing to glance for reference. Not many people have that capability.
The cheap cane honestly reminds me of a tent pole.
That's what I thought it was too! It's the same mechanism to put together as cheap tent poles.
And the flared rubber tip looks just like furniture leg end caps that your can buy in a hardware store at different heights and diameters. Obviously they're meant to do a little anti-slip duty.
Now that you say that I imagine the frustration of building a tent and getting the cane stuck being one and the same.
Exactly what I thought
I am visually impaired and I use a custom Cane from Kustom cane. That is a company that makes customized canes for the blind and visually impaired. You can choose everything from the color of the handle to the color of The different sections to even what the decals if you want any , the length , the amount of sections, how much reflective tape you want, the type of tip And if you want any charms on it. What I love about this is most of the money this company makes goes to the You Cane Give foundation. Which basically gives canes away to those who cannot afford them such as people in other countries
I need to check them out! I usually get my canes from ambutech - you can choose color, handle color, reflective, length, sections, tips. But they don’t do the decals or charms, and I’ve never heard of them donating any profits (although they are in Canada and I am not so I may just be uninformed on community involvement).
Huge fan of your videos Molly! As a mentally and physically disabled person, I wanted to share my opinion on the “should mobility aids be available on amazon” thing. Unfortunately, people will always find ways to exploit systems. By not providing helpful systems or creating a gatekeeping system to try to prevent fraud, we actually limit so many people in need. As a mobility aid user that has bought two different rollators on amazon, I personally think that all mobility aid and accessibility devices should be more readily available, not less. It keeps costs low and helps prevent things being required to get through insurance, as those options are far less cost effective. Until we have systems that listen to and help all disabled people, we should be focusing on helping each other, in my opinion. We can’t prevent people from doing wrong things. We CAN help each other and focusing on keeping things accessible for all, despite socioeconomic status. Thank you for making this and all of your content! Disability and accessibility education are so important for all of us. ❤
Getting the leather to that very bright, saturated "warning sign" red is probably hard! I like the look of the red leather as it is, looks very luxurious!
Then they should make the bottem a darker red, less saturated and less light in it, as long as the tape is still reflective it still does it's job. From a former graphic designer it should really match, I don’t care that the users don't see it or see it very well. I personally want the colors on my cane to match
@@Odyssey_0000 Aren't there rules in regard to the color? Like the warning sign red in the cane has to be that color to be safe, I thought at least. Genuinely could be wrong tho. As a current graphic designer, I dont think it matters lol
No, just that it needs to be white, here in Europe it needs to be white with two red stripes and in Canada white with a red bottem and in England fully white. The exact color doesn’t matter just that the tape is reflective for light and white, red (and in some countries, they have a color for visually impaired or blind, and I know in one it is green voor VIP in Ireland)
“It’s a skinny tree,what are you eating” made me laugh 😂
the onceover she gives Treezempic too is hilarious
My husband was able to purchase canes online for a friend in Egypt who needed them. Not everyone has easy access to the mobility aids they need. They can also be used to teach all kids about blindness and o&m
I think the fact that the two reds on the expensive cane don't match is only visible if you hold them next to each other. When the cane is extended and they're not next to each other it's impossible to tell that there's a difference.
On one hand I like that canes are available on Amazon, but I don't like the idea of people getting one as their first cane without the training on how to use it. I have not yet been trained on how to use a cane, so I won't get one on Amazon until after I have training and get one through an agency that teaches me how to properly navigate with it. After that, I could see myself trying some out that come from Amazon.
Bottom line is canes are already available to ANYBODY on countless other websites and in physical medical supply stores all over the place! She is very literally whining about easier access to MOBILITY AIDS. That is actually insane. If somebody wants to pretend to be blind is not being able to buy a cane on Amazon going to stop them? No. They're going to simply get it another way. Driving to a medical supply store is even faster than ordering a cane online. And again, they are already available to anybody and cannot ever be made prescription devices, so she needs to get over herself and stop gatekeeping a mobility aid that, in reality, basically nobody is misusing at all. Pretending to be blind is very uncommon. Pretending to be wheelchair bound for attention or perks of some sort is common yet it's easy access canes that bothered her enough to complain about...
It could still be used as an ID cane, which could be useful
20:57 omg the butterfly
I LOVE this! I’ve got three of the Ambutech red leather graphite canes of varying lengths (and I always have a spare). I love that it has the give/bounce back too. How funny that of all of the canes on Amazon that’s the one you’re showing! As a bonus I feel like Daredevil because of the red leather and me being a blind lawyer.
With the leather handle it’s not as noticeable that the color doesn’t match when they aren’t right next to each other, and different lighting also obscures the difference.
Interesting, the colour combo. Here in the UK, I use r red and white both for my dogs harness and guide cane. Because I have dual sensory impairment. Here red and white means you have heating and visual impairments which are serious enough to both need assistance (I have heating aides as well) and white means visual only.
Also from the UK when I was a young teenager I was given what they called a Canadian cane which is a white cane with red tape at the bottom which is supposed to indicate that you have a severe sighte impairment. Does the red and white harness indicate that the dog is dual task trained or just that the owner has a dual sensory impairment. Apologies if this is a really stupid question but I know Guide Dogs were starting to do more dual task Dogs so I was just wondering. I also wear hearing aids however I only have a very mild hearing loss so my dog’s harness is the standard white.
1:13 you know what else they sell. service dog certifications and registrations... Which is also illegal but so many people have them anyway
I learned a lot about blindness and canes and guide dogs etc. When I was going because my aunt was legally blind at the time. (She had surgery for a brain problem and her vision got better!) She taught me lots too. I'm so glad because now that my vision is getting worse, I don't feel so alone and I have a plethora of advice and tips and knowledge and solidarity on your channel, Molly!
Also the new square space design thing is really cool! 🎉
If my cane got lost in my luggage I'd want a cheap cane fast ( I don't travel because my wheelchair would be broken and I can't afford that) I can imagine some other people might feel that way if they're tappers. I also love the urban explorers features. Looks great! So glad you found another good one 🎉
Hi Molly! Not a cane user, but I am a TVI. Most of my students have cortical visual impairments and new findings suggest that it's wildly underdiagnosed (less than 20%). I love that these people can more easily access canes even if they can't obtain a diagnosis because, at the end of the day, everyone deserves to be able to travel safely and to access the world with dignity :)
I’ve had the leather handle no jab and Kane since last February! Absolutely love it :-) but it is hard not to play with the springs while you’re just standing places
I have MS and often use trekking poles, but I still found this fascinating. Thanks for sharing valued info for blind folks and a learning experience for everyone. And I love the way we still got some good Elton moments!
I have MS too, though I fortunately don't need any mobilty aid on my daily day, but I have seen many MS fellows using trekking poles, more than actual canes. I use trekking poles for trekking, because my balance isn't that good for that and I get it. They're so great. And the looks is much better. Canes makers should understand that not everyone that needs a cane is over 85.
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I got a no-jab cane about 3 weeks ago and I’m in love! It’s heavier than I’m used to but the shock absorption factor is incredible for outdoor use!
Fun video! I use a white cane part time as a legally blind person and I think it's 100% necessary to have white canes easily available for purchase. It would hurt a lot of people if you had to prove you were really 'blind enough', in order to get access to a white cane. Not everyone with a vision disability is diagnosed as legally blind. Some people don't have access to vision care, and some visually impaired/low vision people might not meet their country's criteria for legal blindness. Let's not forget the definition of blindness is different in each part of the world. For example someone who is blind in one eye might use a white cane to judge distances and the height of steps. But if it became illegal to sell white canes to the public or people who don't receive vision services, all those people would lose access to a tool that might give them safety and independence. BVI people, especially partials, are already very discouraged from using the white cane. There are plenty of obstacles to getting a white cane already, the last thing this community needs is more obstacles.
The truth is, people who pretend to have disabilities will be up to their business regardless. If someone really wants to fake being blind they will find a way. Not being able to find a white cane off amazon would not stop a person like that. In the end I would rather have a hundred people fake being blind over having even just one BVI person be interrupted from accessing a resource they would benefit from. It will always hurt more people than it will help to add more barriers to accessibility, aids and adaptions.
last Tuesday was White Cane awareness day so happy late white cane day!
Rolling marshmallow cane is the best cane tip
I'm not blind, but I love learning about your lived experience as a blind person, including all the particular details like cane use! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
Literally any videos you want to make I will watch. I can’t get enough of your content!
I almost think that the cheap one should have a disclaimer, that says "for dress up use only," but then again I don't think people should be dressed up as disabled people in the first place. Edit, I think mobility aids should be affordable, but I also think they should be usable, and not break easily. That cheap cane is an obvious cash grab.
I’m a rolling marshmellow tip girlie too! I constantly accidentally jab myself with my cane. I’ve been wanting to try the canes with suspension for so long. Hope it helps!
My 8 yr old uses an Ambutech cane...we've been through a few sizes as he has grown(he started O&M training at age 5). His O&M therapist measures his ideal length as being just under his armpit. He uses a red rolling ball tip as he has some vision and this helps him focus on where he is stepping. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that the cost of a mobility cane was not crazy expensive like so much adaptive equipment can be. Love your content. Any advice for parents of visually impaired kiddos??
I'm not blind but I am physically and mentally disabled (and very poor) and I think having a cheap mobility aid will always be worth it. Even if it's 1 to 100 of people who need it buying it
That's my thought process, too. I've needed canes, crutches & walkers since high school . Finances are tight, so I really like that affordable options are easier to get.
Physically disabled and I 100% agree. Most of my mobility tools were purchased on Amazon. With me needing "bariatric" equipment accessing mobility aides in my area would be nearly impossible without Amazon.
Mobility aids get paid for by insurance so no need to worry about costs. Also a customer chair is very important to benefit you best and not cause further long-term damage to the body. (E.g due to joint lesion)
@@onlytheartofliving6936 I laughed out loud, I loled. Not everyone has insurance??? Also at least for me I can only get ANY TYPE of mobility aid through insurance every 7 YEARS. So all of my aids have been through Walmart because I need the insurance money for wheelchairs. Also, even then it's not fully covered? You must be a child, and I'm genuinely so sorry to break it to you that that's not how the world works
@@onlytheartofliving6936lots of people don't have insurance...
I think your in depth analysis is fun.
As an aside about the reflective tape/paint/coatings used to help make things visible at night: they generally are designed to work when the source of the light is close to the thing processing the light (i.e. eyeballs or sensors) as they work by focusing all the light back to the "sender". For example, most of the signs used for driving are no longer directly lit up because the paint they use only really reflects back to the driver/car.
During the day the white is lit by the ambient light bouncing all around, but at night good reflective material looks like a defocused version of whatever light source the viewer is sending out (so it is white, but glowing like you are staring into 40% the car's headlight.
Yes! Id love to see you review other smart canes. The tech fascinates me
I was lucky to get a no-jab ambutech cane with a marshmallow tip from someone who had an extra cane when I needed one. I will never go back. It is so worth the money for me. It has honestly been a game-changer for me in my cane-use journey. I really struggled before to have any desire to use my cane but now it's become a pleasure. Truly.
So happy to see a cane vid! A telescopic cane is purely an ID cane. The cheap cane similarly. The taller the cane , the faster you can walk. I like my black and red ambutech but i do notice there is a SLIGHT difference in people recognizing it as a blind cane.
Great video. I never thought about cheap versus expensive white cane. I am a full-time wheelchair user. And I know you have active wheelchairs and non-active wheelchairs. But I've never thought about canes before
I bought one on Amazon. I had to return it. It was very thin and bent with one use.
Ambitech rocks. Love the big roller ball.
I buy the ambutech ones as well for personal use and love the big roller ball although it is a little heavy for me.
I own a company that on a small sale decorates mobility aids for members of my community at supply cost only. To keep my overhead low I use Amazon white canes ($~20 range)to show examples of my work - I took one out for a video/photo session and one of the joints completely broke within 20 minutes, but if it hadn’t that would have been a hard jam to my stomach so I’m kinda glad it did break.
I feel like I know WAY too much about different cane tips, specifically marshmallow tips for a sighted person because I love you and your videos!
I love watching your videos, and I’m glad you share all your knowledge. I have a disabled family member (not blind), whose disability is the only one I actually know anything about. It’s so interesting to learn about blindness since there’s so much to it that no one would even know. Thanks for sharing! I never knew how much there was to a cane.
Haha Elton is so cute not wanting to let Molly use the cane
We need more smart cane content, my absolute favourite molly content is her reviewing brands she doesn't like, converse is an absolute classic!
3:56 my everyday cane I use is an Ambutech foldable cane; fiberglass, marigold color for most of it with two red stripes for the last segment at the bottom; black golf grip; high-mileage white ball hook tip with orange highlight.
I’m 5’7”, or 67” / ~170cm, and my cane is 68” or ~172cm
I walk REALLY fast so I need the extra length, letting me know ~3 steps worth of warning for obstacles.
If I were to use either the free cane from the NFB or my other, “baby”, Ambutech cane, I would be at a great disadvantage and at a higher risk of being injured. The “baby” cane is at my sternum and gives me negative warning steps, just tells me when I’m right on the obstacle which really doesn’t help at all. The free cane from the NFB is at eye level which gives me around 1 1/2 steps worth of warning.
I’ve been waiting for AGES for my counselor to approve and certify my O & M training so that I can begin the process of getting a guide dog partner.
I sure hope by that point that Mira in Quebec opens up again to new and foreign guide dog owners.
I have the cheap cane as a combination support/signal cane. I wish it had a better support cane tip & handle because then it would be perfect for me. I've injured my wrists too many times to have a handle that's more parallel to the ground, so I need something more akin to a hiking pole. I also wanted something I could fold up to store (& not lose or trip on). I ended up wrapping bicycle handle tape around the handle to be more comfortable.
I'd love to hear what you think of the no jab cane and the urban explorer canes once you have more experience with them both.
I tested quite some brands. I grew up with Ambutech and found that they are really heavy compared to other brands. My favourit cane now is from Comde. They make their own tips and they are so much better than any other tips I have tried. I also tried Swarowski. I always misspell the name. Love the look and got some compliments but the Comde still feels higher quality
I find your videos so informative and I have learned so much about the differently abled community. So enlightening.
The cheap cane may be more of an "indicator cane"? I've seen those as canes that effectively don't work as canes, but they're used to signal to people "I'm visually impaired." My aunt who primarily relies on sighted guide but sometimes has to travel alone with airport assistance found that she'd be forgotten about a lot if she didn't have any "indication" that she had a disability. She got one of the indicator canes, and no more issues with airline assitance.
maybe, or just used to judge things like steps and slopes since most symbol only canes are intentionally shorter to make them lighter
Elton so sweetly and gently welcomed Molly back while looking at the canes almost sadly like he was wondering where everyone went without him.
What I'm getting from this video is that a clunky cane catches crevices.
My very first foldable cane I got from Amazon in a time when I needed it most. So, I support them being accessible
This video reminded me (a sighty) of the time I went on a date with a guy who, like Molly, has retinitis pigmentosa. We were sitting in a restaurant chatting over our food when there was a sudden explosion of sound and movement from his bag on the floor next to us. The elastic holding his folded-down cane had failed and the cane kind of sprang back together. It was very dramatic and funny.
You can literally hear how the cheap cane doesn't glide at all OMG. I feel like this video perfectly illustrates intentional design. Also love how cane's have like a ponytail i didn't know that
Im blind in my right eye, i have severe hearing loss, i have no sence of smell, i have arthritis. Been watching mollycs channel/content for a couple years now. I love how informative and disability awareness her videos are. Her fashion style is so unique and cute
I am usually a guide dog user, although he is nearing retirement now, I was travelling last year and brought a version of the ambutech cane (always had ambutech from the rnib as a child) and absolutely loved it, the bit to stop you from jabbing yourself is really helpful, my childhood self would have loved it.
Edited to add:
I am a rolling marshmellow tip user, and I was also always told the same thing as you about the height of a cane, I have mine slightly higher as I am a slightly fast walker, but still kind of on the chest area.
I got a regular long cane from the state of Nebraska! I have never tried the folding cane
The butterfly ❤
There's so much great unintentional ASMR in this video with the cane tapping and tracing. And the sound of the rolling tip on the sidewalk is a perfect ASMR sound. On another note, you did a really good job of showing all the differences in quality and usability between the two canes. Great video!
I have a folding cane with the ball tip I like the hall tip for when I'm walking outside
It’s crazy how more confident you walk with the better cane. You can see your hesitation with the cheap one
I’ve been using a can for going on 20 years… I started with ambutech aluminum folding cane b/c that’s what the commission for the blind gave me. Then I discovered the graphite canes and I loved how much lighter they were. I have the standard “gold grip” handle and a teardrop tip. I had no idea there was a no-jab style! I might have to get one and try it out.
I know I'm 2 weeks late here. I was in UK&France for 2 weeks. And in the first 3 days we walked Hadrian's wall and on the first day there were steps and I used my walking stick sometimes as a kind of cane to find the edge of the stairs to help me down. I know that's not what a blind cane is used for but just mentioning it.
My slimline Ambutech cane with shipping within Canada, was $80. Not sure what the standard Graphite Ambutech runs because like you I got mine for free from CNIB and as such only know what the replacement tips cost.
That said, I do approve of more options being available to disabled people not less. As you said it is illegal to pretend to be blind and the reality is that if a person is going to fake being blind they can very easily just order off of the CNIB website or directly from Ambutech and get one of the canes off there. There is a verification process for the free canes but anything you purchase is available to anyone, meaning that bad actors will do it regardless of if Amazon makes it available or not.
Honestly that cheap cane reminds me of what I was using as I was dealing with my early POTS symptoms, I did not need weight bearing but more of a reminder of where down and since I was starting to experience vision loss to test out what was in front of me. But that is highly niche and certainly not what they were thinking of while designing it.
Cane user here! I use a standard fullybwhite folding cane from ambutech. I use a jumbo roller ball tip but I feel like I need to try different tips because I'm changing the ball so much due to wear and tear
I love the folding no jab cane. I get them from the DOR and it takes a while to get them but I get them from Ambutech. I didn’t even know that that was a thing where you can extend the cane. Also, I feel like it depends how fast you walk. If you walk faster you’re going to want a longer cane like me. If you walk slower the shorter cane seems fine. I always get a 56” cane and I am 5 feet 3 inches.
I would love to hear your thoughts on Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell on Strictly Come Dancing!!💕
20:59 omg the butterfly flying by is so pretty
edit: lmao just now saw the slo mo
I got the no jab cane a year ago roughly and I love it I mainly use it at night and when it’s cloudy out because the sun isn’t giving me enough light to see anything so far what I have found is that the no jab cane is the best hope all goes well for you and your family and animals and friends much love from the Blanton’s family
Id love to see you check out some of the smart canes. Im not disabled, but I've learned so much from your videos. Much love Molly ❤️
I am not blind but have had to buy a lot of durable medical equipment in the past few years due to several foot/ankle surgeries. Amazon has been great. You can get good quality products for a fraction of what medical supply companies charge (or at least used to charge before Amazon was an option). You need to be an educated shopper-but it’s a great resource.
I’m legally blind and I’m glad I found this video; since I’ve had the same cane since I was 11, and I’m in my senior year, I’ve been watching your channel for years now and like how you sometimes have described your eyes as “dancing” with nystagmus (which I also have), and that kinda inspired me to write a song about my disability (it’s called Unstable Eyes), so thanks, and keep up the good work! ❤
Edit: I love the extendable cane, didn’t know that existed!
I would love a smart cane comparison Video :)
i use to be a hard core ambuteck guy. Now I switched to an nfb cane and now I can't switch back. They are just so light and i am a tapper. I am so much more confident with the nfb cane.
I am from Scotland 🏴 I am Deafblind so use the Ambutech anti-jab cane mine was £110 (had to add & buy my red reflective tape from RNIB )mine is 125cm I am 157cm so 5ft2 ish I was told between breastbone and collarbone. RNIB is pretty much the only stockist of canes in the UK and they stock an infuriatingly small range of ambutech products e.g. no Deafblind long cane just a symbol cane. Hopefully my cane will have 4 paws soon as I have my guide dog mobility assessment on the 30th of October.
I’m also from Scotland and like you I feel that the selection of canes that are available to us, is pretty poor, I haven’t looked in awhile but I don’t think they even have all the nice fancy colourful ones either. it’s not good that you had to get the red tape yourself, good luck with the guide dog assessment, hope it goes well.
Love the camp shoutout. ❤ great memories.
Seeing the smart canes would be awesome!!
The reds on the expensive one are different but maybe kinda for the good, the tip is bright and visible while the leather is more of a stylish wine or evening color and probably goes better with a black tie dress. It's pretty clearly different and not matching while folded up though..
I've used tech my whole life. Maybe some other random lighter canes at one point that may or may not be ambutech, but pretty much always used amputech. I just switched to nfb. I love it. The medal tip is great. It's new, it's cool, more compact I love it. Way better then amputech, highly recommend. My first nfb and I am saying goodbye to amputech. I'm gonna keep using nfb.
For the height debate, in the United States below the nose or nose level is for children and teens, for adults chin for fast paced walkers, sternum or armpit height for medium pace walkers but for first time adult users it is sometimes recommended that you have a cane 5 inches shorter than your height
@MollyBurkeOfficial Question: How does Elton handle your extended seperations emotionally? Like, during your overseas trips? Given his training and natural work drive, combined with his bond with you, does he have special engagement activities he does with his caretakers while you are apart to prevent depression or frustration?
I would like to propose a video concept where you feature one of Elton's siblings and compare their similarities and differences. This could be an interesting and engaging topic for your audience, and it would also allow us to see the differences in them that have happened since guide dog training school. X
I have used the NFB canes before and I didn’t love it because the handle is super skinny and completely circular and I’m used to the no jab cane leather handle and the NFB one doesn’t really have a tip which makes it get caught on stuff
Such a good idea love it Molly 🖤❤️👻👻❤️🤎🍃🍃🍃🍃🎃🎃🧡🍃🖤❤️❤️👻🖤🤎🍃🍃🎃🎃🎃❤️👻👻🍂🍂🍂🍂👻👻❤️🖤🍃🍃🤎❤️👻🍂🍂🍂🍂❤️🖤🍃🎃🎃🧡🧡
“I kinda feel like it should be illegal” hahahaha. that was literally my thought process when I found that out a week ago that they sold canes on Amazon too!! Even though it says the brand is Ambutech,I don’t know…I’m hesitant in how good of a quality it actually would be. I feel like other companies would take the time to make sure that canes are safe for us and not some random store on Amazon.
Story time! My first cane I received was from the NFB . That one did not fold, it was all one white color, and it had a metal tip. I hardly ever used it. I was so afraid of scratching up the floors with it and I wasn’t ready to accept I needed it. also, the sound bothered me when I tried gliding it (funny coming from a deaf/hoh person but I do wear hearing aids!) . I am not a tapper either . Then I got a special cane that was $225 with a marshmallow tip. It was a LED Mobility Cane that lit up at the bottom. It was heavy and folded up and well……it was an awesome cane. I had nothing to compare. It is what got me to break out of my comfort zone and put myself out there for my own safety. Having RP, the light helped me at night. It made me not scared anymore. Before buying it, my friends told me I should do a fundraiser to get it paid for, so I did. And that accumulated enough to buy myself that cane plus help someone else. So I gave the rest to a friend and then she set up a fundraiser and accumulated enough to buy herself that cane plus someone else! So then we both knew a guy who could benefit from that and then once he received that cane he donated $500 and asked us to find two teens who needed it and so we did. So a total 5 people with RP was blessed with that special cane . Yes, it was expensive but the giving hearts of so many was so wonderful to be apart of.
My favorite lightweight cane I received was from Ambutech from Leader Dogs and I got a roller tip and love that. I did just learn they made a 360 roller tip soooo I am going to put that on my wish list. It’s definitely not in my budget these days. Love that there are many options out there!
Thanks for sharing!
My fav tip is new. It's by Amutech called Pathfinder 360 Tip.
When you opened the cheap cane and had the duck quacking sound effect I almost died, I need a cane that quacks when I crash into things 🤣🤣🤣 can you also link up your cane that gets longer for high heels? I always order the wrong size and then can't wear my high heels lol 24:51
I would like to see a comparison of the different smart canes.
Hi Molly, thank you for making this video. I would really love to see a a video about collapsible canes if possible. I've been really interested in those two. Also, I have one of those cheap canes at home that I've only used once I agree with you, not that great. Hope you're having a nice day
I don't think you need to worry about the length of your cane just because other people say so. If you are comfortable with a mid-sternum cane and can get around easily with it, then there's no problem with you using one, even if it's not the "ideal" tool for you to use.
I might be getting an nfb cane when I go to school in jan
I know in the states some people have canes from the national federation for the blind that tend to be one piece and hollow, and like Barbie people tend to get NFB canes really long for some reason.
I’m 4’10 and I have a 48 in ambutech that is about mid sternum that my O&M says is the right height.
You just reminded me I need a new CNIB card since you mentioned it ❤
I love ny NFB cane with the little metal tip! That and my ambutech cane. Lovethem❤ ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Molly, this Texas guy has never seen you look more beautiful than you do here. With your hair wrap you remind me so much of the glamorous Gloria Swanson. Your make up is impeccable and I truly appreciate your sharing the information on White canes. There is nothing wrong with my vision, but I remember as a child Decades ago, being intrigued by the idea of being able to walk around with my eyes closed. Same thing for the ability to read braille.
My service dog is right at the door waiting for me if i leave without her too 😂 and then she does a thorough investigation of me
Love your cane video❤ I use a basic Ambutech cane reaching to the top of my sternum with a solid marshmallow tip cause I'm an annoying taper not a glider like you. I would love the cane that cuts out getting jabbed 😊
I use an Ambutech No-Jab cane with a big red ball tip. (until I get matched with my Guide Dog) 🙂🐩🧡
I’m a hiker and appreciate the Ambutech canes like none other. While I’m somehow allowed one cane a year for free, I frankly forgot how to obtain it from the state of Washington. I have one of the cheap joke canes in the trunk of my husband’s car, and I also hate it; I only have it in case the elastic in my good cane breaks but frankly, I’d rather hold my broken one together with electrical tape. Another backup is a relatively short telescopic cane but it is, in fact, quite short. I prefer a foldable cane that comes up to my forehead. Finally, I may have to check out this Urban Explorer; thank you for the heads-up. 😀
I have 2 canes. They’re both Evolution canes that are 50 inches and made of graphite.
The one I’ve had the longest has a pencil tip. I’m not a fan of the pencil tip, it gets stuck in every tiny divot and I’ve jabbed myself so many times while using it. It has a rounded handle with a flat edge, I think it’s made of rubber. I got this one for free since I was at my states blind school at the time and when I out grew my old cane I just traded it in. I gave them my old one and they gave me the new one that I’ve had since. I’ve probably had it for around 12 years now.
I’ve only had my other cane for around 7ish years. Can’t quite remember how I got this one. I think my VI coordinator got it for me when I transferred schools out of the blind school into my local mainstream public high school. This cane is my preferred one out of the 2 I have. It has a rolling marshmallow tip, which is the best thing ever since unlike the pencil tip the rolling marshmallow doesn’t get stuck on every single divot. I love that I can feel the difference in the ground texture both based on the sound I am hearing of it going over the ground, and by the change in vibrations in the handle. The handle is a rounded one that’s made of rubber I believe. This cane is thinner than my other one, I’ve been told it’s more of an ID cane, but I don’t really know if that’s why. It looked exactly like my other cane except for the shape of the handle, the tip, the number of segments, and the thickness of the entire thing. They’re both completely white except for the handle which I think is black, and the last segment which is red. My older cane has 5 segments, and my newer one has 7.
I’ve always been a roller, tapping just doesn’t work for me. I started training to use a cane when I was around 3-4 years old. I don’t regularly use my cane especially in places where I regularly go. Such as around my neighborhood, or places I’ve been to so many times that I am comfortable moving around in where the layout doesn’t change. Such as my place of work, and my states fair grounds. I do however use my cane when I fly, or go to places I am unfamiliar with that has a large crowd mostly to let other people know that I can’t see them. Such as when my family and I went to Disney World, and again when I went back with my high schools marching band, also when my mom and I went to Universal Studios, and when I go to metal concerts.
Anyone reading this and wondering why I mentioned how, why, and when I use my cane just remember that blindness is a spectrum. Not everyone sees the same, just like some people choose to use a guide dog instead of a cane, or in my case be a part time cane user. Or sometimes not using either a dog or cane at all, it all depends on each person and their preferences.
I actually ordered my canes off of Amazon. I think it’s great that they have them on there cause they’re usually cheap cheaper than places like Amtech and so on.
watching this makes me think, i really need to get a new cane when i have the budget for it. my cane is like shaft from different old canes that i've put together to make a somewhat usable cane.