I got my shipment 5 days earlier than quoted and was very pleased! The bos were in perfect shape. I love the heft and feel, very little flex but vibrates warmly when I do my grip drill. Just a beginner here but I'm super happy with the product and service thanks guys! :)  

This is the 3rd staff I've purchased from KD & it is by far the nicest bo. There were no blemishes in this bo when took out of the plastic. It is straight, has a darker tone than the other 2, & is also slightly heavier, which I am happy with. I am using this strictly for competition kata. I will now use my 1st staffs for bunkai & striking training.   

The first staff had defects in the wood. Karate depots gas the best customer support out there. The second staff didn't have any defects and my son really likes it.   

Had been practicing with a 5' pine dowel (1.25" diameter), which is great for the ego but becomes too easy after a while. Just got my new 6' red oak bo, and it is a "trip" (sorry, never outgrew the 60's) to use a properly sized and weighted staff. The Red Oak bo I received is well made (no defects, knots or chips), a great weight (mine is just over 2.5 pounds), well balanced and straight. Feels great to practice with the real thing, makes me feel professional.  

This bo feels very solid, and heavier than I expected (after playing 'ninja' with a few broomsticks etc.)... It looks durable, and from the practice I have done, it seems solid, and well balanced. Just a warning to other 'practice ninjas' out there, the weight may throw you, but give it a chance...LOL.  

This guy is solid. Great price, no cracks, not warped. This is a solid bo Buy it and see  

I received my Red Oak Bo Staff earlier than expected along with a Straight Hardwood Bo(But I'll post a different review for the Hardwood Bo), which was great. When I opened it i was very pleased with the appearance. The Red Oak stain was beautiful and i loved the heavy feel. Unfortunately after further inspection i found a deep scratch along the side and the beginning of a crack at the top. I can tell that eventually the crack will split the wood if i make contact. I would love to have this bo in my collection, but the poor handiwork killed my hopes. From the reviews i can tell the customer service is great; i hope i can get this problem solved quickly.

------------------UPDATE------------------

With some easy emails, they happily sent over a nice replacement. It's a little lighter, but perfect for my training.   

I love bo staffs so do think I should buy 1 of these and how tall should i get im 51 inches
  

Receive days before schedule unfortunately the staff was crack. They didnt want to send another one because they thought the same thing would happen again. Also they dont offer free shipping outside of us yet. But good comunication though  

I ordered one of these staffs for my grandsons. When it arrived I removed it from the shipping tube only to find that the staff was cracked all the way through!
I returned the staff and received another one.
To my disappointment I removed this staff from the shipping tab only to find that it was cracked almost as bad as the first one. Though the new on also had dent and divots all along the length of the staff which the manufacturer had attempted to hide by filling with wood putty! The more I inspected the staff the more dents and divots I noticed! I love Karate depot, I'd consider myself a loyal customer! I've been a customer for many years, and I don't blame KD. for any of this! The manufacturer obviously has a quality control problem! I will remain a loyal customer!   

I recieved my staff (6ft)several days early while it was wrapped everything looked great, but once it was unwrapped you could see that it was nearly broken in half.  

I bought one of these and it was broken when I received it! I don't place any blame on Karate depot due to the fact that it came straight from Macho (the manufacturer).
But I was disappointed to remove the staff from the shipping tube to find that it was cracked all the way through!  

The staff came quickly and was in good condition. Our only complaint is that is is still quite heavy for a "youth" staff. We will probably hang on to it but our 10 year old son will have to grow into it. He is able to maneuver it but it is too heavy for him to use if he wanted to add any speed to his practice.  

The 5 ft bo that I ordered arrived very quickly, and it lasted through alot of tough sparring sessions.
I will order again.
Great Value  

ordered a 5 ft & 6 ft Straight Oak Bo Dec 2010.
After 11 months of tough sparring, my 5 ft bo finally started splintering. That's ok, great value for the money.

I then figured that I would use my beautiful 6 ft oak bo.
Upon the very first strike, it broke into two pieces. Very dissapointing  

Don't know how/where this bo was stored before shipment... because, after peeling off the plastic-wrap, I had to wipe off pervasive mold with a disinfecting wipes; not the best customer experience. Barring that, the bo has a nice feel and heft. [I bought a bokken at the same time whose top-third was askew. KarateDepot very graciously replaced it at no charge and recommended I destroy the warped one; I think I'll turn it into a shorter bokken for a different practice feel]  

Great price, very fast shipping !!!!
Glad we found you   

I have two of these and they are good for training with one glaring issue. The weight is good (heavier side) and they are relatively straight. The problem is that both of them have begun splitting along the grain. As you know, this little issue can make working with them interesting. If not for that they would make a good training weapon but because both have done this I can't recommend them.  

this is a good staff to train with. because of its good weight, when i use this staff it is makes me faster. it makes solid strikes on targets  

Awesome Bo   

I ordered this on Sunday, and got it that Wednesday (with standard shipping)! Now that's fast. The entire transaction, from ordering to tracking to receiving, went smoothly and I couldn't ask for more. It even came with shipping labels in case I wanted to return it. I actually am going to keep the cardboard cylinder it came in as it makes for a nice carrying case for them.

I ordered two 6-footers. The staff itself is good for the price: well-weighted, slides easily in the hands, and it feels pretty strong (haven't pounded on any heavy bags or anything yet, though). Neither of the two that I ordered are perfectly straight (if you look down them, they look a little crooked, and they won't roll on a flat surface), but they definitely look straight if you're not inspecting them closely, and it in no way hinders the useability (it actually seems more authentic that way).

I sparred with them today, and they felt good. They actually felt more lively than I thought they would, but I could still definitely see how a man could put some power behind blows with these. There were some nicks afterward, (probably from the blunt swords we were also using), but I sanded them down, and oiled them with some Minwax Tung Oil Finish (which I hear will give me moderate protection, not the best, but it's all I had around at the moment so I went with it). When I oiled them, the stain seemed to mix with the oil so that the sanded part looks just like the rest of it now, which I thought was nice (I hope that's not bad, I'm no woodworker). I'm not sure I trust the finish it comes with 'cause it seems to scratch off, so you might be well-off protecting it somehow, as red oak is known for being very porous and therefore it's important to protect it from water. If you do oil it, the porous nature of the wood may bleed back some of the oil with the first few coats, so be aware of that. If I could do it over again, I'd probably go with Waterlox Sealer varnish, which I hear offers really good protection for red oak, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Overall, I'm glad to have ordered from karatedepot.com and will definitely keep them in mind if I need any other items. If the karatedepot guys are reading this, I would like to say that what set you guys apart initially was your price and your shipping, so I hope you continue to offer good deals. I'm definitely going to put these items through a lot of punishment, but I've got high hopes for them.  

to my surprise it was shiped right on the day it was sopposed to I opened it today (christmas) and first thought it looked amazing a good wieght to it and powerful so I couldnt wait to test this baby out went to the backyard to train a lil and I didn't hit the stick on anything til I felt...a splinter,lol I quikly took it out and noticed the staff had a pretty good sized crack that at the same time was hardly noticable so yeah it would've split in two if I did any rough training so that dissapointed me  

I ordered two of these. One was definitely nicer than the other, which was defected with a rough spot (apparently a patched area). After a few blows, the patched area broke apart and now needs to be taped to avoid splinters.
Heavy bows, which could be what you are looking for. I prefer the 1 inch diameter. These have more weight, but are harder to get a good grip on than the 1 inch.  

Received my shipment 3 days after I placed the order. The bo is excellent for training. Fast processing and shipping.   

Bought this nearly a year ago and it is still going strong. A few slight scuff marks are the only sign of the heavy use it gets during staff practice, at least twice a week.  

The bo staff was just what was advertised and I was very pleased with it. It came in the mail in record time which was good. I would order again from this company.  

Excellent product, straight and sturdy. Delivered early and well packaged. I will definitely be back...  

Used standard shipping and it arrived before promised. Excellent quality: takes a beating, but beautiful enough for display. Doubles now as a great walking staff to ward off bears and cougars. ;)  

I just received the staff today and i must say, it is a beautiful staff. It arrived 4 days before the estimated shipping date so that much appreciated. I am new to the bo staff but as far as i can tell it is very durable and very heavy. It is a bit hard to get spinning but when it does it carries with it amazing momentum. this is a great product and the service was just as pleasing.  

really good weight and heft to it  

Previous to this purchase I have never handled a bo staff. The red oak straight and the waxwood tapered were bought together in the six foot length (I'm 5'8"). I have no sensei. In this remote, low population area it's do it yourself or not at all. At this point I have no interest in a style or competition. I just want to handle a staff for: the enjoyment of the skill, development of coordination, muscle and connective tissue strengthening and (at the bottom) self-defense. This staff and a six foot straight waxwood (bought elsewhere) are my preferred tools. The heft and handling meet my needs better than the taper. The milling and balance of the red oak staff are superior. The weight provides more control, as does the straight profile. The taper is faster because of lower tip mass (wood-type factored out) but is touchy to handle because the diameter changes along the length. The higher mass and straight milling of the oak is more forgiving of hand placement. The additional inertial mass also keeps the bo moving with less frequent input. Of course it's harder to stop (change direction), but that's where finesse comes in. A goof in smooth movement is readily apparent. As a weapon, I would not like to see this heavy object coming at me. A taper is easier to divert. And yes, muscle development and connective tissue flexibility have increased. I use bo staff practice as part of warm-up before a run.  

quite simply the best staff i have worked with.
i have both the 5ft and the 6ft versions and both are extraordinary. the weight forces me to learn to be comfortable with moving it fast and keeping it in a constant motion. Its got an incredible amount of power and durability. the overall functionality of it is awesome, because with enough practice it can be used for demos and spars or in actual life combat situations.
again i got both sizes and thats ALL i'll ever need.  

Its a great deal heavier than I expected. Its really solid with like no flex to it. It really carries momentum and creates heavy impact. It will help better your forms and help u to feel comfortable with speed. It also makes you careful. If you want a decently heavy training staff its a good buy. I bought the 6-foot I am sure the 5-foot is less heavy and everything accordingly. I am definitely happy with it.  

This bo is great for martial artists who are looking for something cheap, good quality, and beautiful. The staining on it is absolutely perfect but I do not recommend it for contact as the staining can chip off easily. Great for demonstrations, and as the description says, it can take the harshest punishment you can dish out!  

Shipping and order processing were fast with no hassles involved. The staff, when received, is high quality merchandise and still in use during the karate class I am taking. I got a six foot staff, and it is solid wood, so if you're smaller you might want to go with the shorter length. The weight suits me perfectly but then I am 6 ft 5 inches and solidly built.  

This is the first bo that I have bought and I don't have much to complain about. It is strong, but it is a bit heavy if you're looking to flip it around easily. Great for basic forms, but look for something lighter if you plan to flip it around a lot.   

this is problably the best weapon ever!!lol  

I bought this bo staff under the impression that it could withstand "the harshest I could dish out." It was shipped to me in almost perfect shape, though there was a tiny crack about 16 inches down from the top. I accidentally hit the bo staff, not hard, against the ground and it happened to go at an angle that put stress on the tiny cracked area. Now I have a 3' 8" bo staff and a 16" piece of wood. Not as durable as the description would have you believe. Also it's heavier than the description would have you believe.  

I have No problems with the Bo, a little on the heavy side but too bad. Well made.

Be careful when ordering, 2 day shipping means 2 days "after" they get around to having it ready for the shipping company! IE; 2, 3, 4 days Ect...
I was told by customer service, "The timer that tells you how long you have for express shipping has little to do with reality, because it doesn't work properly, it's 2 days from the time we get it ready to ship". Too bad if for me that I need a replacement in a hurry. Don't expect an upgrade in shipping because you didn't understand their dysfunctional website, cause it ain't gonna happen.