Welcome to the wholesome, yet splintered, community of online stick reviews
‘We have stick-heads, as we call them, all over the globe,’ says one of the men behind Official Stick Reviews
"The grain is just beautiful," says a bearded man standing in the forest, cradling a long, spiralling stick that he found on the ground.
"It's cascading down almost waterfall-eque," he says in a video review as he gently caresses the metre-long, helix-shaped branch with his finger, before bringing it in for a deep sniff.
"Smells like sage," he says approvingly. "Some eucalyptus in there, too."
The verdict is in. It's a 10/10 stick, says Utah's Boone Hogg, who, along with his buddy Logan Jugler, runs the popular Instagram account Official Stick Reviews.
"When we started the stick page, we felt that there must be other people out there who like sticks. And we were right," Hogg told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. "It felt kind of like being kids again."
Since they launched in August, more 43,000 followers have joined the online community they call "Stick Nation."
Branching out from a good bit
It all started, Jugler says, as kind of a running joke.
While hiking with friends, they kept happening upon top-quality sticks, and found themselves waxing poetic about how great they were.
"Part of it was a joke, but then part of it was true," Jugler said. "We were like, oh yeah, it actually is a nice stick. It feels good in the hand. Then we just really [went] into depth about why it was a good stick."
On a hike in Moab, Utah, they filmed their first stick review, and posted it online.
"It just kind of felt right," Hogg said. "Then we just started doing it every day after."
As the page grew in popularity, Hogg and Jugler started receiving submissions from followers of stick-pics for their consideration.
Pretty soon, people started sending in their own reviews, too.
So what makes a good stick? What criteria goes into a stick review?
"There are a number of tests that you can do when you find a stick," Jugler said, matter-of-factly.
"One of them is the McMurry Bend test. Another one is called the Tennyson Curve Scale. A new one that just dropped today actually is called the Williams Whacker Metre. That one deals with how well it is with whacking."
A sticky situation
But any community, no matter how wholesome in concept, eventually deals with conflict. Stick Nation is no exception.
Among stick-heads, the great divide is over those who support "mods" — sticks that have been carved or otherwise altered — versus those who favour "natties" — sticks that are all natural.
"We do a Stick of the Month … tournament at the start of each month, and some people have been calling for modded sticks to be disqualified," Hogg said.
"They're very passionate about it. And as much as I think it is funny, I think they are serious."
As the project grows in scope — and people plant their flags for Team Natties or Team Mods — Hogg say the whole thing remains a largely joyful experience.
"I'm really excited that we have a space for people to come together over sticks," he said. "It's kind of funny, but it's wholesome."
Interview with Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler produced by Kate Swoger
