This staff is INCREDIBLE. I first tried to pick up contact staff about a year ago and got a cheap practice one I found online. It was so heavy and hard and impossible for me to learn on, so I just dismissed the prop because I figured it wasn't for me. A year later, I found myself still wanting to learn and thought maybe it wasn't me, maybe it was the quality of the staff. So, I did some research and ended up going with ninja pyrate and it changed everything. I was finally able to start learning and it's been so rewarding. The carbon fiber makes for a perfect weight and the silicone grip is so good it almost feels like cheating, haha. I wanted to leave a review mostly because I was surprised there were no (or hardly any) reviews, which made choosing a staff difficult. I couldn't be happier with my choice. The quality is superb and worth the investment. I'm 5'6 and went with the 54 inch staff and it's been working great. I can't say enough how happy I am with this staff-- definitely recommending it to everyone :)