Leaf Canes by Prague Handstand - Long Term Review

Whether you’re a professional hand balancer or just a casual hobbyist, you’ll eventually be looking to get a pair of canes. Not only does it look spectacular with the added height, it can also provide extra benefit when it comes to performance. However, buying a pair of canes can be quite a financial investment, with prices as high as a few thousand US dollars.

There are quite a few online shops that currently sell canes and other circus equipment, but navigating these sites can be tricky. Many of these shops are in Russian, and there are other sites that only sell individual cane components, instead of a complete set.

Prague Handstands gained popularity in recent years with their successful marketing efforts, sponsoring popular online hand balancers on social media and gaining exposure with a wider audience of both hobbyists and professionals alike. I initially noticed their products being used on Instagram and bought a set of handstand canes from them in September 2022, and had been using them since. I paid for the canes with my own money and was not sponsored for this review. The exact model I bought and will be reviewing today is:

Leaf Handstand Canes
Block size: Medium (14cm x 9cm)
Cane height: Advanced (60cm)
Distance between canes: Standard (33cm)

Portability

One of the biggest advantages of the Leaf Canes is their portability. Its creators really designed them with convenience as a priority over everything else. Essentially, you can install or break down the entire set with a minimum amount of tools needed - just a single allen wrench to install or detach the blocks from the canes themselves. The rest of the assembly can be as easy as turning 4 knobs with just your hands which secure the wooden base plates together. The set comes with a canvas bag with shoulder straps, and the idea is you can carry them with you everywhere without too much bulk. Most canes on the market have heavy, big rectangular base plates, but the Leaf managed to do without which saves you a ton of heavy lifting. The compactness of the Leaf when detached in its native canvas bag can also save you living space if you’re living in tight quarters. With the setup time roughly about 5 minutes, there will be no excuses not to train on these canes.

Performance

Depending on the height, materials used, and engineering, different brands of canes will have different personalities behind them. The way they grip, balance, and wobble can vary and it really comes down to personal preference. If you’ve ever been on canes before, you know the “wobble” element is an important factor which plays a crucial role in the balance. These wobbles are basically when the canes have subtle sway which actually helps you balance, giving you more margin of error and creates adjustments to your mistakes.

Taller canes tend to have more oscillations, much like taller bamboo will have more movement than a shorter one. Depending on your liking, some prefer a more wobbly cane and others like it on the stiffer side. Compared to other brands on the market, I found that the Leaf Canes offered a good amount of wobble at 60cm. It’s definitely not stiff but the wobbles aren’t overwhelming either; I found it to be a comfortable medium.

From time to time, the wooden base plate would make creaking noises due to the movement of the canes and from my 1.5 years of using them, no issues arose. Overall, the weight and balance of the base plate were stable enough where I’m not worried about putting too much weight on one side as I would when I perform flags. Maybe you’ve seen some canes that need extra weight on top (like a 45lb plate or a kettlebell) to feel stable, but with the Leaf, I never felt the need.

I would definitely recommend these canes to hobbyists and the weekend performer, but I think you would be stretching its limit if it’s used for professional performances.

Durability

I’ve trained with the Leaf canes in various outdoor areas over 1.5 years of owning them. They were on grass, concrete, and even got rained upon on a few occasions. As you can see in the photos, there is now quite a bit of rusting on the stainless steel components and the wooden surfaces have a considerable amount of stains on them. I’ve tried cleaning them according to the Prague Handstand instructions, with vinegar, soap, and baking soda. While some stains did manage to come off, not everything did and the black marks are a result of that. If you are considering these canes, I would only keep them as an indoor set or only bring them out when there isn’t any chance of rain. Wood isn’t going to be the most durable material but that’s the trade-off you make when it comes to portability.

Conclusion

If you’re an amateur hand balancer that’s looking to get your first set of standard-height canes, then these will be a great option for you. They’re easy to assemble, and their portability factor will be hard to match. The price does run a little high at USD $682 and it puts it in direct competition with the Circus Props’ Pro Collapsible Handstand Canes. If you’re not concerned about the base plate staining with outdoor use, then these will be a great fit in your collection of hand balance gear.

Portability: 5/5

Ease of Assembly: 5/5

Performance: 4/5

Durability: 3/5

Price: 3/5

You can purchase the Leaf Canes HERE