The best diabolo sticks
Carbon, aluminium, fibreglass, plastic and bearing sticks compared by length, weight and price, with the right pair for a beginner, a child, a grinder and a performer.
Updated
The best diabolo sticks for almost everyone are 32 cm carbon sticks, 36 €: light, stiff, durable, and what nearly every experienced player uses. Beginners on a budget do well on plastic sticks at 14 €; children and players with small hands on the thinner 30 cm carbon. Everything else is a special case.
By material
Sundia figures; a pair of sticks includes a string.
| Sticks | Length | Diameter | Weight (pair) | Feel | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon | 30, 32 or 35 cm | 7 or 8 mm | about 60 to 80 g | Light, stiff, precise; the standard | 36 € |
| Pro-Sticks Max | 32 cm | 10 mm | 65 or 75 g | Thick, robust carbon for hard play and grinds | 40 € |
| Aluminium | 31 cm | 8 mm | 74 g | Solid, slightly heavier, unbreakable | 24 € |
| Fibreglass Echo | 31 cm | 7 mm | slightly heavier than carbon | Stiffer and a little heavier than carbon; thin grip | 21 € |
| Plastic | 31 cm | 8 mm | very light | Flexible, indestructible, travel-proof | 14 € |
| Bearing sticks | 31 cm | 7 mm | Carbon with a bearing tip; smoother wraps and knots | 40 € | |
| D-LITE 7075 aluminium | PlayJuggling’s successor to the Deos carbon sticks | 32 € | |||
| LED sticks | Carbon with lit tips for shows | from 40 € |
How to choose
- First sticks with a first diabolo: plastic if the set has to cost 55 €; carbon 32 cm if it can cost 76 € and you would rather never buy sticks again.
- Children: plastic from age 5, fibreglass Echo from about 8, carbon 30 cm from about 10. See diabolo for kids.
- Small hands, or a lot of two-diabolo work: carbon 30 cm, 7 mm: thinner and lighter than the 32.
- Grinds and stick tricks: Pro-Sticks Max, 10 mm thick, or the standard carbon; the thin carbon body is what makes stick grinds slide.
- Whip-style and tall players: carbon 35 cm.
- Wraps, knots and slack tricks on a fixed axle: bearing sticks.
- Shows: LED sticks and a set of LED kits for the diabolo.
Spare tips and silicone handles keep a pair of carbon sticks alive for years; the tip is the only part that wears.
Bottom line
Carbon 32 cm for everyone who plays more than once a week, plastic for a first set or a travel pair, and the Pro-Sticks Max when the sticks take a beating. Pair them with the right string.
Questions
Which diabolo sticks are best?
32 cm carbon sticks. They are the standard among experienced players for the balance of low weight, stiffness and durability, and nearly every professional plays them. The 30 cm version is thinner and a touch lighter for smaller hands.
How long should diabolo sticks be?
30 to 32 cm for almost everyone from age 8 up. 35 cm gives more reach for whip-style tricks and tall players; anything under 30 cm is for very small children or yoyo-style play.
Are wooden sticks good?
Only the whip-style pro wooden stick for its specific tricks. Ordinary wooden sticks are heavy, flex the wrong way and break; plastic sticks at 14 € are better in every respect.
What are bearing sticks?
Carbon sticks with a small bearing at the tip, so the string does not twist when it wraps. They make knots and wraps smoother, most noticeably on a fixed axle, and cost 40 €.
