Replacement Rubber Cane Tips

Hard wood or metal canes are slippery when used without a rubber tip, which could cause a person to lose his balance and fall. The rubber tip of a walking cane provides grip and stability. The rubber tip, however, wears off as it scuffs across rough surfaces of sidewalks, asphalt and flooring surfaces. Cane tips should be checked and replaced frequently.

Standard Cane Tips

• Standard cane tips are bell-shaped and made of molded rubber. They slide over the end of a solid cane tip. Standard cane tips have concentric circles or a bumpy texture on their foot surface to enhance grip. Vertical ridges on the outer surface make it easy to twist them off for replacement.

Steel Insert Cane Tips

• Similar to standard cane tips in style and function, steel insert cane tips have a steel washer embedded in their foot to reduce wear. The steel insert slightly increases the size and weight of the cane tip.

Base Pivoting Cane Tips

• Designed for walking on sloped or uneven surfaces, pivoting cane tips have a soft pad between the cup and foot allowing a pivot up to 30 degrees. The foot is made for maximum grip when walking on gravel trails, large rocks and other outdoor surfaces. Pivoting cane tips are available with a nonmarking feature to eliminate scuff marks on flooring.

Ice Gripper Cane Tips

• Ice gripper cane tips have one or more sharp tips point down from the foot to grip into ice or snow. Some brands have a pull down ice tip that hides in the rubber cane tip's foot when not in use. Others are a bolt-on accessory that fits under a rubber cane tip and around the cane a few inches above. Ice gripper cane tips ensure stability when walking through poor weather conditions.

Tripod Cane Tip

• Looking like a cane stand, the rubber tripod foot provides a wide three-prong base. It flexes slightly during walking to cushion the impact on hands and wrists.

Expansion Cane Tips

• Some canes are made of hollow steel tubing. An alternative style, expansion cane tips fit inside the tubing and get tighter as they spread from use. The foot is a larger diameter than the cane, preventing it from going completely inside. The foot has a pattern of bumps for surface grip.