Beka Stilts User Manual

Traditional Wood

Stilts

Just Like Your Favorite

Uncle Used to Make!!

Eco-friendly stilts featuring

natural hard maple from Wisconsin.

Handmade in our

family owned woodshop in

St. Paul, Minnesota.

Manufactured by Beka, Inc.

542 Selby Avenue St. Paul, MN 55102

www.bekainc.com

You’ll be heads above the crowd with our natural all wood stilts:

- uprights are 47-3/4” tall

- footrests adjust from 5-1/2” to 14-1/2”

- bottom position provides an extra large base for better balance

- stilt walking hints included

suggested age 8+

WARNING—ADULT ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!

Assembly hardware may have sharp points and small parts,

so may present a safety hazard to children prior to assembly.

After assembly, an adult should check hardware regularly to insure it is tight.

Dispose of plastic bags and extra hardware to avoid potential choking hazards.

Stilt walking has inherent risks (everyone falls); wear protective pads and use good

judgment in deciding where you “walk” and who is allowed to “walk”.

Beka’s natural wood stilts are:

…..made by us in our family owned woodshop in St. Paul, MN.

…..made with high quality hard maple for a long, happy life.

…..easily adjusted to different heights. Adjust footrests so uprights come up behind stilt walker’s arm pits.

…..unpainted, so they may absorb water if used in damp areas. You can make them waterproof by painting the uprights (this is purely optional).

…..best used on soft or rough surfaces. On hard smooth surfaces, they may tend to slide or slip. You can glue or tape a non-skid rubber strip to the ends, making them even more like homemade (this is also optional).

Have fun while building confidence.

Stilt walking improves balance and coordination.

Caution:

Stilt walking is a challenging activity that comes with inherent risks. Even the most experienced stilt walkers fall from time to time, so wearing protective pads and learning how to fall safely is strongly encouraged. Use knee pads, elbow and wrist guards, and a helmet to reduce chance of injury.

Ultimately, it is left to the judgment of a responsible adult to decide if using stilts is appropriate for any individual child. It is also up to an adult to decide where stilts are used, as dropped uprights have the potential to damage furniture and household fixtures.

Getting Started

- Position footrests by inserting bolts through upright holes. Use a low height until you are confident of your balance. Place washers over the bolts and secure with tight wing nuts; check wing nuts regularly to keep footrests held firmly in place.

- Get help from a strong friend who can support you as you learn to keep balance on your own.

- Grasp uprights with the palm of your hand facing your thighs; position uprights so they go along your thighs and behind your arm pits (see photos on front).

- Lean against a fence or wall for support, then step up onto your stilts or have a strong friend hold them for you.

- Keeping your feet on the footrests, shift your weight forward until you are able to stand upright and move forward on your own.

Begin stilt walking; use your arms to lift each leg along with the accompanying upright, keeping your feet on the footrests.

Alternate from side to side, keeping your body centered and straight.

Practice, practice, practice.