Our story
A cane should be something you’re proud to carry
Nobody has rethought the cane in a long time. Walk into any pharmacy and you’ll find the same thing: gray aluminum, a rubber tip, a handle that pinches your palm and a collar that clinks every time you adjust it. Built to be tolerated, not chosen.
That’s a strange way to treat an object you hold all day. Your cane is in every photo. It’s with you at dinner, at the park, at your grandkid’s recital. It says something about you whether you like it or not.
We started Rise because we believe it should say the right thing.
Why we started
Bob
My grandfather, Bob Harden, never went anywhere without his cane. His health kept him from walking far on his own, but it never kept him from showing up. He was the grandfather on the floor with the kids, the one who wanted to be wherever the action was.
The cane was part of who he was, so he made it his. Hand-carved wood, chosen to go with the leather caps and wool sweaters he wore like a uniform. He had a style, and his cane was in on it.
Here’s the thing people might not guess about a man with a wooden cane and a wool sweater. He loved new technology. He wanted the newest gadget, the latest invention, whatever was coming next. He’d have been first in line for anything that made his life better.
When it came to his cane, Bob only ever had two options: crafted and handmade on one side, mass produced on the other. Rise is designed to sit somewhere in between, built to speak to your personal sense of style and self-worth. A cane you’re proud to have in photos and take with you everywhere.
We envision a world where mobility devices empower, not limit.
Walker Harden, Co-founder
Our principles
What we believe
- 01
A cane is a precision tool.
It takes your weight thousands of times a day. Balance, grip, and the feel of the tip on the ground all matter. We engineered Rise the way we'd engineer anything you trust your body to.
- 02
Materials should earn their place.
Nothing on Rise is there because it was cheap. Every material was chosen for how it holds up and how it feels in your hand.
- 03
Comfort is not optional.
If a cane pinches, rattles, or wears you out, you'll leave it by the door. Rise is light, quiet, and shaped for a hand that holds it all day.
- 04
Style is the point, not the bonus.
You don't stop caring about how you look because you need support. Rise is designed to go with the rest of your life, at home, around town, or on the other side of the world.
Where this goes
The cane is where we’re starting. There’s a whole category of things people rely on every day that nobody has bothered to design well. We think that’s a mistake, and we think there’s a better future for all of it.
If you’ve ever looked at a mobility aid and thought, “that’s not me,” then Rise is for you. We’d love to show you what we’ve made.
Who we are
Rise is designed and engineered by the team at Whipsaw, a product design and innovation firm in San Francisco, California.
