Hickory wood is hard, stiff, dense and shock resistant.

Wood Matters – The Heart of the Caman

At the beginning of the season, we spent a significant amount of time reworking our jigs, reshaping camans, and making refinements based on feedback from players. Every adjustment had one goal: to better suit the modern player and the demands of the modern game.

But this time, we didn’t stop at the shape — we turned our attention to the wood itself.

🌳 Revisiting Hickory – A Material with History

Hickory has been used in caman making since before the Second World War, and has been the timber of choice at Tanera Camans since the early 1970s. Yet despite decades of use, we knew there was more to uncover.

We began importing various hickory species from different countries and sources — not just to compare how they worked in practice, but to test their strength, durability, and moisture retention. We even went as far as to measure growth rings and study how each variety responded under pressure.

The results? Surprising and insightful.

🧬 Understanding Hickory: Species and Strength

Hickory is the common name for trees of the genus Carya, which includes about 18 species:

12 species are native to the United States
4 in Mexico
2–4 native to Canada

These species fall into two main categories:

True Hickory – denser, stronger, harder
Pecan Hickory – lighter, slightly less dense

Group	Examples	Average Dry Weight
True Hickory	Pignut (C. glabra), Shellbark (C. laciniosa), Shagbark (C. ovata), Mockernut (C. tomentosa)	~830 kg/m³
Pecan Hickory	Water (C. aquatica), Bitternut (C. cordiformis), Pecan (C. illinoinensis), Nutmeg (C. myristiciformis)	~750 kg/m³

Hickory wood is prized for being:

Hard
Stiff
Shock-resistant
Incredibly tough

It’s used in everything from tool handles, drumsticks, and golf clubs, to ski bases, baseball bats, and of course — shinty camans.

At Tanera Camans, we’re proud to be the largest buyer of hickory in the UK.

🌱 Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing

In the United States, there are an estimated 742.3 million cubic meters of hickory standing in forests. And here’s the astonishing part:

🕒 It takes just 4.33 seconds for US forests to grow 1m³ of American hickory.

That means US forests replenish hickory faster than it’s harvested, with around 8.6 million m³ added each year. For us, that makes hickory not just a reliable and high-performing timber — but a sustainable choice for the future of shinty.

🏆 From Forest to Final Whistle

From raw log to finished stick, we’ve applied rigorous testing, meticulous sourcing, and a craftsman’s attention to detail. Our goal is always the same: to deliver the highest quality caman we can.

You’ll find Tanera Camans in play: