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These four iconic words never cease to put a smile on my face: ‘what’s up, Stick Nation?’ That’s how virtually every stick review from ‘Official Stick Reviews’ begins and anytime one of their videos pops up in my feed on Instagram or TikTok it is an insta-watch, I’d never skip one in a million years.
The Rise Of Stick Nation
Official Stick Reviews was launched last Summer by Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler who were hiking in Utah’s Arches National Park when they happened across a fascinating stick in the shape of a handgun. They filmed a quick video, jokingly reviewed it with a score of 7-out-of-10, and posted that video to Instagram where the response was immediate.
Their account quickly picked up 40K followers and has since grown to over 2.1 million followers on Instagram and 238.3K on TikTok where Logan Jugler posts the Official Stick Reviews as well. Popularity grew so fast the New York Times even did a feature on Stick Nation back in early April.
“Really, sticks?” — some loser, probably
The appeal is universal. People see dope sticks on the ground and want to share them with the world. Think hard and you might be able to remember some majestic sticks you’ve found yourself over the years on a hike or at the beach but you weren’t able to share that gift from nature with the masses. That’s where Stick Nation comes into play.
Andrëw Heavener’s stick from early August has grown to become an iconic stick on the Internet. This thing looks like a weapon wielded by Sauron:
Likewise, this moss-covered sword-shaped stick has captured the hearts of millions across TikTok and Instagram:
Stick Nation Is For Everybody
The beauty of this rapidly-growing account is anyone who finds a dope stick can send in a stick review starting with ‘what’s up, stick nation?’ and be featured on these Instagram and TikTok accounts and they can share their stick find with millions across the Internet.
In the NYT feature back in April, it was noted that there has been Stick Nation controversy in the past. Some people claim sticks have been modified by humans. Well, there’s now a category for that! Stick Reviews are inclusive of all types of sticks so long as the reviews are honest.
Personally, I was convinced this wasn’t a stick at all but some sort of termite nest but I was wrong and Stick Nation loved this stick (myself included):
All you have to do in order to join Stick Nation is follow them on Instagram or TikTok. This trend is about appreciation of incredible sticks. It’s truly so, so simple. See a stick, like a stick.
Was this stick struck by lightning? No. The marks came from wood boring beetles:
“How cool is that stick?!” — me, after seeing 99.99% of videos posted by Official Stick Reviews.