I started off using the US size 3 on some cashmere socks in progress and was not happy with the cords at first. The cord material is VERY flexible and hollow but made of a somewhat “sticky” plastic rather than the harder (and less flexible) cords used on other brands of circs. I used some talcum powder to tone down the cord’s grab, and scooting the stitches around the magic loop went better. The cord was also less grabby when I tested the needles with a regular wool yarn and then a cotton yarn. Guess the inexpensive needle and the expensive cashmere yarn were “incompatible”?? Too much of a culture shock?

I’m now using the size 9s for sweater sleeves using a wool/cotton blend yarn. I really love the smoothness of the needles themselves, and the shape of the tips has more point than is common with other brands of bamboo needles. This pointy-ness will come in handy as I’ll be knitting a lace panel with some nupps on this sweater. This yarn, while still not absolutely gliding over the cord, slips along easily enough now that I’m used to the feel of it, and I find that I really love the extreme flexibility of the cord. The cord is never coiling, poking me in the stomach, or otherwise getting in the way.

I’m really glad I bought this entire set. The price per needle can’t be beat and it gives me the ability to swatch to my heart’s content. The above-mentioned sweater was supposed to be knit on size 7 needles. I’m a tight knitter so I automatically went to a size 8 for the first swatch. Turns out I needed the 9 and it was so great to have that size right there waiting for me. Even if you don’t love these needles enough to knit an entire sweater on them, they are invaluable as a swatching tool. Once you figure out what size you need, THEN you can buy an expensive Addi to knit the project.

The cable is thicker than most circulars but this actually works out better for me when knitting lace. It’s easier to move the stitches up to the wood sections to knit.

The bamboo is as smooth as my clovers and having the size in metric and US stamped on the needle is a plus.

P.S. I just saw the new price. At $25 these were a bargain. I would not have bought them at the higher price.

Okay, so these are not the fanciest knitting needles to be had but they are such a great value that it is difficult to pass them up. The needles themselves have a nice feel and, as another reviewer noted, the somewhat fat cable makes the transition on and off the needles smoother than is often the case with much higher-priced circular needles. They aren’t very long (16″) so you are limited in the projects you can use them with.

I also own (and absolutely love) Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles which are the best value available in knitting needles to be found. However, I still turn to this bamboo set frequently, especially for worsted weight knitting. Like I said, they just have a nice feel to them.

Honestly, these are not the best quality needles I’ve ever used. They feel a tad bit flimsy and less polished than the pricier bamboo needles. But for the price, it is absolutely worth it to have a pair of every size you’ll ever want on hand at all times. My only real grievance is with myself and not the product–I didn’t realize that 29-inch needles are longer than what I can use for most of the children’s hats I want to make. So when I sat down to knit a hat for my daughter and cast on my stitches, I found the 29″ needles to be useless. Pay better attention to the sizing than I did, and you’ll be happy with the product for the money.