I too like the wood and chord ones. The ones where the Haily Mary beads slide.
I like them because I like how smooth the wood beads feel (and they only get smoother with use), and because I tend to say the Rosary with my eyes closed and I think it is easier to distinguish the Haily Mary from the Our Father beads.
The only downside is that sometimes my finger will slip and I’ll lose my place and end up redoing that mystery. Oh well, extra Hail Marys never hurt anyone.
At one point, I was shopping around for a “prettier” one, but then I figured I would never use it because I was afraid of something happening to it. With the wooden ones, I’m not afraid to carry it around in my pocket or bag all day.
The only things I have to complain about the wooden ones are:
- If the beads aren’t drilled exactly down the middle, eventually the hole widens out and the bead pops off. Or maybe this is because I tend to sometimes twist the bead as I pray.
- Especially in cases where the rosaries are made by hand (as it is for my favorite) the chord may come unglued at the first or last bead at either end of the chord. Minor problem fixed for now with a little white glue.
Does anyone have suggestions on rosary bracelets or those ring things? I have to walk a lot for work and would like to say the rosary while walking, but sometimes my hands are too full to carry the standard 5 mystery rosary.