I did some checking and it sounds like there is considerable difference in the two.

A rattan cane is flexible, so when it strikes, it has a bit of give. This flexibility allows the force to spread out, creating a deeper, more diffused impact that feels thuddier. The natural flexibility of rattan helps distribute the energy more evenly across the skin, which results in less of a sharp, pinpoint sensation.

On the other hand, a carbon fiber cane, being stiff and unyielding, focuses the energy of the strike into a smaller area, leading to a sharper, more concentrated sting. The lack of flexibility in carbon fiber doesn’t allow the impact to spread out, so the feeling is much more intense and focused in one spot.

This is why people often find rattan canes to be better suited for those who like a thuddier feel with welts, while the rigid carbon fiber is better for precise, sting-focused impact.

Sounds like we both have something new to try, but I think our preference will be rattan.