That depends on your height to be completely honest. Depending on your height a straight shaft can be beneficial or trouble for you. Longer people can get more done with a straight shaft as they don’t have to bend to cut the weed with the trimmer. On the other hand, the straight shaft is typically too long for shorter people. So, if you don’t have a good height, you should consider the curved shaft for yourself. But if you have a pretty decent height, you can go for a straight shaft by all means.