Red, somehow I kind of figured you would be buying these. You gear junkie
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Stepp Ladder reviews...
- Thread starter junkpile
- Start date
Red, somehow I kind of figured you would be buying these. You gear junkie
It is one of many problems
I'm always looking for something better than what I already have.
Ontariofarmer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2015
- Messages
- 5,255
It is one of many problems
I'm always looking for something better than what I already have.
I think I will wait to buy until after I hear the red review
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As soon as I use them I'll let you guys know. It might not be for a while though. At this time of year I spend most of my time scouting, and then I start tinkering with gear more towards summer.
Come on you can throw em on a tree and give em a try before summer
. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
lol. Maybe. Too many projects, not enough time!Come on you can throw em on a tree and give em a try before summer.
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Gettin Closer
Well-Known Member
Have you received the aider yet? Any thoughts or best practices? I get the steps and aider in the mail on Monday according to UPS. I look forward to it but I have never used an aider of any sort before.
nature tamer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2016
- Messages
- 225
I just check out the wild edge booth at the great American outdoor show. I got to mess around with the steps a little bit. Tying knot isn't hard but there is a sweet spot of the tightness. The aider Is simple and effective. And definitely a must I think. But I don't know how long it will take to do a full climb as I can't at the booth. One thought I had was can you use the knot from the ezy climb rope steps instead of the Jimm step knot? I didn't have the funds to buy anything right now. But I think they will definitely be my choice of climb for this season.
Gettin Closer
Well-Known Member
Here is my 1st impression review of the SteppLadder and the step aider.
I am not going to spend a lot of time talking about the stepp ladder system. All of the reviews that I have already read on them are spot-on. They do take some getting used to. This was my first time to ever hold or use a step ladder. They are lighter than they look and did not feel bulky or awkward. Like everything else saddle hunting related, they will just take a little getting used to in order to get the proper tension.
As far as the aider goes, it is made out of the same material as the step ladder rope. It is very quiet to use! The hook does have a little keeper latch to keep it from jumping off the rung. I found it very easy to use! Again, this is my first time using it and I found it easy! The rest of you Pros that are used to aider systems will not have a problem at all. I found that if I kept my toe pointed towards the tree it helped keep my foot from jumping side to side. I cannot say how easy it is to go down as this was my first time to use the system and I did not want to get more than a few feet off the ground.
I will be able to give more insight to this system as I become more comfortable with it. This is all I could do in the few moments between the time I got home and it got dark. For those of you that have already ordered it, I do not believe that you will regret it. I hope this helps.
I am not going to spend a lot of time talking about the stepp ladder system. All of the reviews that I have already read on them are spot-on. They do take some getting used to. This was my first time to ever hold or use a step ladder. They are lighter than they look and did not feel bulky or awkward. Like everything else saddle hunting related, they will just take a little getting used to in order to get the proper tension.
As far as the aider goes, it is made out of the same material as the step ladder rope. It is very quiet to use! The hook does have a little keeper latch to keep it from jumping off the rung. I found it very easy to use! Again, this is my first time using it and I found it easy! The rest of you Pros that are used to aider systems will not have a problem at all. I found that if I kept my toe pointed towards the tree it helped keep my foot from jumping side to side. I cannot say how easy it is to go down as this was my first time to use the system and I did not want to get more than a few feet off the ground.
I will be able to give more insight to this system as I become more comfortable with it. This is all I could do in the few moments between the time I got home and it got dark. For those of you that have already ordered it, I do not believe that you will regret it. I hope this helps.
I am new to the site, but am always trying to optimize my setup, and have been working on the same systems. Using info from this site, youtube and the DIY Sportsman site, I have modified my set up this past year, and also plan to try to incorporate and test the Stepps this year.
My current setup is Lone Wolf sticks with a single rope step (aider) at the bottom of each stick, and a New Tribe Aero Hunter.
For the Lone Wolf rope step, I have used camo webbing attached to the bottom of each stick just above the last step. These aiders are the same distance between the Lone Wolf steps to keep climbing more consistent and safe. I also use ½" rubber gas-type hose approximately 8" in length on each rope to hold the step open, make it easier to find and step into, and to cushion the step on my boot. It works very well, and seems very stable. When I climb with the sticks, I grab the sticks and steps to support myself and prevent kick-out -- I have not had any problems. This set up allows me to climb an extre 60" (5' ) with the same 4 sticks, while only adding several ounces per stick.
Using the New Tribe Aero Hunter this year has really changed my set up and possibilities. I wear the Aero Hunter walking in, which lightens my load significantly compared to a lock on, and is quicker and quieter to set up. I then carry my sticks, and use them to climb to height. I have been using Cranson EZ Steps with rope attachments at the top for a "platform".
I posted a copy of this set up and use on youtube for a friend, and you may find it useful:
or you can search: Aero Hunter R&G Setup
Recently I have been experimenting with the Muddy Pro sticks, and looking at the modifications Based on the DIY Sportsman website and other blogs. These sticks are shorter than the Lone Wolf's and have only 2 steps as opposed to 3, however the steps are 18 inches apart instead of 15 inches, as on the Lone Wolf’s. By modifying these steps and adding an additional rope step to each section, they get close to the height of the Lone Wolf with the rope steps: 4 Muddy Pro + rope steps at 18” between steps = 18 ft; 4 Lone Wolf + rope steps at 15” between steps = 20 ft. The weight between the two systems with four steps each remains the same at the base weight of 10 pounds, with an additional 1 pound for the rope steps. The cost of each system is approximately the same, at $179 for the 4 Muddy sticks and $199 for the 4 Lone Wolf sticks. I have been able to find the Muddy sticks for $130 on Amazon.
The benefits would be that the Muddies ofter quicker and easier attachment using the cam and rope, and also the dual steps on each side of the stick. The Lone Wolfs offer more height. Both are made extremely well. I’m also looking into trying the Lone Wolf's with replacing the strap with a 9mm climbing rope to go around the tree. In addition, I may look into trying to have custom machined steps made for the Lone Wolf's to allow steps on each side, at least for the top step.
I have been looking at the Wild Edge Stepps recently on line, and must have missed then at that Harrisburg Show. I plan to see how they fit into my above set up with regard to ease of use, packing weight, and quietness. I will try incorporating them into all or part of the tree climbing, and also as a platform for standing on top when I am in a saddle.
The Climbing Aider now offered by Wild Edge looks like a may be a good choice (with or without mods) for use with the Tree Stepps, because the rope can be moved between steps at eye level and passed inside the ring of the lower step to prevent kick out.
For aiders on the sticks, I prefer individual aiders for each stick. It would be impossible and dangerous to reach down from the top step to remove an aider from the bottom of the stick and then move it to the next stick up. Further, the rope step aiders are inexpensive and quick to make, and pack very well (as can be seen in the youtube video).
Thanks for the info you have provided, and hope this helps.
My current setup is Lone Wolf sticks with a single rope step (aider) at the bottom of each stick, and a New Tribe Aero Hunter.
For the Lone Wolf rope step, I have used camo webbing attached to the bottom of each stick just above the last step. These aiders are the same distance between the Lone Wolf steps to keep climbing more consistent and safe. I also use ½" rubber gas-type hose approximately 8" in length on each rope to hold the step open, make it easier to find and step into, and to cushion the step on my boot. It works very well, and seems very stable. When I climb with the sticks, I grab the sticks and steps to support myself and prevent kick-out -- I have not had any problems. This set up allows me to climb an extre 60" (5' ) with the same 4 sticks, while only adding several ounces per stick.
Using the New Tribe Aero Hunter this year has really changed my set up and possibilities. I wear the Aero Hunter walking in, which lightens my load significantly compared to a lock on, and is quicker and quieter to set up. I then carry my sticks, and use them to climb to height. I have been using Cranson EZ Steps with rope attachments at the top for a "platform".
I posted a copy of this set up and use on youtube for a friend, and you may find it useful:
or you can search: Aero Hunter R&G Setup
Recently I have been experimenting with the Muddy Pro sticks, and looking at the modifications Based on the DIY Sportsman website and other blogs. These sticks are shorter than the Lone Wolf's and have only 2 steps as opposed to 3, however the steps are 18 inches apart instead of 15 inches, as on the Lone Wolf’s. By modifying these steps and adding an additional rope step to each section, they get close to the height of the Lone Wolf with the rope steps: 4 Muddy Pro + rope steps at 18” between steps = 18 ft; 4 Lone Wolf + rope steps at 15” between steps = 20 ft. The weight between the two systems with four steps each remains the same at the base weight of 10 pounds, with an additional 1 pound for the rope steps. The cost of each system is approximately the same, at $179 for the 4 Muddy sticks and $199 for the 4 Lone Wolf sticks. I have been able to find the Muddy sticks for $130 on Amazon.
The benefits would be that the Muddies ofter quicker and easier attachment using the cam and rope, and also the dual steps on each side of the stick. The Lone Wolfs offer more height. Both are made extremely well. I’m also looking into trying the Lone Wolf's with replacing the strap with a 9mm climbing rope to go around the tree. In addition, I may look into trying to have custom machined steps made for the Lone Wolf's to allow steps on each side, at least for the top step.
I have been looking at the Wild Edge Stepps recently on line, and must have missed then at that Harrisburg Show. I plan to see how they fit into my above set up with regard to ease of use, packing weight, and quietness. I will try incorporating them into all or part of the tree climbing, and also as a platform for standing on top when I am in a saddle.
The Climbing Aider now offered by Wild Edge looks like a may be a good choice (with or without mods) for use with the Tree Stepps, because the rope can be moved between steps at eye level and passed inside the ring of the lower step to prevent kick out.
For aiders on the sticks, I prefer individual aiders for each stick. It would be impossible and dangerous to reach down from the top step to remove an aider from the bottom of the stick and then move it to the next stick up. Further, the rope step aiders are inexpensive and quick to make, and pack very well (as can be seen in the youtube video).
Thanks for the info you have provided, and hope this helps.
Gettin Closer
Well-Known Member
Alright guys! I was able to get to some woods near the house this morning and play with the Stepp Ladder and the new aider! Here is what I can tell you after playing with them in daylight without being rushed.
1) make sure you are making the stepp knot correctly! The other day I was capturing the rope as I wrapped it aound. I saw an older video and then I caught my error. This is not a fatal mistake as it lock into place but it makes it VERY difficult to adjust the tension and very difficult to undo after standing on it. Once I tied the knot correctly, it went much faster and easier to adjust tension properly!
2) the aider is awesome! I hade never messed with an aider before the Stepp Aider. Super easy to use and going down is not as hard as I thought it would be. Going up is easy, going down, I would reach down as far as I could and wiggle the aider through the stepp bellow and then hook it. It will require a red head lamp at night (at least at first for me) to be able to thread the aider through the stepp to climb down. Other t b an that... zero issues. It is quiet and stiff enough the I can slide my toe into the loop and ease my way down.
3) with the help aider, the 2nd stepp was at 7' or a few inches more. I am right at 6' tall. The first step is at the top of my hip and the second and every step after is about 1' ish above my head. This will get you up quicker with fewer steps without a doubt. I was very stable on the Stepps and the aider.
4) smoother barked trees are easier than rough barked trees with deep ridges and vallies. That being said, I intentionally climbed on a step that I knew was not perfectly tight and snug. *I am not saying you should do this but I wanted to see what would happen at 2' with a lineman belt to see what could happen.* the step when not tight bit in with the bottom point and leaned away feom the tree at the top (1/8" to 1/4"). The allowed a little latter al movement and the step felt soggy. If it is not tight enough, you will know it and can then step down 1 level to redo the loose step. *every time I stepped on a loose one, it always held my weight but I never tested a loose step with an aider clipped on it. I just wanted to point out that should you mount it incorrectly that you will know it before it is to late.*
5) I am sure I will get faster as I spend more time with the SteppLadder system. However straight out of the box, I am sure climbing sticks are a faster way to get up a tree. On the other hand, the SteppLadder system is more versatile in the sence that you can shift 1 step to the side if there is a branch or set it up to use a branch as a step if you wanted. All 10 Stepps fit nice and clean into a closed bag. This makes it nice for going through thick brush and not hanging up on vines and branches with the climbing sticks. Ultimately, this makes them quieter and less of a hassle in my opinion.
I hope this helps some of you. The only thing I am going to change is.... the bag strap... I need to find a pad from a suitcase strap or briefcase strap to slide onto the SteppLadder bag. The bag is great, it hold them tight and quiet but only has a 1" strap. With a small piece of padding, it will be perfect!
Make sure to always wear a line man's belt and be safe out there. I look forward to using the SteppLadder and my sitdrag with a RC harness more and more and think it is an awesome combination.
1) make sure you are making the stepp knot correctly! The other day I was capturing the rope as I wrapped it aound. I saw an older video and then I caught my error. This is not a fatal mistake as it lock into place but it makes it VERY difficult to adjust the tension and very difficult to undo after standing on it. Once I tied the knot correctly, it went much faster and easier to adjust tension properly!
2) the aider is awesome! I hade never messed with an aider before the Stepp Aider. Super easy to use and going down is not as hard as I thought it would be. Going up is easy, going down, I would reach down as far as I could and wiggle the aider through the stepp bellow and then hook it. It will require a red head lamp at night (at least at first for me) to be able to thread the aider through the stepp to climb down. Other t b an that... zero issues. It is quiet and stiff enough the I can slide my toe into the loop and ease my way down.
3) with the help aider, the 2nd stepp was at 7' or a few inches more. I am right at 6' tall. The first step is at the top of my hip and the second and every step after is about 1' ish above my head. This will get you up quicker with fewer steps without a doubt. I was very stable on the Stepps and the aider.
4) smoother barked trees are easier than rough barked trees with deep ridges and vallies. That being said, I intentionally climbed on a step that I knew was not perfectly tight and snug. *I am not saying you should do this but I wanted to see what would happen at 2' with a lineman belt to see what could happen.* the step when not tight bit in with the bottom point and leaned away feom the tree at the top (1/8" to 1/4"). The allowed a little latter al movement and the step felt soggy. If it is not tight enough, you will know it and can then step down 1 level to redo the loose step. *every time I stepped on a loose one, it always held my weight but I never tested a loose step with an aider clipped on it. I just wanted to point out that should you mount it incorrectly that you will know it before it is to late.*
5) I am sure I will get faster as I spend more time with the SteppLadder system. However straight out of the box, I am sure climbing sticks are a faster way to get up a tree. On the other hand, the SteppLadder system is more versatile in the sence that you can shift 1 step to the side if there is a branch or set it up to use a branch as a step if you wanted. All 10 Stepps fit nice and clean into a closed bag. This makes it nice for going through thick brush and not hanging up on vines and branches with the climbing sticks. Ultimately, this makes them quieter and less of a hassle in my opinion.
I hope this helps some of you. The only thing I am going to change is.... the bag strap... I need to find a pad from a suitcase strap or briefcase strap to slide onto the SteppLadder bag. The bag is great, it hold them tight and quiet but only has a 1" strap. With a small piece of padding, it will be perfect!
Make sure to always wear a line man's belt and be safe out there. I look forward to using the SteppLadder and my sitdrag with a RC harness more and more and think it is an awesome combination.
Hey Everyone!
I love reading your posts and enjoy seeing how you break everything down and analyze everything to the T! I owe credit to you all for motivating me to make the SteppLadder Aider, it took some time to get the design down but from the reactions from the Harrisburg show and these threads I believe the system is unbeatable!
The key to remember with the Aider is to make sure you always put the loop that you step into through the stepp below the one you are hooked to prevent your foot from sliding around the tree. Another way to hook the Aider to the stepp is to hook it to the bottom V or the pick end of the Stepp so that it doesn’t slide on the bar or the rung. Another great point was made on this thread, always point your toe against the tree to keep from kicking to the side around the tree. Make sure you are always wearing a safety belt as well!
As far as the SteppLadder goes, I always tell people to properly assemble and cam over the stepp the key is to always pull the stand offs up as high as you can against the tree above the rope going around the tree and put some “testosterone” (effort) into camming it over so that it is solid! You cannot break the Stepp, always put equal pressure on the stand offs and cam it over as hard as you can! Once you get the tension down you will be able to feel when the stepp is solid just by camming it over. Once you hear that “snap” you know that stepp is solid.
When you first take your new Stepps out of the bag you will have to cam them over a few times in order to compress the new rope and tighten up the spliced end!
As for making the platform when hunting out of a saddle I will post a few videos on my techniques on how to get the stepps at the same plane around the tree without touching the rope with the standoffs.
Stay tuned on our website as we will have padded cushions to add to your carry bags very soon! We will also be releasing our own Wild Edge Saddle Sling this summer, which I know you will all love! We will also be releasing our own safety harness around the same time!
Stay tuned and keep the ideas flowing! Keep checking out youtube channel (Wild Edge Inc.) for new videos! Don’t forget to check us out at the Springfield Sportsmen’s Show next weekend Feb. 24-26 at the Big E, booth #410 for sweet deals!
All my best,
Andrew
I love reading your posts and enjoy seeing how you break everything down and analyze everything to the T! I owe credit to you all for motivating me to make the SteppLadder Aider, it took some time to get the design down but from the reactions from the Harrisburg show and these threads I believe the system is unbeatable!
The key to remember with the Aider is to make sure you always put the loop that you step into through the stepp below the one you are hooked to prevent your foot from sliding around the tree. Another way to hook the Aider to the stepp is to hook it to the bottom V or the pick end of the Stepp so that it doesn’t slide on the bar or the rung. Another great point was made on this thread, always point your toe against the tree to keep from kicking to the side around the tree. Make sure you are always wearing a safety belt as well!
As far as the SteppLadder goes, I always tell people to properly assemble and cam over the stepp the key is to always pull the stand offs up as high as you can against the tree above the rope going around the tree and put some “testosterone” (effort) into camming it over so that it is solid! You cannot break the Stepp, always put equal pressure on the stand offs and cam it over as hard as you can! Once you get the tension down you will be able to feel when the stepp is solid just by camming it over. Once you hear that “snap” you know that stepp is solid.
When you first take your new Stepps out of the bag you will have to cam them over a few times in order to compress the new rope and tighten up the spliced end!
As for making the platform when hunting out of a saddle I will post a few videos on my techniques on how to get the stepps at the same plane around the tree without touching the rope with the standoffs.
Stay tuned on our website as we will have padded cushions to add to your carry bags very soon! We will also be releasing our own Wild Edge Saddle Sling this summer, which I know you will all love! We will also be releasing our own safety harness around the same time!
Stay tuned and keep the ideas flowing! Keep checking out youtube channel (Wild Edge Inc.) for new videos! Don’t forget to check us out at the Springfield Sportsmen’s Show next weekend Feb. 24-26 at the Big E, booth #410 for sweet deals!
All my best,
Andrew
Also feel free to contact me if anyone is interested in doing some product testing for us for some free apparel and accessories!
Andrew G. Walter | President
Wild Edge Inc.
7 Matthews Dr. Unit D-1 East Haddam, Ct 06423
Office 860 891 8167
Andrew@wildedgeinc.com
www.WildEdgeInc.com
Andrew G. Walter | President
Wild Edge Inc.
7 Matthews Dr. Unit D-1 East Haddam, Ct 06423
Office 860 891 8167
Andrew@wildedgeinc.com
www.WildEdgeInc.com
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2017
- Messages
- 3,388
I think that i like to stagger the steps slightly to the left and right as I go up. My first impression is that I will be getting much use out of these, of course you guys make it look so easy but I think it will be second nature shortly!
gabejessforster
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2016
- Messages
- 38
Just heard the Wild Edge interview on the Nine Finger Chronicles podcast. Very nice. Great info on there!
Hey Guys!
Make sure to check out our podcast with Nine Finger Chronicles! I also wanted to have all you "Gear Nuts" tell me what you would be looking for in the perfect saddle design! As we are working on our new saddle I want to make sure that we have everything in this design that would be beneficial in the perfect saddle and there is no better way to find out by asking all you saddle veterans!
Let me know what you like about your saddle set up and what you don't like or would like to improve, what material you like best, where the best position for the d-rings are, if a center loop is necessary, whether you like comfort over light weight and the importance of simplicity in the design. Our goal for our saddle is to be extremely simple (the least amount of buckles and straps possible), light weight and water resistant because i don't know about you guys but my favorite time to hunt is in the rain!
Lets hear your feedback!
http://www.ninefingerchronicles.com/podcast/gear-podcast-wild-edge-inc/
If you are in the New England Area don't forget to come see us at the Springfield Sportsmen show this weekend!
All my best,
Andrew
Wild Edge Inc.
Make sure to check out our podcast with Nine Finger Chronicles! I also wanted to have all you "Gear Nuts" tell me what you would be looking for in the perfect saddle design! As we are working on our new saddle I want to make sure that we have everything in this design that would be beneficial in the perfect saddle and there is no better way to find out by asking all you saddle veterans!
Let me know what you like about your saddle set up and what you don't like or would like to improve, what material you like best, where the best position for the d-rings are, if a center loop is necessary, whether you like comfort over light weight and the importance of simplicity in the design. Our goal for our saddle is to be extremely simple (the least amount of buckles and straps possible), light weight and water resistant because i don't know about you guys but my favorite time to hunt is in the rain!
Lets hear your feedback!
http://www.ninefingerchronicles.com/podcast/gear-podcast-wild-edge-inc/
If you are in the New England Area don't forget to come see us at the Springfield Sportsmen show this weekend!
All my best,
Andrew
Wild Edge Inc.
It's a myth that you need extra weight or equipment to be comfortable. Properly engineered and well thought-out equipment doesn't have to be heavy or complicated.
PJC
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,539