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Alternative ways to attach a stepp ladder

redsquirrel

redsquirrel

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I'm still trying to like the stepp ladders but I haven't gotten them to work for me yet. The two things I don't like are:
1. The bulk of the included rope
2. If you don't get them cam'ed over correctly they can become very unstable and you may be taking a spill. I find myself having to tweak my knot a lot in order to get it to cam over properly. Not a problem if I was using them for presets but I'm looking to use them to be mobile. Maybe I just need more practice.

Anyways, I just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for a more efficient way to attach them. I had been thinking about trying a cam buckle like the primal knock offs did but haven't gotten to it and obviously it will add more weight.
698709m2_ts.jpg
 
I agree with everything you said, but you have to admit when you get it right they are rock solid. I find that some days it works out perfectly and others I have to adjust the knot a few times to get it right. Also I find that you have to get the 2 posts above the rope before camming it over.

I think keep practicing. I don't love the bag. I find it hard to zip especially when coming down. I think I need to add a tab on the bottom of zipper so I can zip it up easier.


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Jefferson10940 said:
I agree with everything you said, but you have to admit when you get it right they are rock solid. I find that some days it works out perfectly and others I have to adjust the knot a few times to get it right. Also I find that you have to get the 2 posts above the rope before camming it over.

I think keep practicing. I don't love the bag. I find it hard to zip especially when coming down. I think I need to add a tab on the bottom of zipper so I can zip it up easier.


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Click to expand...
I'm glad you said that. I meant to but forgot to mention that when I get them on there right, they are rock solid as can be.

I also find some days it works for me better than others. I just need it to be a system where I know it will work for me and I have 100% confidence in it every time.

I didn't bother getting the bag, I didn't see myself using it.
 
I am going to play with some tonight, if this storm overhead subsides, and madness doesn't ensue from todays eclipse...

Ever wonder why all of the videos show the Stepp Ladder in use in larger diameter trees? Sort of has me wondering if that plays into the locked in place aspect of the Stepps. (?)

I prefer to hunt out of trees that are ~10" diameter trees. Most of the videos I've watched have them employed on much larger trees. Maybe the geometry of the Stepp is better suited for larger trees?
 
If they are new stepps then you have to work them and stand on them a half a dozen times to get the stretch out of the ropes. Once you get this done (and you keep the 2 back legs above the rope on the back of the tree) they lock tight and are super stabble.

I used them on a larger tree and realized that that part of the rope had not stretched yet. The feet pulled back just enough to allow a bit of shifting but was stable enough to use as a step on the way down.

It is rock solid once you get all the stretch out! Just be careful on Pine trees. I climbed a pine yesterday and by the time I came down, there was a bit of sap in the legs.

As far as the bag, I do not try to zip it up while climbing down. I just drop the stepps to the ground and load them up and zip on the ground. The bag fits too tight around the stepps to do it any other way (at least for me.) But this is needed to keep them from rattling when walking.

Give it a little more practice and make sure you get the stretch out of the ropes.

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I thought about getting some of these but it seems like they are iffy with it not be rock solid or should i say a challenge to get them positioned properly for the proper cam effect
 
Stretch them out - I never thought of this, but there appears to be merit in this. I correlated them working better due to more practice.

Also, when I first started using them, I bent a few Stepp's until I got the procedure dialed in. Get them so tight that you feel you will bend the Stepp's if you cam them, then let off SLIGHTLY, then cam them over.

In my opinion, trying any other way of attaching Stepp's other than the prescribed method is a fools errand.
 
redsquirrel said:
I'm still trying to like the stepp ladders but I haven't gotten them to work for me yet. The two things I don't like are:
1. The bulk of the included rope
2. If you don't get them cam'ed over correctly they can become very unstable and you may be taking a spill. I find myself having to tweak my knot a lot in order to get it to cam over properly. Not a problem if I was using them for presets but I'm looking to use them to be mobile. Maybe I just need more practice.

Anyways, I just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for a more efficient way to attach them. I had been thinking about trying a cam buckle like the primal knock offs did but haven't gotten to it and obviously it will add more weight.
698709m2_ts.jpg
Click to expand...

This step with the buckle works really good. After tightening down, it's solid.
 
I used them a lot a couple seasons ago. They are rock solid once you get them dialed in. However, there was always too much fiddle factor for me. Plus they take waaaaay too long to get to hunting height. With the new aider, maybe that problem has been solved. But installing 12 of those things to get over 20' took forever.

Bottom line, I don't think they're a good choice for mobile setups.
 
I have a set of eight coming with aider. My son is moving out of the ladder stand and into either a saddle or a hang on this year. I can't space the lone wolf out like I like and expect him to climb so when hunting with him I will probably use three lone wolf sticks and a few stepps. I'm hoping with the stepps and aider I can get about 25 foot up when I hunt alone.
 
g2outdoors said:
I used them a lot a couple seasons ago. They are rock solid once you get them dialed in. However, there was always too much fiddle factor for me. Plus they take waaaaay too long to get to hunting height. With the new aider, maybe that problem has been solved. But installing 12 of those things to get over 20' took forever.

Bottom line, I don't think they're a good choice for mobile setups.
Click to expand...

I love them for a platform. Setting up 12 is time consuming for me. I am thinking about trying out the aider. Maybe it'll change my mind about using them for an ascent.

And I still don't see why one would want to put a strap with metal on to tighten them down. LW and Hawk has the rope mod, and some people are going the reverse direction w/ Stepp clones.
 
I plan on using 3 sticks and then stepps the rest of the way up, including a few for platform. I will leave the stepps on the tree if I plan on coming back in the near future and just take the sticks with me. This way it won't take too long after the first climb. This will allow me to set up 2 different locations like this, and if the spot turns out no bueno I pack them out and try another location.
 
g2outdoors said:
I used them a lot a couple seasons ago. They are rock solid once you get them dialed in. However, there was always too much fiddle factor for me. Plus they take waaaaay too long to get to hunting height. With the new aider, maybe that problem has been solved. But installing 12 of those things to get over 20' took forever.

Bottom line, I don't think they're a good choice for mobile setups.
Click to expand...
I played around with my two in my back yards and would agree that they're too time consuming individually, but the aider does make a huge difference as long as the person has the balance to be able to utilize them to the fullest. I could get roughly 4 feet per step. So 5 steps for 20 feet. But then, I could also get higher than that with three sticks and aiders. More weight though. Trade offs...

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Wonder if you could use the knock offs and just attach regular static rope instead of the cam buckle.?
 
I love the step ladders for my saddle platform, cranford rope tree steps for ascent and descent.... on public land.
 
Anyone possibly want to trade an ameristep for a Stepp? I'm interested in trying one
 
I'm thinking of replacing the Stepp rope with a piece of spliced Amsteel. Not spliced directly to the Stepp though. Just a looped end. That way, I can transport my 3 stepps with no rope on them and simply fish the tail end of the Amsteel through the eye around the same bar the original rope was spliced to. Once on, it should act just like the original rope did.

I only use them for a platform as well. Though, I am thinking of using a couple for setting cameras in the off season.


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IkemanTX said:
I'm thinking of replacing the Stepp rope with a piece of spliced Amsteel. Not spliced directly to the Stepp though. Just a looped end. That way, I can transport my 3 stepps with no rope on them and simply fish the tail end of the Amsteel through the eye around the same bar the original rope was spliced to. Once on, it should act just like the original rope did.

I only use them for a platform as well. Though, I am thinking of using a couple for setting cameras in the off season.


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Click to expand...
That's not a bad idea. I've been transporting mine all bundled up. Only risk of keeping them separate is you could forget a rope and not realize it until at the tree.
fb8cacdb1ac1918a54b1ede08294e6d3.jpg


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