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Climbing Aider

To the OPs question, it has been done. It felt very tedious to me. A lot of movement for the distance gained. I find its a better emergency climbing method to keep at the bottom of the pack.

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I would try them. It is actually the exact opposite. One of the biggest benefits is how compact they pack up. They easily fit into a small backpack. Very quiet as well. Like sticks, there are ways to quiet them down even further. Depending on your climbing method you can climb up to 40 feet with 6 stepps (lbs). They aren't for everybody but they are a great public land legal climbing method.

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This!!!
BassBoy is right. I don't think we're even close to maximizing the full potential of what these stepps are capable of.
 
This!!!
BassBoy is right. I don't think we're even close to maximizing the full potential of what these stepps are capable of.
I keep trying those WE steps because of your enthusiasm. I still prefer sticks but I will keep trying them because of comments like this.

Maybe if more thought went into aider climbing, like all the thought that has gone into using WE steps someone would grow to like using just an aider too. Keep at the experiments. Maybe try a 6 step aider and move at least 5 feet at a time???
 
I keep trying those WE steps because of your enthusiasm. I still prefer sticks but I will keep trying them because of comments like this.

Maybe if more thought went into aider climbing, like all the thought that has gone into using WE steps someone would grow to like using just an aider too. Keep at the experiments. Maybe try a 6 step aider and move at least 5 feet at a time???

I'm going to try and get a 5-6 step Amsteel aider spliced up tonight designed specifically for a WE stepp. We'll see how it goes.
 
I keep trying those WE steps because of your enthusiasm. I still prefer sticks but I will keep trying them because of comments like this.

Maybe if more thought went into aider climbing, like all the thought that has gone into using WE steps someone would grow to like using just an aider too. Keep at the experiments. Maybe try a 6 step aider and move at least 5 feet at a time???
That is what I've done. @justsomedude has a good system. The thread is a couple years old. Just need to dig it up.

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That is what I've done. @justsomedude has a good system. The thread is a couple years old. Just need to dig it up.

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Do you carry the aider up with you or do you have multiple aiders. It seems it would be difficult to remove from a step you are standing on.
 
Think of it as operating like a “sit and climb” tree stand. Since I’m essentially using a 30’ tree tether the whole way up, it makes it pretty easy.

I hook up my tree tether as high as I can. Then I hook up the aider at about chest height. My Ropeman is set at about waist height with two foot loops going through the carabiner. Now I hook up my bridge to the tether and sit down in my harness. Now I can lift up my feet and put each one into a loop. My toes are pointing out and my feet are basically hugging the tree. Because I’m using both feet instead of just one, and they are pushing in opposing directions, kick out is a non issue.

So now I look like I’m sitting in a chair with my legs at a 90 degree angle. At this point I simply stand up moving all of my weight from the harness to the foot loops. I reach up and slide the tree tether as high as I can again. (I’ve been practicing this with the MR Lifeguard so this is pretty easy). Now I sit back down in my harness and either pull on the tail of the aider or just move the whole thing up the tree. Now I stand up again and repeat.

So far I’ve been doing this without the need for a lineman’s belt with no issues. I would obviously need it if I was moving around branches.

This may sound complicated but it’s really not. I’m still tweaking the process and may have come up with a way to make it more efficient.

EDIT: To come down I rappel of course. My retractable gear hoist pulls double duty here. Instead of lowering my bow down I strap it to my pack or throw it over my back (recurve, easy peasy). Now I hook up my gear hoist to a small permanently installed Amsteel loop that is buried in the girth hitch knot on my tether. I rappel down with my hoist feeding out line as I go. When I get to the ground I simply pull on my gear hoist line and it disengages the girth hitch. I pull my rope down and pack up.

Here’s where I got my inspiration ( I kid you not)!!

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Can you take a picture of your set up? I am not understanding. Seems like everything is hooked to the same place. At some point doesn't the tether have to be unweighted to move your tether up the tree? Maybe I missed something. Do you have two tethers?

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Can you take a picture of your set up? I am not understanding. Seems like everything is hooked to the same place. At some point doesn't the tether have to be unweighted to move your tether up the tree? Maybe I missed something. Do you have two tethers?

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The aider is also a tether (for your feet). So you basically have two tethers around the tree. You unweight the top tether to move it when you stand up and put weight in the bottom tether/aider. I'll try to get some pics or a video together.
 
The aider is also a tether (for your feet). So you basically have two tethers around the tree. You unweight the top tether to move it when you stand up and put weight in the bottom tether/aider. I'll try to get some pics or a video together.
That explains it. The way I read it I didn't see a second tether/aider. I climbed all aider this year. But I would like to try your system before committing to it again. But I like it better than carrying a bunch of sticks and extra weight though.

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I’ve tried something very similar. Only difference was I didn’t have the 30ft rope to rappel down. It was in the back of my mind if I enjoyed the assent. I never got use to it. But I did come up with a foot loop that was very comfortable that you may want to try. A foot loop made with seat belt webbing for each foot. Basically a strap with a loop on each side and tie the center of the strap to the tether/aider rope. Gives you lots of foot support and makes a V against the tree so the sides of your feet and the strap are against the tree. Wrapping it live the V bar on a stick or stand.


I have been messing with a climbing method that sounds similar to this. I basically use two tethers, the top tether is connected to my RCH, the bottom tether is connected to foot stirrups. I use a Ropeman 1 for each tether. Having both feet in the stirrup allows you to put both feet against the tree and makes it very stable. I sit in the RCH, pull on the tag end of my foot tether, stand up with both feet against the tree and pull on the tag end of my RCH tether. You can get two moves with the Ropeman's before having to move the tether ups. The first time I did it I went 20' in about 5 min. I also added another prussic and biner to the foot tether that stays at waist height. This allows you to stand in the stirrup and clip into the RCH harness so that you can stand up and be hands free to set a platform or move around limbs. You can basically go as high as you want with just two ropes.

I am going to mess with it some more if it ever warms up.
 
Video:

It's my favorite method for packing in... least favorite for ascending/descending lol. Repelling would be nice going down, but then you're committed to carrying a long, bulky rope. If I ever wanted to climb a tree on a DIY mountain hunt in Colorado, this is probably what I'd pack because the weight and bulk is so minimal.

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