• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Climbing sticks

bigmike23 said:
I see this as the most common complaint, but Ive just never had an issue. Not through the worst thickets or mountain Laurel or anything. They stack inline which is infinitely better than offset, and theyre absolutely dead quiet stacking with SS's.
Click to expand...

How you pack them?
 
DOMMA said:
This Climbing stick question has been asked many times in multiple forums over the past 4 -5 years as new competitors have flooded the market. If you research this question, there are dozens of threads, and in every thread, Beast Sticks come out 1 or 2. In the past three years, I had 3 new saddles, 3 new bows, but the same set of Beast Sticks. I tried others, most recently the LWCG, which are nice, but it is hard to beat the Beast Sticks. If they packed better (tighter) they would be perfect. I am entering my 4th year with Beast Sticks being my primary, go-to sticks.

I'm hearing the new Tethrd Gen 2 sticks are worth a look. I was not impressed with the fist gen.
Click to expand...
Nor am I with all the recalls lol
 
Beast Sticks weakness is that they could stack better. They stack OK, I have been strapping them on my backpack for years without issue. But other sticks, stack better. I think Beast Sticks win out in every other category.
climbing sticks.jpg
 
bigmike23 said:
Stack the 4 and the bolt to the beast stand. They were great when I saddle hunted and worked perfect with the eberlestock x4
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't like how that puts weight out-away from the stand. Works better with the pack, two on each side, imo.
 
DOMMA said:
Beast Sticks weakness is that they could stack better. They stack OK, I have been strapping them on my backpack for years without issue. But other sticks, stack better. I think Beast Sticks win out in every other category.
View attachment 73163
Click to expand...

I always worry about falling backwards in this configuration
 
Plebe said:
I always worry about falling backwards in this configuration
Click to expand...

Do you fall backwards a lot?:) I've never even giving it a thought and I hike up and down steep hills, cross streams, hunt MD winters....
 
DOMMA said:
Do you fall backwards a lot?:) I've never even giving it a thought and I hike up and down steep hills, cross streams, hunt MD winters....
Click to expand...

It'll only take one time and you'll be mindful I'm sure
 
Before I buy anything, sticks, whatever, how it packs, or fits into my pack rather is the first thing I look at, I don’t really care if a stick weighs 1.5 oz versus 1.7, how is that stupid thing going to carry along with the rest of my junk is what I worry about, and the fiddle factor involved, testing all this crap in the yard under ideal conditions is a joke, how about doing it during a snow storm in the dark… choose whatever stick packs well with your intended platform, pack, you get the idea Im sure… and then become proficient with it.
 
Topdog said:
Before I buy anything, sticks, whatever, how it packs, or fits into my pack rather is the first thing I look at, I don’t really care if a stick weighs 1.5 oz versus 1.7, how is that stupid thing going to carry along with the rest of my junk is what I worry about, and the fiddle factor involved, testing all this crap in the yard under ideal conditions is a joke, how about doing it during a snow storm in the dark… choose whatever stick packs well with your intended platform, pack, you get the idea Im sure… and then become proficient with it.
Click to expand...
X2
 
I had the hawk mini's and now I am running the 20" LWCG doubles and it's a night and day difference. the foot room is incredibly different and how your foot sits on them is a big deal especially when setting your platform or ring. My next two options would be the beast sticks or novix mini's in that order. I wouldn't trust hawk steps in any way, but that's just me.
 
What steps are you using?
Topdog said:
Before I buy anything, sticks, whatever, how it packs, or fits into my pack rather is the first thing I look at, I don’t really care if a stick weighs 1.5 oz versus 1.7, how is that stupid thing going to carry along with the rest of my junk is what I worry about, and the fiddle factor involved, testing all this crap in the yard under ideal conditions is a joke, how about doing it during a snow storm in the dark… choose whatever stick packs well with your intended platform, pack, you get the idea Im sure… and then become proficient with it.
Click to expand...
Because of how they packed I ordered some Shikar 14" sticks. I read on another thread this morning that @Ouachitamtnman
Had issues with the 14" flexing. Any one else have a issue?
 
GeoFish said:
What steps are you using?

Because of how they packed I ordered some Shikar 14" sticks. I read on another thread this morning that @Ouachitamtnman
Had issues with the 14" flexing. Any one else have a issue?
Click to expand...
I hate sticks, but when I’m forced to use them I run LWCG 17” single step sticks with cable aiders and they ride on my .5 stand, most of the time I run an Ambush platform with a drill and titanium bolts.
 
Topdog said:
I hate sticks, but when I’m forced to use them I run LWCG 17” single step sticks with cable aiders and they ride on my .5 stand, most of the time I run an Ambush platform with a drill and titanium bolts.
Click to expand...

They pair awesome on a Millennium M7 with J-hooks too. I just set this up for my older brother for our MD hunt.
 
I have a set of LW originals that I added a double step to the top position, wire aiders and changed the buckle to Amstel rope mods. I also have a set of the full length Hawk sticks that I changed the straps to Amstel rope modes with single step aiders made of Amstel on each stick. Both of these work great on the tree but packing them is a pain sometimes. I use a strap and throw them over my shoulder. Just this past week I got a set of the Skeletor sticks. Today made my second hunt with them, I use a 5 step aider on the bottom stock which a 4 step would be perfect getting to 7 ft. with the first stick. For now I use the other 3 with out aiders getting me in the 16 to 18 ft range according to how far I space them apart. I'm getting use to the 5 step aider which I will start transferring to at least the 2nd stick as I climb to get a few feet higher when the canopy starts opening up.
Now with that said, I know I've only used the Skeletors on two hunts but for me these are the best sticks of the 3 I own. Main benefits are length lets me attach them to my pack easily, the steps angle away from the tree giving better foot placement space, the rope system and cleat is absolutely the bomb. At first I was concerned but now that I've used them the cleat is great. And the way they stack works great, actually makes fastening them to my pack easy and my pack doesn't even have molly loops on it. Also lets me keep two of them stuck together and fastened to my saddle as I climb with the 3rd one on the other side of my saddle.
They stick to the tree and set unbelievably great. Today I hunted a very hard barked tree. When I removed the rope the stick stayed stuck to the tree until I pulled them away from it. For the price they are a great stick that I think will serve me well. I put my hawks and Lone Wolfs on the shelf where they will stay the rest of the season.
Good luck in your search there is a lot of choices out there and I bet regardless of what you buy you will change at some point to something else during your Saddle Hunting adventures.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CP3
You're 5'6". How heavy are you?

I ran full length Hawk Helium sticks for a few years and recently switched to XOP double minis. If you're just getting started, it's hard to beat the Hawk (or even XOP) price. They are heavier than the other options but the Hawks pack pretty well. There are Facebook posts about Hawk sticks bending but I've never experienced it (5'5", 130lbs) and they probably sell an order of magnitude more sticks than other manufacturers; their failures might not be any higher proportionally than what other manufacturers see (just guessing, no data to back that up).

Either way, I wouldn't spend Beast or EWO money on my first sticks. Go cheap. You might hate them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top