Well in Virginia second day deer moving set a decoy for the first time. Climbed up the only tree that would work for my setup and it was a little big for the climber but I've gotten on bigger ones with the same platform. Climbed to hunting height and was pruning a couple branches that were in my way. No warning and the platform just blew up. I wasn't sure what happened at first but gathered my thoughts once hanging for a minute and looked at the climber and the casting had just come apart. I might mention I have climbed over a hundred trees with this climber. So on my climber I have a 1" tubuler aider that I use for the first step up on the platform so I untied it and tied a bowline in one end and girth hitched the tree then tied another bowline to make a loop for my foot. I then untied the platform from my carbiner and threw it to the ground just so it didn't get in the way and climbed down.
Next day called Lone Wolf which turns out is Oakley Outdoors now and told them what happened. They were great but told me that the platform was not designed to climb with a saddle and the side pressure caused it to fail. I know their right and their website says not to use saddle hunting.
They couldn't get another platform in the mail fast enough for me and want mine in return to check it out.
I also had the bolt mod on mine to elevate the arms for a better climbing angle.
I was lost with out my climber in Virginia. I had bolts and sticks but just not the same a lot more trouble and more dangerous IMHO.
So just giving everybody a heads up. I'm 210 in my underware if that matters.
This is the setup I use 99% of the time and don't plan on changing anything. But if you plan on using one have a self rescue line, rope, aider something you can girth hitch the tree with and self rescue if needed.
Just my thoughts nothing more.
Bongo
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Next day called Lone Wolf which turns out is Oakley Outdoors now and told them what happened. They were great but told me that the platform was not designed to climb with a saddle and the side pressure caused it to fail. I know their right and their website says not to use saddle hunting.
They couldn't get another platform in the mail fast enough for me and want mine in return to check it out.
I also had the bolt mod on mine to elevate the arms for a better climbing angle.
I was lost with out my climber in Virginia. I had bolts and sticks but just not the same a lot more trouble and more dangerous IMHO.
So just giving everybody a heads up. I'm 210 in my underware if that matters.
This is the setup I use 99% of the time and don't plan on changing anything. But if you plan on using one have a self rescue line, rope, aider something you can girth hitch the tree with and self rescue if needed.
Just my thoughts nothing more.
Bongo
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk