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So which is better

Dale

Dale

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
61
Location
Western NY
Good evening,
Long time tree stand bow hunter here and soon to be exclusively a new saddle hunter once my ordered Mantis and Predator platform with all the fixings arrives. I am hunting on public land 90% of the time and that may soon be closer to 100% of the time as I convert to the saddle style of hunting. What I am trying to decide on is what climbing system to instill into my arsenal. The areas I hunt are mostly hill terrain with a lot of up and down and steep ravines. Traditional screw in tree steps are out and because most of my walks to the tree are over a mile to a mile and a half I am looking for something lightweight convenient and efficient. I know there are a lot of different opinions, but to you full time public landers and long time saddle users what are your most efficient and go to method to scale the tree? I can’t use tree spikes on ny state land so that is out as a tool as well. Are the cranford strap steps the way to go or are the bullman strap steps any better? Can I truly get up 22-26 ‘ w a single lightweight stick and an aider? Could I really get to how high I want to go w no stick and just a 4 or 5 step climbing aider like noxninja does? I am 45 yrs old 5’8” 200lbs in fairly good shape. I have already laid down almost 80% of my annual hunting budget on the Mantis and Predator w accessories and w/ $200 left looking for the most efficient biggest bang for the buck. I need to get this right the first time here so any and all info, advice, or know how would be greatly appreciated. I have so much bought into becoming a true saddle hunter that even w the delay in the arrival of the Mantis, I have not set a single traditional stand. I do have 9 - 20’ climbing sticks in the barn, but I am really wanting o get away from pre setting them and they have had a penitence for disappeaing in the past. My former method was w sticks and gorilla stand hang ons, millennium receivers and a single carry in/out millennium stand, or the ole reliable tried and true original 23# API bow hunter climber. Want to be much more mobile agile and lighter as the years continue to go by. Thanks in advance - Dale
 
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I am going to use my Heliums. I also have 5 wild edge stepps. Pretty much in the same boat your in as far as waiting on a saddle. I have used Heliums in the past with lock ons. I love them. I think the stepps will be good too. I think its just whatever you like and feel comfortable with. I dont worry about getting up in the clouds height wise.
 
I’m a HUGE fan of helium’s... I kick myself everyday for trading them off.. they’re only like $100 for a 3 pack and if you add an aider you can pretty much get as high as you need to 99% of the time. I’m gonna buy another set just as soon and the funds free up!


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Welcome to the madness! Yes you can get 22'-26' with a single stick and aider. You can get just about as high as you want but it will take some time and effort to get up there. I am using 3 modified heliums with 1 aider which I can move up with me as I go. Also, they are $100 so you'll have money left over.
 
vabwhntr said:
I am going to use my Heliums. I also have 5 wild edge stepps. Pretty much in the same boat your in as far as waiting on a saddle. I have used Heliums in the past with lock ons. I love them. I think the stepps will be good too. I think its just whatever you like and feel comfortable with. I dont worry about getting up in the clouds height wise.
Click to expand...
X2 but I'm a newbie. 3 Modified heliums with single step aider for each if needed and 4 stepps. Been trying other methods but this seems to be what I'm most comfortable with especially in the dark and very versatile.
 
I think the helium’s are the best bang for the buck in climbing sticks. I would go with them or wild edge stepps. I would use a moveable aider with either. Also yes you can really climb as high as the tree will hold you orbuntil it gets so skinny you can’t get it tight with only one stick and multi step aider. It seems like a lot of work but I haven’t practiced it yet.
 
I was searching all kinds sites today for stuff. Hawk Heliums look like a good deal and in your price range. Tbere a number of posts on mods that people have done to them to make them even lighter. Perhaps cut down to 2 steps add an aider and versa button for the rope mod. That would be a fairly light weight system.
Dale said:
Good evening,
Long time tree stand bow hunter here and soon to be exclusively a new saddle hunter once my ordered Mantis and Predator platform with all the fixings arrives. I am hunting on public land 90% of the time and they may be closer to 100% of the time as I convert to the saddle style of hunting. What I am trying to decide on is what climbing system to instill into my arsenal. The areas I hunt near me in ny are mostly hill terrain with a lot of up and down and steep ravines. Traditional screw in tree steps are out and bcuz a lot of my walking in over a mile to a mile and a half I am looking for something lightweight convenient and efficient. I know there are a lot of different opinions, but to you full time public landers and long time saddle users what are your most efficient and go to method to scale the tree? I can’t use tree spikes on ny state land so that is out as a method. Are the cranford strap steps the way to go or are the bull and better? Can I truly get up 22-26 ‘ w a single lightweight stick and an aider? Could I really get to how high I want to go w no stick and just a 4 or 5 step climbing aider like noxninja does? I am 45 yrs old 5’8” 200lbs in fairly good shape. I have already laid down a almost 80% of my annual hunting budget on the Mantis and Predator w accessories and w/ $200 left looking for efficient biggest bang for the buck. I need to get this right the first time here so any all info advice or know how would be greatly appreciated. I have so much bought into becoming a true saddle hunter that even e the delay in the arrival of the Mantis, I have not set a single traditional stand. I do have 9 - 20’ climbing sticks in the barn, but I am really wanting o get away from pre setting them and they have had a penitence for disappearances in the past. My former method was w sticks and gorilla stand hang ons millennium receivers and a single carry in out stand or the ole reliable tried and tree original 23# API bow hunter climber. Want to be much more mobile agile and lighter as the years continue to go by. Thanks in advance - Dale
Click to expand...
 
I’m using the cranford steps this year but if I had seen the knaider/swaider system before I purchased I would be using that exclusively. The single stick method can get you as high as you want to go in a tree but it’s a lot of work. The aider only climb is about the same for me as the one stick method. I can’t stand walking in with full size sticks bc they seem to get hung up on everything. I choose the cranford steps because I hike in long distances on public land and I liked the packability. They’re quicker for me then the one stick method as well. Like I said though if I had found the knaider/swaider before I spent all that $ on cranfords I’d be doing that. The steps are a bit bulkier but you only need 4-5 of them to get 20+ feet.
 
Jgetch said:
I’m using the cranford steps this year but if I had seen the knaider/swaider system before I purchased I would be using that exclusively. The single stick method can get you as high as you want to go in a tree but it’s a lot of work. The aider only climb is about the same for me as the one stick method. I can’t stand walking in with full size sticks bc they seem to get hung up on everything. I choose the cranford steps because I hike in long distances on public land and I liked the packability. They’re quicker for me then the one stick method as well. Like I said though if I had found the knaider/swaider before I spent all that $ on cranfords I’d be doing that. The steps are a bit bulkier but you only need 4-5 of them to get 20+ feet.
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@redsquirrel did some climbing with steps using an aider attached to the tree.
@BCHunter did a nice video on getting the most out of Cranford rope steps. https://saddlehunter.com/community/...nford-ezy®-climb-folding-rope-tree-step.5201/
 
Welcome from Missouri! I'm relatively new to all this as well and haven't perfected much myself. But I have decided on the WE Stepps with Knaider/Swaider. The stepps take a little getting used to setting, but with practice they work pretty good. Check out this thread from one of the more experienced guys on how is works ..... https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/knaider-swaider-tutorial.7406/
 
Two years ago I bought a set of lone wolf sticks. Last year got the stepps. Yes they take some practice setting up. My lone wolf sticks haven’t left the barn since I got my stepps. If I didn’t have a 12 year old son to outfit with hunting gear they would already be in the classifieds. While I wouldn’t want to tie on enough stepps to climb without an aider, with an aider/swaider/knaider it’s not that bad. I envy the guys that are comfortable with using the swaider/knaider together to get 6 feet per step it’s not for me. I comfortably get 3.5 feet per step using just an aider. I can get 4-4.5 feet using an aider if I have to but it requires setting some steps then climbing up and moving them up slightly retighten and set again. I just really like having an upper step to hold onto when climbing. I don’t get that with the knaider swaider combo.
 
EricS said:
Two years ago I bought a set of lone wolf sticks. Last year got the stepps. Yes they take some practice setting up. My lone wolf sticks haven’t left the barn since I got my stepps. If I didn’t have a 12 year old son to outfit with hunting gear they would already be in the classifieds. While I wouldn’t want to tie on enough stepps to climb without an aider, with an aider/swaider/knaider it’s not that bad. I envy the guys that are comfortable with using the swaider/knaider together to get 6 feet per step it’s not for me. I comfortably get 3.5 feet per step using just an aider. I can get 4-4.5 feet using an aider if I have to but it requires setting some steps then climbing up and moving them up slightly retighten and set again. I just really like having an upper step to hold onto when climbing. I don’t get that with the knaider swaider combo.
Click to expand...

If you need a handle you can try girth hitching a piece of webbing to the tree above the stepp or use a tether once you go make the first knaider/swaider step. I'm still playing with that idea/technique and agree a handle of some sort would be nice.
 
That’s what I used last year to get on my stepp platform. I just went ahead and put my tether on the tree and ran a carabiner big enough to get three fingers in to hold onto. Really it isn’t any harder to tie on the second step and just uncam it and move it up than move a girth hitched rope up. It usually only takes moving the step up then grabbing the rope and giving it a pull while wiggling to tighten it up. The benefit to only having about 3.5-4 feet between steps is you can just stuff the aider in your backpack on the climb down.
I may build a knaider and just use it this year.
 
Climbing systems was my biggest challenge as well and I chose to save on my saddle and spend more on climbing. Sorry that doesn't help you now since you've already purchased the saddle and platform, but if you can deal with one climbing method for a season you can add another next year.

Last year I went SRT and XOP hand climber because I could carry both for about 17lbs including all of my other essential gear, saddle, tether etc. This year I added WE stepps and a set of muddy pros. I honestly think the WE stepps are the most versital climbing system out there and I also really didn't want anything bulky, I'm not sure I'll even use my sticks lol. I've already made my S/K.

Good luck and welcome!

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I use my modified helium sticks. I have had Jim Stepps since they first came out. they work but not nearly as CONSISTENTLY easy as sticks IME.... especially scout hunting and setting up in the dark.

For those waiting for a saddle I would highly encourage you to get a sit drag, some 1/4 amsteel, some rope for a tether and get a system put together. A fleece saddle or a sit drag can be put together in an afternoon. a tether can be made with rope, prussic cord and 2 simple knots. bridge can be made same way with 2 carabiners. Heck in one of my videos I show how to make a bridge out of nothing but a simple piece of webbing, nothing else. it really is not hard to do and it will get you in a tree a lot faster then hoping for something you have no control over. That way if your saddle comes in you have a backup. I used a modified sit drag for 2 years..... it works.
 
In my opinion it’s hard to beat a set of lone wolf sticks or even helium’s. Especially if you do not have any other methods right now. Throw some home made aiders on and call it a day. Once you get some sticks you can build off of them as you see fit and add different climbing methods, but you will always have a reliable easy climbing method with your sticks.

You can spend a little more energy carrying the sticks in or you can spend possibly more energy climbing with a lighter method.

I have a bunch of methods I can use. When I get into the season and start grinding it out, I’m 80% of the time carrying 3-4 sticks with me and the other 20% I’m taking my spurs.
 
Where are you guys finding Heliums for $100?


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