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W.E. step with cam cleat

razorsharptokill

razorsharptokill

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2021
Messages
97
It works but the geometry is a little off. Moving the cleat to the outside at the bend to improve the angle of the rope in relation to the standoff.
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Very solid. I jumped around on it for a few minutes. No slippage. Will update after relocation. Tying the step takes less than half the time it does with the stock rope.
 
just from a quick glance my instinct says to flip your cam cleat 180, so the opening faces the tree, and then loop your rope around the crossbar so that the pressure is pulling evenly on the step, as opposed to at the crossbar and just below it like your current setup is
 
krub6b said:
just from a quick glance my instinct says to flip your cam cleat 180, so the opening faces the tree, and then loop your rope around the crossbar so that the pressure is pulling evenly on the step, as opposed to at the crossbar and just below it like your current setup is
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Do you mean 90 degrees? 180 would be where the cross bar is. I think routing the rope OVER instead of under the cross bar might be better than under. This is just an experiment at the moment. Some would say that drilling through the tubing will weaken the structural integrity. I feel that the holes are small enough and far enough apart that this won't be an issue. One advantage of the W.E. rope is during the cam over motion, the stretch seems to aid in getting a tight fit, if that makes sense. Amsteel might be a better option than the type of rope I used which is off of a muddy stick. I tried it on the front too and the angle wasn't very good.


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I like the cam cleat on the side where you had it, I just mean flip it top to bottom so you route the rope in from behind, after going around the crossbar once. I've played around with adding versa buttons to my set of stepps with and amsteel whoopsie daisy and liked the mod overall. still struggled with getting the tension correct every time though
 
Swampwalker said:
Anymore experimenting with this? Any negatives?
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I mounted the cleat across the curve portion on the outside and tried rotating the cleat 180 degrees to experiment with the direction the rope fed through. Mounted like this, the best result came from feeding the rope through the step, around the standoff and back toward the tree.338820573_964988428001911_2390092330770061902_n.jpg
 

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No real updates. I have had it attached to a tree for a few months now. Will be using as a perch next to a pre set ladder stick set soon though. It hadn't loosened one bit in the time I had it on the tree. I was using it to simulate the top step with my JX3 about 3 feet off of the ground.

Not sure it is that much better of a mouse trap than just the W.E. stock rope.
 
FWIW, I have tried to hate the WE Stepps and bought and sold multiple sets over the years. I keep coming back to them and will be using them this fall whenever I go ultra lite and not using my Summit hand climber combo. The factory rope is just too simple and solid once you get the feel for it on the tree, so I have not seen a need for a better attachment method.
 
Bwhana said:
FWIW, I have tried to hate the WE Stepps and bought and sold multiple sets over the years. I keep coming back to them and will be using them this fall whenever I go ultra lite and not using my Summit hand climber combo. The factory rope is just too simple and solid once you get the feel for it on the tree, so I have not seen a need for a better attachment method.
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Yes. I have bent a couple steps trying to cam over when the rope is too tight though.
 
razorsharptokill said:
Yes. I have bent a couple steps trying to cam over when the rope is too tight though.
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Agreed, it is kind of like a kid learning to tie shoe laces. It’s clumsy and you have to think about it for a while, then muscle memory kicks in and it just happens right each time without thinking. They are easy enough to straighten if that occurs while learning.
 
Here is my tried and true simple setup. Webbing, buckle and a hook so it is quick release. Zero stretch so it's even easy to set on a big tree. Also allows for easy minor tightening and loosening.

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I like the cam cleat idea. Interesting solution.
 
Peterk1234 said:
Here is my tried and true simple setup. Webbing, buckle and a hook so it is quick release. Zero stretch so it's even easy to set on a big tree. Also allows for easy minor tightening and loosening.

View attachment 91990View attachment 91989

I like the cam cleat idea. Interesting solution.
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Have you weight tested those straps and buckles with more than you weigh? What type of rating do they have? Source for those?
 
razorsharptokill said:
Have you weight tested those straps and buckles with more than you weigh? What type of rating do they have? Source for those?
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I'm not smart enough to figure that out. I've used these straps for rooftopping canoes, holding my frame to my raft and a host of other things. My saddle is also homemade. Been using this gear for years.

The steps are Bullman. Each one has two screws in them which stick out a half inch. Provides me some but do they don't slip. Straps and buckles are from strapworks.
 
Bwhana said:
Agreed, it is kind of like a kid learning to tie shoe laces. It’s clumsy and you have to think about it for a while, then muscle memory kicks in and it just happens right each time without thinking. They are easy enough to straighten if that occurs while learning.
Click to expand...

One mine bent and split tubing
 
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