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Well I drank the one stick kool aid.

Lowg08

Lowg08

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
803
Always looking for a way to cut weight and be faster and quieter. After some encouragement from a friend. I started my research and planning and it’s a very solid method. So far I’ve started gathering items. Im taking a hawk helium I already have cutting down to 10” making some minor mods and adding a hsp platform and a cam cleat and a nite eyes wire twist and a 3 step amsteel aider. Roll pouch. 9mm oplux with a scaffold knot and carabiner. Mad rock device. Still using my predator platform. So far looks like I’m cutting around 8lbs. Will have to do allot of practice before season gets here. Anything I might need to know or a better idea would be awesome. I’ve read allot of the post on here and think I’ve gleaned allot already.
 
St.CroixArcher said:
I would recommend keeping your stick longer.
I cut a helium down to 12ish and it was not very stable. Kicked out very easily unless I used a cam buckle strap.
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I’m just using it to climb and maybe for random shots. Would you suggest maybe 15” Im just trying to cut it down small so I can buckle it into my roll pouch too.
 
Bigterp said:
I prefer 18” or so, under 15” feels like it wants to kick out more. Very little weight difference in the 3-6” of post length. But understand your point about being able to see pack…
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First off I really like your avatar. Second. I guess at that length it would be more about how modular it is versus weight. I’m really trying to get down into a kifaru Stryker xl with Sherman pocket for all of my gear for a day. Clothes food and all. I’ve got several sticks. I may try different lengths and see what works and feels the best
 
I also agree with @Bigterp, a longer stick gives you purchase points further apart on the tree enhancing stability but I also see your valid point, soooo my suggestion would be to start a bit longer, say 15” and experiment now in the off season. You can always keep cutting more off until you find what you like but you can’t add it back on. I originally started with a regular helium and then switched to a mini which I didn’t like as it wasn’t what I thought it’d be like. Then started wacking my helium down until I found the length I liked and switched to an EWO UOS. Be careful with the helium the metal is fairly thin, it doesn’t respond well to side loading and lateral twisting forces especially if you shop in the big and tall section.
 
Thanks guys. I’ll start out long and go from there. It never hurts to take advice from individuals that have already went through the process
 
I think you will enjoy it once you are used to it. Last year was my first year and there was few times I got frustrated, but now that I’m through the learning curve and made some minor adjustments I feel very confident with my set up.

only suggestion I’d make is just getting a slightly bigger stick top platform than the HSP and ditching the predator. It streamlines everything to hunt off the stick you climb with. I’m not sure if someone is making a larger platforms for helium’s or not.

For reference I have a 15” wingman with 3-step aider from EWO and I’m at 20’ in 3 moves and hunting. I love the simplicity and quickness.
 
I am sure length has something to due with kickout stability, but I found it was more the standoffs than anything. I tried several but ended up with a 12 inch with EWO standoffs. With DanO's standoffs that 12 inch was just as solid as a 15 or 18 for me. I am 6'1" with size 11 feet for reference. About 200 pounds.
 
philsanchez76 said:
I am sure length has something to due with kickout stability, but I found it was more the standoffs than anything. I tried several but ended up with a 12 inch with EWO standoffs. With DanO's standoffs that 12 inch was just as solid as a 15 or 18 for me. I am 6'1" with size 11 feet for reference. About 200 pounds.
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This was my experience as well. Was at 20” last year but switched to DanO and now at 15 with no problem.
 
I use a Shikar mini with a flat scout, and a 3 step aider. it's about 10" works good .
 

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For reference I am 6’2” 230 and wear a size 13 shoe. I’m only using the hsp for stepping around the tree. I cans give up my platform. For all day sits. 5.25 “ deep just isn’t enough room. Would be toes all day. I do appreciate the advice
 
I cut down a hawk stick that would kick out, I fixed it by moving the versa button down lower. I personally don’t like one sticking at all but repelling down is fun.
 
I hike so far to deer hunt deep mountain bucks. I have become a weight nut. Plus I want to be minimal and quicker
 
Lowg08 said:
I hike so far to deer hunt deep mountain bucks. I have become a weight nut. Plus I want to be minimal and quicker
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It works well in straight trees that aren’t to big and that don’t have rough bark. If you look at the trees people choose to make one sticking videos in that will give you a good idea.
 
John 35 said:
It works well in straight trees that aren’t to big and that don’t have rough bark. If you look at the trees people choose to make one sticking videos in that will give you a good idea.
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I’ve seen several videos of it so far. I even saw a few rough trees but I’ve been doing power work for 21 years so I feel like I have a upper hand on climbing
 
If your cord(mines amsteel) is very level when you attach your stick, basically tight as possible, it may be a challenge to remove it from the cam cleat. I saw a tip where it’s attached with a good amount of downward angle and I do that now. It’ll allow the stick to raise up a good bit so you can reach the cleat and loosen the cord. That’s so you can pull the cord straight out a touch, then sideways. When it’s cinched down, my cord doesn’t really like to be just pulled out the side of the cleat……it’s also quieter that way.
 
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