Well......that was a little scary

[Dragsmack]

I just got my Kestrel yesterday so I decided to practice this afternoon on a hickory tree in my yard. I have had my Wild Edge Steps for a month or so and previously felt pretty good at them. I climbed up about 20 feet and started to set my 3 step wild edge platform. That was much trickier 20 feet in the air!

Some of my steps were not as locked down as well as I thought once my full weight were on them! I had 2 of them rock a little. Once I reached my height and got out my tether and bridge, it was a little spooky unhooking the linesman belt. I set my tether at head high, but my bridge felt too long there, so I need to work on that....

Going down with the aider is tricky....

Lesson learned: I need to practice with the Kestrel just above the ground and setting steps below me, above me, to the side, etc.

 

[wmahunterfl]

I just got my Kestrel yesterday so I decided to practice this afternoon on a hickory tree in my yard. I have had my Wild Edge Steps for a month or so and previously felt pretty good at them. I climbed up about 20 feet and started to set my 3 step wild edge platform. That was much trickier 20 feet in the air!

Some of my steps were not as locked down as well as I thought once my full weight were on them! I had 2 of them rock a little. Once I reached my height and got out my tether and bridge, it was a little spooky unhooking the linesman belt. I set my tether at head high, but my bridge felt too long there, so I need to work on that....

Going down with the aider is tricky....

Lesson learned: I need to practice with the Kestrel just above the ground and setting steps below me, above me, to the side, etc.

thinking safety,

I would get a real long tether and attach to it , move it up the tree as you add steps , leave on the linemans belt as you practice.
This way your attached 2 places.

 

[Peterk1234]

I have been playing around with the steps and have set them, not so tight, to see what will happen. They move and did go onto a slight angle, but they held. The key is to not panic and let it stay in that postion. I also found at that point it was important to not shift weight from one foot to the other when on the same step because it will move again; just embrace the angle. As for the aider, I have learned a few things playing around with that. Part of my problem was figuring out how to use the lineman's belt properly. I have a vid posted on here of my second time ever climbing with the steps and aider. It was fine, but the linemans was causing some minor issues. Then I finally learned that I have to trust and lean against it at all times. It creates a lot of stability, especially when on the aider. So, on the way down I now lean against my my rope and raise the aider almost to the height of the step I am on, insert my foot and lower my self until I stop firmly on the aider. The aider is in my left hand as I lower myself, thus keeping tension on it on the way down. Again, the tension on the linemans makes these possible. It gives me the stability to have that aider in my hand on the way down. I have even tried it with my eyes closed and I had no issues. Without the tension on the linmans I was feeling like I was dropping and hoping that all will be good. Hopefully this helps.

I have been out every day in my yard practicing since the steps arrived. I am trying to put myself into every uncomfortable situation that I think I would encounter in the woods. The latest is climbing up and around branches. The guys here just posted using a whoopie as a secondary linemans. It is working awesome! Little weird relying on an 1/8 inch rope, but hey, I am using the same as an aider


Pete

 

[Dragsmack]

thinking safety,

I would get a real long tether and attach to it , move it up the tree as you add steps , leave on the linemans belt as you practice.
This way your attached 2 places.

I think I will do that until I feel comfortable. Great idea! Thanks!

 

[Dragsmack]

I have been playing around with the steps and have set them, not so tight, to see what will happen. They move and did go onto a slight angle, but they held. The key is to not panic and let it stay in that postion. I also found at that point it was important to not shift weight from one foot to the other when on the same step because it will move again; just embrace the angle. As for the aider, I have learned a few things playing around with that. Part of my problem was figuring out how to use the lineman's belt properly. I have a vid posted on here of my second time ever climbing with the steps and aider. It was fine, but the linemans was causing some minor issues. Then I finally learned that I have to trust and lean against it at all times. It creates a lot of stability, especially when on the aider. So, on the way down I now lean against my my rope and raise the aider almost to the height of the step I am on, insert my foot and lower my self until I stop firmly on the aider. The aider is in my left hand as I lower myself, thus keeping tension on it on the way down. Again, the tension on the linemans makes these possible. It gives me the stability to have that aider in my hand on the way down. I have even tried it with my eyes closed and I had no issues. Without the tension on the linmans I was feeling like I was dropping and hoping that all will be good. Hopefully this helps.

I have been out every day in my yard practicing since the steps arrived. I am trying to put myself into every uncomfortable situation that I think I would encounter in the woods. The latest is climbing up and around branches. The guys here just posted using a whoopie as a secondary linemans. It is working awesome! Little weird relying on an 1/8 inch rope, but hey, I am using the same as an aider


Pete

I like the way your using the aider. Im am going to try that. Thanks!

 

[Jefferson10940]

Even if the steps are loose due to soft bark or initially not tight enough they will move but will not fall off the tree. You can still stand on them. As for using the aider going down, I try to preset the length and put my foot in it, then pin it against the tree and my foot, then slide it down the tree until it maxes out. Or actually the last few Times going down I just used the LB and my hands on the step and just slide down to next step. But I was leaving the steps in the tree.


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[kelly.jayp]

Setting a platform is the biggest learning curve I found. I have had them shift on me and it got my attention but quickly saw it wasn’t going anywhere. At saddlepalooza I watched @bigcountry dance around a set that were in a pine tree and pretty loose. No concerns.


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[Big Country]

Setting a platform is the biggest learning curve I found. I have had them shift on me and it got my attention but quickly saw it wasn’t going anywhere. At saddlepalooza I watched @bigcountry dance around a set that were in a pine tree and pretty loose. No concerns.


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Yeah, once the stepps are cammed over they can and will loosen on pine trees but are still pretty solid. I have no fear they're going anywhere tho.


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[bongo]

Setting a platform is the biggest learning curve I found. I have had them shift on me and it got my attention but quickly saw it wasn’t going anywhere. At saddlepalooza I watched @bigcountry dance around a set that were in a pine tree and pretty loose. No concerns.


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I saw the Bigcountry Wildedge Dance pretty cool.


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[Dragsmack]

thinking safety,

I would get a real long tether and attach to it , move it up the tree as you add steps , leave on the linemans belt as you practice.
This way your attached 2 places.

Im thinking I may go this route until I have my climbing method down. Should I attach to my tether via my bridge or somewhere else? I was thinking having the bridge and linesman belt attached at the same time might cause issues?

 

[IkemanTX]

The wild edge steps need a little rope tensioning to stretch out the original rope. That makes a DRASTIC difference on how the ropes react to the tension of setting them.


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