bfriendly
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2021
- Messages
- 1,110
So getting started in a saddle we have lots of questions. As I'm going in to my second season in a saddle I have new questions. But I remember one of my first and maybe biggest question was “how to get up the tree?”. The seemingly easiest and safest way was to just get three sticks. With 3 helium sticks to my door for $99 it seemed like a no brainer. They were absolutely awesome and got me up the tree! Rappelling down was something I knew I’d do to get down, so I’ve done that since the first climb.
After several climbs, I found three sticks to be very cumbersome……going in and going out. I’m not a minimalist by any means, but 3 sticks was so much stuff to deal with. I did put aiders on all three of them and they get me nice and high! But I had everything I needed to one stick, so I started trying that. One sticking has its own challenges with the biggest (for me) being the attachment methods. After replacing the button with a cam cleat, and an amsteel cord, I was one sticking! I ordered the hawk short stick with smaller platform for one sticking. Put a cam cleat and a 3 step aider on it. It’s a sweet set up, but I like my full length stick w/single aider better…..it’s just rock solid!
My second season in a saddle I’ll be learning other methods of climbing…..SRT and 2TC, basically. I haven’t done anything saddle related lately as I’ve been so busy. But as I walk by a few sticks I own I am always asking myself, why did I buy 3 sticks? I may never put 2 of them on another tree…..need to put them in the classifieds. I know a bunch of folks like and use 3 sticks, but for a person looking to get started, I’d just like to say check out other methods of climbing and see what it takes to get started with those……..have FUN and be SAFE!
After several climbs, I found three sticks to be very cumbersome……going in and going out. I’m not a minimalist by any means, but 3 sticks was so much stuff to deal with. I did put aiders on all three of them and they get me nice and high! But I had everything I needed to one stick, so I started trying that. One sticking has its own challenges with the biggest (for me) being the attachment methods. After replacing the button with a cam cleat, and an amsteel cord, I was one sticking! I ordered the hawk short stick with smaller platform for one sticking. Put a cam cleat and a 3 step aider on it. It’s a sweet set up, but I like my full length stick w/single aider better…..it’s just rock solid!
My second season in a saddle I’ll be learning other methods of climbing…..SRT and 2TC, basically. I haven’t done anything saddle related lately as I’ve been so busy. But as I walk by a few sticks I own I am always asking myself, why did I buy 3 sticks? I may never put 2 of them on another tree…..need to put them in the classifieds. I know a bunch of folks like and use 3 sticks, but for a person looking to get started, I’d just like to say check out other methods of climbing and see what it takes to get started with those……..have FUN and be SAFE!