X stand velocity sticks?

[jy198460]

This is my first post here. I have been lurking around for a bit trying to figure out if saddle hunting is for me? Well I think I have finally decided to take the plunge I'm tired of lugging around my big climber and being limited on trees I can hunt out of. I mainly hunt public land. So I have decided I am going to start buying everything needed to saddle hunt next deer season and these sticks pop up in my facebook feed. They look like pretty decent sticks and the price seems good ($100) for 4 sticks the only problem is I can find 0 reviews on them since they are new for 2019. I was wondering if maybe some of ya'll could look them over and tell me your opinion on whether or not they look like a waste of money? Sorry for the long winded post. Also am looking for any other advice you could give a guy starting out in saddle hunting. Thanks

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[redsquirrel]

I just bought a set to try out since the price dropped. They have some potential with modifications but I'm not a huge fan of them out of the box. The stand offs are light but they are huge. In the price range I would purchase a set of hawk heliums instead.

Welcome to the site!

 

[jy198460]

Thanks for your input. I was also looking at the hawk sticks or possibly XOP's. And didnt want to try and save 60 or 70 bucks and end up with junk.

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[redsquirrel]

Thanks for your input. I was also looking at the hawk sticks or possibly XOP's. And didnt want to try and save 60 or 70 bucks and end up with junk.

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If you search the hawk heliums on here you will see that a ton of people are using them. A popular mod is to cut them down from full length sticks to just 2 steps by moving the middle steps up, but others are using them as is. Lots of options. They are popular because of the double steps. I'm planning on trying something similar with the velocity sticks but looking at the standoffs I haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to do with them yet.

 

[jy198460]

If you search the hawk heliums on here you will see that a ton of people are using them. A popular mod is to cut them down from full length sticks to just 2 steps by moving the middle steps up, but others are using them as is. Lots of options. They are popular because of the double steps. I'm planning on trying something similar with the velocity sticks but looking at the standoffs I haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to do with them yet.

I will definitely check that mod out. I tell you the whole saddle hunting rabbit hole you fall in when starting out is a bit overwhelming. This site has a ton of great info though.

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[Bigterp]

Welcome to the site!! Yeah it’s a rabbit hole , but it just seems overwhelming at first. Still just elevated hunting ( just no treestand)

 

[Westdesign03]

In my opinion I would spend another $40 and get hawk helium’s. They’re my third set of sticks and I love them. Very compact (which is what we’re all going for with saddle hunting right?) solid construction, double steps, and the suction cup system they hold themselves together with is awesome. Especially for climbing and putting the sticks on the tree as you go up. To me that feature alone is worth it. But the compactness is just awesome for hiking with too I think.


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[jy198460]

Welcome to the site!! Yeah it’s a rabbit hole , but it just seems overwhelming at first. Still just elevated hunting ( just no treestand)

Thanks for the welcome! Have really enjoyed reading all the info on the site. I dont think a person would have to look anywhere else for saddle info.

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[jy198460]

In my opinion I would spend another $40 and get hawk helium’s. They’re my third set of sticks and I love them. Very compact (which is what we’re all going for with saddle hunting right?) solid construction, double steps, and the suction cup system they hold themselves together with is awesome. Especially for climbing and putting the sticks on the tree as you go up. To me that feature alone is worth it. But the compactness is just awesome for hiking with too I think.


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Do you run 3 or 4 sticks? And how high can you get?

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[Hunter260]

I run 3 full length heliums. With no mods you could probably get max 17 feet. I run a 1 step aider on each stick and they’re just as easy to climb and the other day I got to 25 feet measured with my pull up rope. Some people use multiple step aiders and I would be okay with that on the first step but not the others. Others use the carry as you go aider and that would be okay, but it’s just as easy to put 3 one step aiders on. If you get to a tree you don’t want as high in you can wrap the aider around the stick to keep it out of your way

 

[jy198460]

I run 3 full length heliums. With no mods you could probably get max 17 feet. I run a 1 step aider on each stick and they’re just as easy to climb and the other day I got to 25 feet measured with my pull up rope. Some people use multiple step aiders and I would be okay with that on the first step but not the others. Others use the carry as you go aider and that would be okay, but it’s just as easy to put 3 one step aiders on. If you get to a tree you don’t want as high in you can wrap the aider around the stick to keep it out of your way

That is some great info! Did you make the aiders?

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[Hunter260]

Yea I’ll run get some pics

 

[Westdesign03]

Do you run 3 or 4 sticks? And how high can you get?

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I run 3 right now. Considering getting a forth but first going to try an aider again. Had a DYI aider that ended up kind of falling apart so gonna try a commercially made one this time.

Without an aider I get around 15-16 feet. I do try to stretch about as far as I can reach between the sticks and the platform to squeeze out as much height as I can. If I use an aider I can get another 4.5 feet or so. That was with the old home made aider. Might be able to do better than that with the new one coming in.


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[Hunter260]

Here’s my aiders. Just a piece of 1 inch webbing a few feet long ran through the middle and tied in a knot on the back. They still stack perfect when you figure out how to fold them. Easy to climb

 

[Westdesign03]

Here’s my aiders. Just a piece of 1 inch webbing a few feet long ran through the middle and tied in a knot on the back. They still stack perfect when you figure out how to fold them. Easy to climb

Cool mod!


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[lawrence]

I have the other x-stand sticks the mantis. While the material is good, they don’t stack. Went with the hawks and won’t look back. I still use my lone wolf for mobility

 

[jy198460]

Here’s my aiders. Just a piece of 1 inch webbing a few feet long ran through the middle and tied in a knot on the back. They still stack perfect when you figure out how to fold them. Easy to climb

That looks good! Thanks for posting those pics for me to check out your setup. Have you tried other climbing methods?

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[jy198460]

I run 3 right now. Considering getting a forth but first going to try an aider again. Had a DYI aider that ended up kind of falling apart so gonna try a commercially made one this time.

Without an aider I get around 15-16 feet. I do try to stretch about as far as I can reach between the sticks and the platform to squeeze out as much height as I can. If I use an aider I can get another 4.5 feet or so. That was with the old home made aider. Might be able to do better than that with the new one coming in.


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What kind of aider are you thinking about getting?

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[Westdesign03]

What kind of aider are you thinking about getting?

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Actually already have it on order. It’s a 4 step rock climbing etrier that looked decent on amazon:

WILDKEN Climbing Aider 4 Step Foot Ascender Loop Climbing Rope Ladder Etrier Aid Tool for Rock Climbing Mountaineering Caving Rescue Aerial Work https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XBQBL5B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eR-dEb9C7HSZZ

This will be the one I use pretty much exclusively at the base of the tree. Also I found that there’s times that it’s nice to have just a single step type aider such as in weird shaped trees or maybe periodically between sticks/steps. So also ordered this one:

WILDKEN Adjustable Climbing Ascender Sling Foot Loop Ascender Webbing Sling for Outdoor Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Expedition, Caving, Rescue and Aerial Work https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0791VRQDM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kT-dEbEZ5WMRX


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[Hunter260]

That looks good! Thanks for posting those pics for me to check out your setup. Have you tried other climbing methods?

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Yea I used bolts for a while and I’ve used muddy pros and a few other no name climbing sticks. Helium’s all the way from now on