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XOP Climber seat as climber and platform?

I currently climb with the Loggy by hugging the tree "safety harness on" and all my weight is applied to my bear hug on the tree, then I raise my feet and pull the climber up and repeat - been doing it for 20 years it was actually the original recommended procedure with the Loggy before the hand climber was available -
 
You need to have the platform tied off to you or your harness in case it slips down the tree on you.
 
I've done that in the past and thats a lot of body exertion and down here in the South that means "Sweat" probably not a good option when considering scent control. Also even in cooler/colder months would/could lead to the body getting and staying cold.
 
Jeff Diorio said:
I use an old Loggy climber and you simply hug the tree and pull up the climber portion "old school" with your feet could this work with the saddle while simply using the linesman belt - New to saddle hunting - just ordered and got confirmation / shipping on a new Kestrel saddle and ordered the LW hand climber as I am familiar with climbing stands - Best part I se in this method is the limited set up time for each location and no evidence of anyone knowing you hunt in the location - A big concern in NY -
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I use the XOP 90% of the time. You don’t need lineman’s belt just tether unless going around limbs. But it does leave marks similar to climber marks. I am going to incorporate aider this year for limbs but haven’t had the chance yet. Maybe Paloozas the place.


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bongo said:
I use the XOP 90% of the time. You don’t need lineman’s belt just tether unless going around limbs. But it does leave marks similar to climber marks. I am going to incorporate aider this year for limbs but haven’t had the chance yet. Maybe Paloozas the place.


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I was in Cyprus on a boat and saw an old lone wolf hand climber on Craig’s list and told my wife I wanted it . So I emailed the guy and told him I wanted to buy it and he said it was already gone. So when I got home my wife told me to open my Christmas presents and the hand climber was the last one. She really got me on that one. So top will be for saddle climbing platform and bottom I can make a platform out of.


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Babshaft said:
For those of you that used them last season, were they still your preferred method of climbing or did you move away from it?

Any challenges or other tips that haven't been shared in this thread?

Thanks guys.
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I'm still using it, I try and use SRT if I can but I don't have that many tree's all setup, so I do a lot of XOP hand climbing. I know it takes a little more time, but it is a viable option IMHO, as it's the only climbing method that doubles as a platform. It will be slower than climbing sticks or some of the other methods, but I'm ok with that.

The tree diameter is important, you can't climb anything wider than the platform, it just doesn't work the strap gets caught and you can't pull it up with your feet. Also sometimes on rough bark trees it can be a pain.
 
donnieballgame said:
I'm still using it, I try and use SRT if I can but I don't have that many tree's all setup, so I do a lot of XOP hand climbing. I know it takes a little more time, but it is a viable option IMHO, as it's the only climbing method that doubles as a platform. It will be slower than climbing sticks or some of the other methods, but I'm ok with that.

The tree diameter is important, you can't climb anything wider than the platform, it just doesn't work the strap gets caught and you can't pull it up with your feet. Also sometimes on rough bark trees it can be a pain.
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Thanks for the help and insight Donnie. I'm definitely going to give this a try on some of the climber friendly areas I hunt.
 
Still leaves climber marks - holly cow I thought I was the only one with those marks on my arms during hunting season.

This climber method sounds just what I have been looking for.

Good advise on tree diameter.....
 
So I guess the xop top is no longer available. Anybody using the lone wolf hand climber kit? Looks like it would be great for our smaller pines here in FL.
 
Big Country said:
So I guess the xop top is no longer available. Anybody using the lone wolf hand climber kit? Looks like it would be great for our smaller pines here in FL.
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I'm using the older version of it. I like it for any climber friendly trees. I've been practicing with the wild egde stepps and a 6 step aider and am really starting to like it. It's not as fast, and won't be as light as the climber, but it's starting to become a great system.
 
sb220 said:
Now I'm thinking of some kind of adjustable sling connected to my tether that Id have hanging behind me. Then slide it under the back side of my knees to mechanically keep them tucked to my chest while working on the climber belt.
Click to expand...

This gives me an idea...

Say you have the line that tethers the climber connected to your main tether. You could step off, hang off your saddle, pull the climber up by the line and hang it at a comfortable height for you to adjust the straps. To hang it, maybe there is some loop knot near the bottom of the line that you can clip to a biner or a hook.
 
redsquirrel said:
@bongo and his hand climber

bongo:

Thanks to @bowhunter15 for taking the videos. Sorry I took so long to get them up for everyone.
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One technique I found to speed things up just a hair when raising your tether...

With your girth hitch is like Bongo has it in the video (loop on your left), I will manipulate my ascender with my left hand. I unlock the ascendor (Kong Duck) and slip my right thumb under the hitch, and raise my hand as high as possible. This will run the rope through the ascender, thus "lowering" your ascender and raising the tether at the same time. Finish the maneuver by raising the loop with your left hand to where your right hand is and cinching the hitch.
 
pesqimon said:
This gives me an idea...

Say you have the line that tethers the climber connected to your main tether. You could step off, hang off your saddle, pull the climber up by the line and hang it at a comfortable height for you to adjust the straps. To hang it, maybe there is some loop knot near the bottom of the line that you can clip to a biner or a hook.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'm following, lol, here's my best guess. @sb220, are you talking the rope/strap that connects to the XOP hand climber to @bongo? @pesqimon I don't think it really matters where you connect the hand climber as long as you have a connection, I connect it to my belay loop. A small loop to connect it while adjusting might be handy, but I've never really needed anything else.

I just use a strap that's about the right length to not get in the way and not too long so it won't fall that far if it slips. I typically put my hand on it to help pull up, this helps to really get that last inch out of each move, lol. Also, you typically have to adjust the strap on the XOP hand climber as you go up because the tree gets smaller, just like a climbing tree stand, in this case you have to hang from your saddle/tether, pull it up, by that line/strap that's connecting you to the hand climber, adjust it then continue climbing. When I have to adjust, I typically reset the climber much higher, around waist height while hanging in my harness, then I pull myself up with my prusik that's on my tether, while putting my knees on the hand climber edge. It's not great on the knees but you can easily get a few feet, so it kind of makes up for having to hang in the harness.

You must have a line connected to the XOP hand climber so you don't drop it, especially if that is your only climbing method or you can't rappel.
 
I have started using the hand climber seat in conjunction with my hawk helium sticks. I climb up all four sticks then set my platform with the option to climb higher without much need to adjust the belt.
 
donnieballgame said:
I'm not sure I'm following, lol, here's my best guess. @sb220, are you talking the rope/strap that connects to the XOP hand climber to @bongo? @pesqimon I don't think it really matters where you connect the hand climber as long as you have a connection, I connect it to my belay loop. A small loop to connect it while adjusting might be handy, but I've never really needed anything else.

I just use a strap that's about the right length to not get in the way and not too long so it won't fall that far if it slips. I typically put my hand on it to help pull up, this helps to really get that last inch out of each move, lol. Also, you typically have to adjust the strap on the XOP hand climber as you go up because the tree gets smaller, just like a climbing tree stand, in this case you have to hang from your saddle/tether, pull it up, by that line/strap that's connecting you to the hand climber, adjust it then continue climbing. When I have to adjust, I typically reset the climber much higher, around waist height while hanging in my harness, then I pull myself up with my prusik that's on my tether, while putting my knees on the hand climber edge. It's not great on the knees but you can easily get a few feet, so it kind of makes up for having to hang in the harness.

You must have a line connected to the XOP hand climber so you don't drop it, especially if that is your only climbing method or you can't rappel.
Click to expand...

Good info.

All I was saying is that a mthod of hanging the climber at a good work height while your hands are free to adjust could be nice. I don’t have a lot of experience so maybe it’s not necessary.
 
ImThere said:
Hard to concentrate on Bongo climbing with that bad arse Purple f250 sitting in the background


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Are you talking about that thing that needed a new starter and new transmission installed at the campground????
 
pesqimon said:
Good info.

All I was saying is that a mthod of hanging the climber at a good work height while your hands are free to adjust could be nice. I don’t have a lot of experience so maybe it’s not necessary.
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I'm not sure, in my experience when I'm hanging in my rch the only thing I'm doing is working that XOP hand climber to get it adjusted and set, but I never thought about the loop, it might be good to have a loop to prevent at lot of noise if you dropped it to the end of the rope holding it to your harness.

I would just get out there and try it, let us know what you find out. Not a lot of climbing systems that are also your platform.

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