WhiteOakAcorn
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2018
- Messages
- 28
I'm still new to the saddle hunting but get better each time I'm out. It's my first year with the Aero Kestrel. I mixed it with the Tethrd ropes because I like the way they are spliced. I use the Wild Edge Steps for climbing. I don't get as high as I would like because I still have trouble getting a good cam over every time. I have had steps slip on me a number of times. Not enough to cause my foot to come off the step but enough to make me nervous. I wanted to get higher with fewer steps so I picked up the Aider from Wild Edge. I used it for the first time last weekend and I did get higher this time around. It seemed like it took me forever to get up the tree though.. lol. I watched all the videos and thought "how hard can it be?". It was much harder to get that rope length adjustment by sliding the rope. I would slide the rope as I raised my foot for each step up by sliding the slack over the upper step and pulling down as I lift my foot. I was happy I got up over 20 feet with 7 steps.
I had no idea coming down would be so crazy. You can't see the aider rope to get your foot in the loop. I thought I had the length adjusted right for a step down. I lifted the aider rope up with my hand to make it easier to get my foot in the loop. I kept tension on the rope so my boot stayed in there as I started to lower down until I was just on the aider. I took my next step down searching for the step while bear hugging the tree. I went A LOT farther down than expected and found myself almost eye level with the boot in the aider. The aider was hung up on the tread of my boot so I could NOT get out of the loop. I couldn't go back up the tree because I was stretched so far out. I was on the step but I was stuck. It's funny looking back at it now but I didn't know what I was going to do for a bit. I struggled to get that aider off my boot. It took a lot of struggling but eventually got out of it. I kept thinking it should not be this hard to do. The rest of the tree went a little better making the proper length adjustment on the aider before stepping down. I have a lot to learn with this.
Does anyone have any thoughts or tips? Any input would be great!!
Thank you. Good luck and be safe everyone!
I had no idea coming down would be so crazy. You can't see the aider rope to get your foot in the loop. I thought I had the length adjusted right for a step down. I lifted the aider rope up with my hand to make it easier to get my foot in the loop. I kept tension on the rope so my boot stayed in there as I started to lower down until I was just on the aider. I took my next step down searching for the step while bear hugging the tree. I went A LOT farther down than expected and found myself almost eye level with the boot in the aider. The aider was hung up on the tread of my boot so I could NOT get out of the loop. I couldn't go back up the tree because I was stretched so far out. I was on the step but I was stuck. It's funny looking back at it now but I didn't know what I was going to do for a bit. I struggled to get that aider off my boot. It took a lot of struggling but eventually got out of it. I kept thinking it should not be this hard to do. The rest of the tree went a little better making the proper length adjustment on the aider before stepping down. I have a lot to learn with this.
Does anyone have any thoughts or tips? Any input would be great!!
Thank you. Good luck and be safe everyone!
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