Recurveaholic
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2018
- Messages
- 1,699
I use the cranford rope steps and once you play with them awhile it is not too bad!! I use 5 steps and a aider sometimes and sometimes I use 8 to get to 20ft!!!
I played with cranfords last year in the off season. I like using them with a timber hitch.I use the cranford rope steps and once you play with them awhile it is not too bad!! I use 5 steps and a aider sometimes and sometimes I use 8 to get to 20ft!!!
I have some set up for the timber hitch method and some the other way I still have not decided which one I like best!!I played with cranfords last year in the off season. I like using them with a timber hitch.
Oh yeah! I did a quick write up on this thread. Whole bag is like 5 pounds.
https://saddlehunter.com/community/...approach-steps-dano-ocb-straps-awesome.18475/
I couldn't post on that thread, but thanks for figuring this out. I might actually use my silent approach steps now. The originals slip and flip unless you do everything just right and climb trees that look like telephone poles.
yeah I think I made that post in the product review section before you had to be a member so now it’s locked to us until we pay up! I had a couple scary encounters with the bullman steps flipping under my weight and it was all on rough bark trees. Well that’s like at least half of the trees I need to always be in so went with OCB straps and haven’t looked back. They are solid on every tree I’ve climbed so far (and that was about 50 trees last season).
The rough bark isn't what got me, heck I didn't even get far enough to try a rough bark tree. Here's my list.
1. If you aren't always on the exact high side of the tree then you slide around like Bambi on ice. I know staying on the high side is best practice, but it shouldn't be so critical. This might be an issue with all strap on steps though.
2. If your step path ends up putting you near a slight divet in a tree, then your steps are going to flip.
3. The polypropylene strap is stretchy. No matter how tight you pull the original straps, if you push off a step hard at all then the strap slides down the tree and then as it rebounds the top of the step catches and flips the step over. Flipping over a step ahead of you (you bump the underside with your boot) isn't that bad because it is right there to fix, but having steps beneath you that are flipped over (due to stepping off them) is really sketchy when you are 20 feet up.
have you used these yet? any issues?Forgot to mention that DanO now has these buckless OCBs. Probably save another half pound in weight and no metal clanks.
https://doublesteps.com/product/ring-of-steps-strap-7-camo-w-sewn-ocb/
have you used these yet? any issues?
that is what i was thinking. also, messaged EWO and was told weight savings was maybe an ounce per strap. as they say the juice ain't worth the squeeze at this point. maybe starting out on my squirrel quest i would consider the sewn ocb.I know you didn't ask me, but I assume with the sewn one you have to feed the entire strap through the OCB each time versus with the traditional one they can be pre-set at a typical tree size and then hooked and pulled tight more quickly.
It is a slight pain in the rear to feed 6 to 7 feet of strap multiple times while hanging in a tree.
that is what i was thinking. also, messaged EWO and was told weight savings was maybe an ounce per strap. as they say the juice ain't worth the squeeze at this point. maybe starting out on my squirrel quest i would consider the sewn ocb.
I tried them both and found the original with the clip was much easier, and the weight difference Is negligible. As mentioned above feeding the strap through the buckle while trying to keep the strap straight is much more difficult with the sewn buckle.only an ounce per strap?! Ouch. Yeah that does not seem worth it. Since I just invested in the original buckled OCBs this last season, I had already decided not to buy the new ones.
Now @Vtbow, you’ve opened my eyes to the hook and cam buckle system. Beats rasslin the ocb. As long as the straps are tight enough.