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One stick climbing method

scpokevin

scpokevin

Active Member
SH Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
142
Location
East Tennessee
What is the best stick and attachment method to use the one stick climbing method. I was able to do it with a hawk helium with original strap and buckle but was wondering if there was a better method/stick.
 
I been climbing this way for years. In my opinion, these stick attachment methods are best to worst for one stick climbing: the rope cam, the cam buckle, the versa button. With a rope cam like the muddy sticks came with, its really quick and super easy to attach and detach the stick while climbing. The cam buckle straps like you have on your hawk helium work fine but you have to loosen it and slide the strap up while simultaneously raising the stick. ( with rope cam you can completely detach the rope and kind of sling it up higher as you raise the stick). Lastly, the versa button is kind of a pain because you have to do the knot thing around it everytime you attach and detach. So this is why I got with the rope cam when I 1 stick. Hope this helps.
 
I second that the versa is probably last place here. Although, I’ve not tried the others. I have some 1/8” Amsteel daisy chained and it is a pain to take off and on with each move. What rope is everyone using with the rope cam and what kind of rope cam?
 
SecretAgentMan said:
So, prefer the cam, then? What kind of rope you use for it?
Click to expand...

My bad guess I should have said cam buckle strap.
Right now it’s a toss up. Guess depends on how far I’m walking. Seems like it’s always in between holes on the daisy chain, so I can get it tighter with original hawk cam buckle strap. But the daisy chain Amsteel is super light and quiet.
 
SecretAgentMan said:
So, prefer the cam, then? What kind of rope you use for it?
Click to expand...

A stick with a cam cleat is optimum for 1-sticking, making it super easy to undo and advance up the tree. I installed a cleat on my trimmed 2-step hawk helium stick, and use 1/2" double braid polyester rope (here). I think it's the same (or very similar) rope Tethrd uses for their lineman belt. The cleat I use is big (Harken 280 offshore), and the 1/2" rope works well with it. But it is way overkill. If I were to build another I would use a smaller cleat and smaller rope to save some weight.
 
Gotcha. I’ve ordered a Harken 150 cammatic cam cleat to mount and try. I’ve got enough length on my 8mm oplux rappel to steal from. I agree that it seems like the right fit for the daisy chain is always in between loops. It is light, but if it’s set good and tight, it’s a pain to undo from the button hanging halfway inverted. Even if you rotate the stick 90 degrees and get a little more slack. The other thing I don’t like about the 7/64” Amsteel is that it tends to snag on the bark, whereas a larger rope, say 8 mm, might not do that as bad. Might be sacrifice a good side pressure bite, however.
 
Murph4028 said:
I been climbing this way for years. In my opinion, these stick attachment methods are best to worst for one stick climbing: the rope cam, the cam buckle, the versa button. With a rope cam like the muddy sticks came with, its really quick and super easy to attach and detach the stick while climbing. The cam buckle straps like you have on your hawk helium work fine but you have to loosen it and slide the strap up while simultaneously raising the stick. ( with rope cam you can completely detach the rope and kind of sling it up higher as you raise the stick). Lastly, the versa button is kind of a pain because you have to do the knot thing around it everytime you attach and detach. So this is why I got with the rope cam when I 1 stick. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

A daisy chain with a versa button is superior in my opinion. I set it one time when I first put the stick on the tree and never detach it again.

Set on tree
Step in aider
Step on bottom step
Move tether up
Reach down and slide stick up tree
Repeat

It really is that simple.
 
dalton916 said:
A daisy chain with a versa button is superior in my opinion. I set it one time when I first put the stick on the tree and never detach it again.

Set on tree
Step in aider
Step on bottom step
Move tether up
Reach down and slide stick up tree
Repeat

It really is that simple.
Click to expand...
I’ve been going all the way to top step before moving stick. And doing so, I can’t see how I’d move the stick without detaching the daisy chain form the tether. Maybe it’s the difference in attempting to move it while closer to the stick and not higher up the tree.
 
Why would you do that? Do you have an aider on your stick?
 
Idk. ‍:shrug:

Seems like the thing to do. I guess I think I’m maximizing my gain with each move that way.
I do have an aider.
 
So when you get on the top step and move your tether up how do you go about reaching down for your stick. And since the rope is going to be several inches below the top step how do you go about getting to it?
 
I use a distel on my tether and I slide it down a bit, as far I need to reach, hang in my saddle almost perpendicular to the tree, but not quite, and undo the daisy chain. Move it up. Step in aider. Climb up. Repeat.

But it is cumbersome, no doubt.
 
So three steps up and one step down.

At ground level: set your stick with the aider step at knee height. Set your tether as high as you can and clip in to your bridge and slide your friction hitch up as high as it will go.

If you do the above and don’t use the top step you will not have to adjust your tether again. Yeah, you may have to make a couple extra moves of the stick, but you’ll get where you’re going quicker and safer.
 
dalton916 said:
So three steps up and one step down.

At ground level: set your stick with the aider step at knee height. Set your tether as high as you can and clip in to your bridge and slide your friction hitch up as high as it will go.

If you do the above and don’t use the top step you will not have to adjust your tether again. Yeah, you may have to make a couple extra moves of the stick, but you’ll get where you’re going quicker and safer.
Click to expand...
When you put it that way....yeah. Me giving myself some slack in the tether is really not much different than only going to my second step on my stick. (They’re stock Heliums, btw.) I’ll give that a shot next time I’m out.
I’m still gonna give the cam cleat a shot and see if I like it better than the daisy chain/button option.

Appreciate it!
 
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