Tell me why weight is so important!!!

[loujo61]

I'd so much rather carry and climb via single stick than lug and fiddle with multiple sticks.

 

[tree_ghost]

Weight is one of the least important things to me when considering what gear I need to use. What’s more important to me is the bulk of the load. I need to be able to slip in to honeysuckle and privet thickets to hunt where I do. If your setup isn’t streamlined you can’t even walk through the stuff much less get tight on a mature buck in his bed... The second most important aspect to me is a quiet system. The more big bucks I kill the more I am placing emphasis on my entry/exits being silent. I have to be able to move like a predator in the woods to me that’s the embodiment of mobile hunting.

 

[ericabbott]

Weight is one of the least important things to me when considering what gear I need to use. What’s more important to me is the bulk of the load. I need to be able to slip in to honeysuckle and privet thickets to hunt where I do. If your setup isn’t streamlined you can’t even walk through the stuff much less get tight on a mature buck in his bed... The second most important aspect to me is a quiet system. The more big bucks I kill the more I am placing emphasis on my entry/exits being silent. I have to be able to move like a predator in the woods to me that’s the embodiment of mobile hunting.

X2 was about to type something very similar

 

[Still Kicking]

I only have to walk about a half mile to a mile so for me weight is not as important as being comfortable and able to sit quietly for extended periods. That being said, most of the time I carry less than 25 pounds total when using the saddle. If I use sticks in the tree I prehang them and leave them in the tree for up to a month. Most of my sites are preset for SRT but I use the ground blinds in colder weather.

 

[n6dlh]

I understand that guys want to go lite but does 3#s really matter?? I mean if your total set-up with pack, steps everything you carry(minus bow of course) weighs say 14 pounds does 3 ore pounds really matter? I myself prefer going for comfort and ease of climbing(so I don't sweat) and I am 56 years old and a few extra pounds makes no difference to me. As long as everything is easily packed and slim line for carry it is much more enjoyable. I watch these guys one sticking and other methods and I don't find any of them all that easy. 3 or 4 good sticks and knaider and I am up as quick as anyone and a lot less hassles, at least for me. Also last question!! Would you sacrifice say 3#s to be more comfortable?? Thanks! Shawn

For me yes it does. I have 2 Herniated disks in my back. Even when I get my back fixed the weight makes the difference. If I have a target area and im hurting really bad, I may just say I have had enough and just find a place to hunt. Distributing weight is also critical. I just found a small pack with an internal frame that is a game changer. I have taken my pack from over 20 lbs with everything to around 12lbs. When you deal with nerve pain and do not take Narcotics its amazing what little weight can do.

I was never concerned about weight before this, could be some of the reasoning behind why I am injured now. Just me though.

 

[Bowmanmike]

I am not too worried about weight as long as i can scout with everything on my back. I agree that a small footprint(width) is helpful in navigating through the brush. I no stick and DRT climb and last season was my first. I had no experience and learned both fairly quickly..By the end of the season i preferred no sticking over the DRT. It is quieter and about the same speed. I never tried multiple sticks and see no reason to. This works for me and want to be comfortable when i am hunting. I bet my set up is in the 15# to 20# range all in including binos,snacks and water and my kill kit.
I rarely go over a mile because most state land around here is not that big and or has multiple access points. But i could...

 

[BuffaloBill]

Weight is one of the least important things to me when considering what gear I need to use. What’s more important to me is the bulk of the load. I need to be able to slip in to honeysuckle and privet thickets to hunt where I do. If your setup isn’t streamlined you can’t even walk through the stuff much less get tight on a mature buck in his bed... The second most important aspect to me is a quiet system. The more big bucks I kill the more I am placing emphasis on my entry/exits being silent. I have to be able to move like a predator in the woods to me that’s the embodiment of mobile hunting.

Yeah I never understood the appeal of mini sticks until I got some Novix mini sticks. They pack much better than my full size Heliums. Streamlined my setup and I can get plenty high with aiders if necessary.

 

[EricS]

Weight isn’t the sole criteria I use when selecting gear. It is however the easiest thing to put a number on. It’s hard to put a number on noise and pack ability.

 

[swampsnyper]

I’ll carry 5 more pounds if it’s less bulky and easier to use. I don’t like fiddling around at the tree. I want to get up it smooth and easy and get down and packed up the same way. Bolts were the best but I don’t like drilling. My elbows are tore up and I’ll hurt all night after drilling. But man it’s so nice coming down to just put the bolts in your pocket as you climb down and just walk away from the tree not having to pack up everything.

 

[MAHunter]

This is my first season saddle hunting. I started out carrying all 4 of my 20in Hawk Helium Sticks but quickly found that even with 24-28 in between sticks i wasnt getting as high as i would like (about 13-15ft). Gave one sticking a try and was able to go as high as i wanted. It takes a little longer, but thats because im getting higher in the tree. Every time i do it i get a little faster. I keep an eye on weight but its not the be all end all, as you could have guessed by using the "heavy" Hawk sticks, i prioritize price/performance over weight. IE: Im not spending 150$ on a single stick to save 1lb over my 25$ Hawk stick.

 

[mattsteg]

Weight really only matters if it lets you downsize to a smaller, more streamlined carry. You can comfortably carry some amount in pockets, some larger amount in a small daypack, some larger amount in a frame pack, etc. whether this actually matters depends on your priorities and hunting style.

 

[Noonespecial]

In my opinion this “weight saving” stuff is getting crazy. You’re right, if we’re talking a difference of three or four pounds I think it doesn’t matter at least for me. I’m all about packability and keeping it simple. Heck I can carry around a 35 pound dumbbell in my backpack all day and walk through the thickest stuff out there but give me a 15 pound climber or hang on set up on my back and I’ll pass. You ain’t gonna be stealthy and quiet with that...no way that’s why I switched from stands to a sling.

 

[CooterBrown]

For me yes it does. I have 2 Herniated disks in my back. Even when I get my back fixed the weight makes the difference. If I have a target area and im hurting really bad, I may just say I have had enough and just find a place to hunt. Distributing weight is also critical. I just found a small pack with an internal frame that is a game changer. I have taken my pack from over 20 lbs with everything to around 12lbs. When you deal with nerve pain and do not take Narcotics its amazing what little weight can do.

I was never concerned about weight before this, could be some of the reasoning behind why I am injured now. Just me though.

What pack is it? Link?

 

[MAHunter]

Weight really only matters if it lets you downsize to a smaller, more streamlined carry. You can comfortably carry some amount in pockets, some larger amount in a small daypack, some larger amount in a frame pack, etc. whether this actually matters depends on your priorities and hunting style.

I agree, but i think inherently the lighter you get the more streamlined things become. Bulk and weight typically run hand in hand.

 

[mattsteg]

I agree, but i think inherently the lighter you get the more streamlined things become. Bulk and weight typically run hand in hand.

Sort of, but not completely, and there are different kinds of bulk. A rope packs differently from squirrelsteps, which pack differently from sticks - even if you hold the weight constant.

There's also the question of how much it really matters - and the answer is going to be different if you're e.g. walking 100yards in relatively open country to a prepped tree and sitting all day vs. trekking through miles of swamp and brush and sitting opportunistically, not necessarily in a tree.

 

[cedar paul]

I like a safe , comfortable and hopefully the lightest setup my gear will allow. Many times I will go in at just before dawn and return home after dusk. I marvel at the ease at which the squirrels climb and I think we are all searching for a method that requires as little risk and sweat to achieve.

 

[MAHunter]

Sort of, but not completely, and there are different kinds of bulk. A rope packs differently from squirrelsteps, which pack differently from sticks - even if you hold the weight constant.

I guess its how we define bulk. Personally, for me in saddle hunting, i equate bulk to anything that is greater width wise than my body frame. Why is that? Simply because i have lived my whole life knowing what and where i can go with my given dimensions. But add a 3 pack of 3ft sticks horizontally on my pack, and im now clanking against trees i would normally walk by silently. Put them vertically in my pack and they are likely clipping branches above my head.

In your example above, i would still classify the sticks as the bulkiest even if the rope and steps weigh the same (which lets face it, they dont). Simply because you can stash the steps and rope in your pack. The stick, with steps, stand offs, aiders, will be strapped to something or carried in.

 

[mattsteg]

I guess its how we define bulk. Personally, for me in saddle hunting, i equate bulk to anything that is greater width wise than my body frame. Why is that? Simply because i have lived my whole life knowing what and where i can go with my given dimensions. But add a 3 pack of 3ft sticks horizontally on my pack, and im now clanking against trees i would normally walk by silently. Put them vertically in my pack and they are likely clipping branches above my head.
because you can stash the steps and rope in your pack. The stick, with steps, stand offs, aiders, will be strapped to something or carried in.

Agreed. This is why weight is a poor proxy for being "streamlined".

In your example above, i would still classify the sticks as the bulkiest even if the rope and steps weigh the same (which lets face it, they dont). Simply because you can stash the steps and rope in your pack. The stick, with steps, stand offs, aiders, will be strapped to something or carried in.

Actually the weights aren't that far off. A squirrelstep with an OCB is about 9.5 ounces I think. 2 of them are more or less right in line with the lightweight 2-step sticks. Stepps are a bit heavier, but in the same ballpark, especially getting into aiders etc. (do aiders "streamline", or "complicate"?)

 

[brydan]

In my opinion this “weight saving” stuff is getting crazy

At least on this site, it's way better now than it used to be in terms of more discussion about safety and less about extreme weight cutting

 

[cspot]

Another thing with weight is where you are carrying it on you. I fooled around trying to get rid of carrying a pack and carrying the stuff on me. The issue is the "perceived weight" didn't seem any different than carrying the pack even though my setup was likely a couple pounds lighter. The pack distributed the weight across me far better and therefore was more comfortable. Also wasn't limited to what I wanted to pack with me on a given day.