Amsteel Aider with Hose Step

[SecretAgentMan]

I’m totally new to saddle hunting. So much so, that I haven’t even had a sit yet. Still waiting on gear. But, in the meantime, I did DIY up a step aider. I fiddled with a strap and just never came out with something I liked when trying it out in the yard. And maybe this will fold up and pack a little better. So, here’s what I came up with. Probably been done before and better.

Made a dogbone out of 1/4” Amsteel. Triple locked Brummell and buried on each end. I’m sure the triple is overkill, but it makes me feel warm and cuddly inside. Where the buried end goes back into the rope, I wrapped a little tape around it mostly just to avoid my bury snagging and pulling out accidentally.

On one end is an 8-10” piece of spa tubing that’s approx. 1 3-4” OD. I was going to just use reinforced vinyl, but this stuff is sturdier, IMO. Found a scrap piece at Lowe’s for $3 or so. I think as it flattens with use, it’ll become an even better step. It was white, so I wrapped it with camo duct tape. On the end that loops around the top step of my stick, I tied a cobra knot with black paracord around the loop to help keep the the abrasion down on the Amsteel since that edge is relatively sharp. Could’ve put something onto the step itself to avoid this, but cobra knots are cool and all.
May come back and put some kind of stopper on either end of the hose to keep it from sliding on the loop.

 

[robstewart]

Nice! Looks better than the one I made with climbing webbing and a hunk of old garden hose!


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[SecretAgentMan]

I originally used the climbing stick straps and used the same piece of hose, but I didn't like how the the middle part of the loop wanted to snag on my boot or the middle step of my sticks (I don't want to cut them down and take out a step. I like the extra step.) And it took two of them to make it long enough, which resulted in two big bulky double fisherman's bend knots. This is way cleaner to deal with.

 

[SecretAgentMan]

So, I’ve tried this out a time or two. Wound up shortening it up a tad. Was just too big of a step for me. Still yet, is there a better way to stabilize using an aider? Ascending isn’t so bad, but descending and trying to get my weight in that aider in a stable manner feels and probably looks like the monkey/football relations scenario. Particularly, in the dark.

Or, is that just the nature of using an aider? Get used to it. Always feeling like it’s wanting to kick out on me. One thing I will fix is to make stopper knots (out of another piece of rope) on either side of the step to keep the tubing centered. Any suggestions?

 

[Hunter260]

So, I’ve tried this out a time or two. Wound up shortening it up a tad. Was just too big of a step for me. Still yet, is there a better way to stabilize using an aider? Ascending isn’t so bad, but descending and trying to get my weight in that aider in a stable manner feels and probably looks like the monkey/football relations scenario. Particularly, in the dark.

Or, is that just the nature of using an aider? Get used to it. Always feeling like it’s wanting to kick out on me. One thing I will fix is to make stopper knots (out of another piece of rope) on either side of the step to keep the tubing centered. Any suggestions?

So when i climb aiders, especially ones with more than 1 step, I try and step on the tree with more force than the aider. Going up I will put my foot lightly in the aider and strongly dig my toe into the tree before stepping up. When going down I pick up the aider with the side of my foot and lower very slowly into the aider, with my foot to the side of the tree. This way you swing into the tree and not away. Using this technique, I would rather climb aiders without a hose or something hard keeping them open, because if the loop can collapse around your foot it will hold it in on the climb.

 

[SecretAgentMan]

So when i climb aiders, especially ones with more than 1 step, I try and step on the tree with more force than the aider. Going up I will put my foot lightly in the aider and strongly dig my toe into the tree before stepping up. When going down I pick up the aider with the side of my foot and lower very slowly into the aider, with my foot to the side of the tree. This way you swing into the tree and not away. Using this technique, I would rather climb aiders without a hose or something hard keeping them open, because if the loop can collapse around your foot it will hold it in on the climb.

Gotcha. Just need to practice more and get comfortable.

 

[RagnarRGR]

I didn't see this thread until I already built two different versions of something very similar. I built an aider out of webbing and it works well but wanted to try something attacked to my sticks. With an attached aider, I can remove steps (tasks/procedures) from the process of climbing and ultimately save time/effort... very little time saved, I know, but still saves time.
After seeing the new cable aider Lone Wolf Custom Gear is producing, I started looking at ways to do something myself. I found the EZ Aider by EZ Outdoors which are made from climbing rope and got inspired to build something lighter and that wouldn't add weight when wet. nter Amsteel got the idea to build an aider that I could leave on my sticks I also used 1/4" amsteel but used a six 6" chunk of garden hose and a tent pole splint for rigidity (keeps the rope from pinching in on your boot).

 

[RagnarRGR]

Follow-up: somehow I didn't post my entire comment. See below.
I didn't see this thread until today... after I already built two different versions of something very similar. I've been using an aider I built out of webbing and it works well but wanted to try something attacked to my sticks. With an attached aider, I can remove steps (tasks/procedures) from the process of climbing and ultimately save time/effort... very little time/effort saved, I know, but still saves both.
After seeing the new cable aider Lone Wolf Custom Gear is producing, I started looking at ways to do something myself. I found the EZ Aider by EZ Outdoors which are made from climbing rope and got inspired to build something lighter and that wouldn't add weight when wet. I chose Amsteel like SecretAgentMan, used 1/4" amsteel but used a six 6" chunk of garden hose and a tent pole splint for rigidity (keeps the rope from pinching in on your boot).
Here is what I came up with:
- 72" Amsteel Blue 1/4" in black (I'm using Beast Sticks so my goal was to create a fixed aider with 22" from the top of the foothold on the aider to the top of the bottom step on the stick)
- 6" chunk of garden hose
- 1 x small tent pole splint (fits .5" diameter poles)
- Some shock cord to make easy attachment for storage. The amount needed will vary based on your sticks and how you wrap the aider for transport.
The first aider I build in a similar fashion to the EZ Aider mentioned above but amsteel zing-it to create the sliding knot around the aider rope. This version is not permanently attached and can be removed simply by sliding down the zing-it knot and removing the aider. Unlike the EZ Aider, I do not have knot in my rooe though. I spliced the two ends then buried about 8" of each end. Total of three locking points plus the buried end.
The second aider I built, I spliced the two ends around the foot / standoff on my stick, then added locking points and buried approximately 8" of each end. Based on initial load testing and how the aider stores for transport, I think I'm going to prefer this version.
I used one of my digital reloading scales to weigh the materials and it comes out to 3.03 ounces per aider. Not a significant weight additional.

 

[raisins]

It seems like narrowing it down in the middle is more likely to allow it to twist.

 

[SecretAgentMan]

Yeah, I’ve since gone back to just a looped strap. It’s a lot more stable, IMO. It was a nice, evening recliner project but it’s sort of bulky and tends to kick out on me from time to time.