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Anyone here actually climbing with strap on steps?

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!!!
 
Recurveaholic said:
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!!!
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I played with cranfords last year in the off season. I like using them with a timber hitch.
 
EricS said:
I played with cranfords last year in the off season. I like using them with a timber hitch.
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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!!
 
raisins said:
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.
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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).
 
philsanchez76 said:
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).
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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.
 
raisins said:
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.
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gotcha. The OCBs should solve all these for you. Zero stretch! I use the heavy duty Olive drab for my ring of steps since I really crank that one tight. It’s rated for 1760 pound break strength. I use the camo straps for the individual steps cuz those are slightly lighter and easier to work with (not quite as stiff). Those have 1000 pound break strength I think. Good luck out there and be safe!
 
Squirrel steps with OCB buckles are the cat's azz. Very lightweight and compact, very easy to climb on, and very secure. Once you get used to keeping the straps organized, it's very fast.
 
iamcorey said:
have you used these yet? any issues?
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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.
 
raisins said:
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.
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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.
 
iamcorey said:
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.
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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.
 
philsanchez76 said:
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.
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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.
 
I used bullman outdoors silent approach steps all season, love them. Them with DanO sling pouch / purse to store them in is cut the fiddle factor in half.

Drop them in the pouch, 5/6 at a time then stuff the strap tag ends in, repeat on the last 5/6 stuff them in pull the cord shut ur done

Same thing climbing pull the 5/6 straps out use them then pull the others out.

His bags are hard to use with a lineman’s belt since they are around ur waist, with dans bag I wear it like a purse so it’s off to the side and not a hinderance. Tryin to stuff the straps and **** with zippers is a turn off and time consuming with his stock bags.

5lbs 12 steps get me well over 20’. I’ve gotten pretty fast with them, just hard to beat.
 
I actually love the Cranford rope steps. If you use them like the owner demonstrated in his YouTube video, they will get sufficiently tight. As far as speed goes, yes there are more parts to affix to the tree than sticks, but if you carry them in a satchel, you just walk up to the tree and start climbing—no unpack/pack up time like you have with sticks. So I’d say it’s close to a draw time-wise between steps and sticks. Plus, steps are lighter and more compact.


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I am using SS to climb and as a ROS. EWO has camo and green straps so I ordered some of each and have the camo straps set for left foot and green for the right. This way all my buckles are right in front of me as I climb.
 
I use 10-12 squirrel steps for climbing and won’t ever look back. The fact they pack so small is where it’s at. I can climb with 10 and hang a platform in 8-12 minutes.

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.
 
JSEXTON23 said:
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.
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Is there a secret to getting them tight enough? I tried it one time and couldn’t get it to set correctly. Can you post a link or a picture of the ones you’re using to make sure we are talking about the same type cam buckle?




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