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Back to sticks

I hate sticks and steps both. I hate lugging around sticks and I hate steps because they require more work. Of the 2 I hate stick way more. I have bought and sold I don’t know how many sets of Muddy and Lone Wolf sticks over the years. I have a set that’s been hanging in the garage that will probably never be used. Last year I tried DRT and liked it except it’s kind of hard for an ol guy to climb. It wore me out. Going to give SRT a shot this year. I just acquired a set of WE steps for just in case.

The easiest way to get up a tree is on a Summit Viper. Not Saddle friendly tho
I tried DRT like you and could not get up the tree. I am 62 years old and not in great shape, although not overweight. I tried SRT / RADS and use that now. With SRT, if you can push up with one foot or even two feet with a loop for each foot, you can climb. It is super easy.
 
This guy.

I really wanted to love them but after dealing with them for half a season I gave up on them for a custom climbing stick for a few reasons:

*Climbing height. In order to climb higher with stepps one would need to add additional steps (weight) were as with single stick climbing, can go as high as one wants without having to add additional weight.

*Fiddle factor. Tryin to set the tension of each step when placing them was a PITA. Felt I was getting more sweaty and tired from setting steps than I was from actually climbing.

*Weight. Single stick is much lighter than 5+ steps

*Feeling safe. Using a knaider with the stepps never felt 100% safe and secure to me. It always felt like a stepp might kick out in me at any given time. Have yet to have that feeling with my stick.

*Time spent climbing. I felt way faster climbing with a single stick than I was at placing multiple stepps. I’m sure this varies depending on the user but I feel like it takes me way less time to get up to climbing height with a stick vs stepps.

This was pretty much my exact same experience as well. Bought WE steps and wanted to like them. Also bought knaider/swaiter and a Cain method setup, but never even got to the point of trying to climb with them. The steps were just too much fuss, especially in the dark, and they REALLY dug into and chewed up the soft bark trees I climb (Aspen). I don't like packing multiple sticks either. So I also settled on 1-sticking with a shortened hawk helium with rope and cam cleat. Light, compact, low fuss, solid and reliable, no tree damage. I realize 1-sticking isn't for everyone, but I like it.
 
I ve bought WE Stepps twice and sold. Awesome to carry and next to dangerous to climb. Pine trees hate them and oaks wont let them dig in to hold. Back to heliums in a shoulder bag .
 
I ve bought WE Stepps twice and sold. Awesome to carry and next to dangerous to climb. Pine trees hate them and oaks wont let them dig in to hold. Back to heliums in a shoulder bag .
This really isn't what I wanted to hear. I hunt mostly out of oaks.
 
I’ve got four primal steps with wild edge ropes I’m going to play around with, but I feel at the end of the day I’ll still settle on sticks.... I hope I’m wrong thought, because I would much rather carry steps over sticks.....
 
This really isn't what I wanted to hear. I hunt mostly out of oaks.

My experience has been a little different. I've never had a problem on oaks or any hardwood. When you can them down with proper tension they are rock solid.

Even pines didn't really bother me. They would sometimes loosen up a little on pine trees but, there is no way they can come off the tree. I have stepped on a step that was completely uncammed on more then one occasion and they held.
 
I wanted to like them as well but just couldn’t do it, mainly due to the fiddle factor. I ended up settling on 1-sticking. I haven’t decided if I will sell my stepps or keep them for presetting on a couple of really limby trees that I hunt. Probably will end up selling them though. I just bought a set of gaffs after discovering that they are legal on most of the public ground that I hunt.
 
So, I have a set of WE Stepps, along with a Knaider. I used them for a couple of weeks last year and found myself transitioning back and using my sticks more. Even though they are more compact than my full length LW sticks, my time up to the same height of the sticks was definitely more. Additionally, the size of them never gave me a "comfort level" like my sticks. 2 feet on them always felt a little confining to me, and I used them quite a bit early season before heavier clothes and bigger boots came out. Went back to my full length LWs, even with the increased bulk.

This year I'll run LWCG minis with the Ambush, I have found this to be a very compact system overall. The sticks don't add much bulk to that platform for transport. Everything straps down nice and tight to my pack, however, I've also found that this system will carry nicely by itself with a strap over the shoulder (I don't care to run the backpack straps on it).
 
How many guys here have tried stepps and ended up going back to sticks?


20 years of using original LW sticks paired with a LW Assault.

Then a few years ago i started saddle hunting and trying to cut weight and bulk. I quickly cut those original LW sticks down to 17 inches, added Dan Os Double Steps, Amsteel Rope mod, and used a DIY Aider to gain the same height as full sticks and carried them in with a Hawk Sling as i dont often carry a pack and just wear my Saddle in. I was happy with the weight savings (think they came in around 7 lbs or so) but quickly became irritated with always having to lug them around as they caught in branches, banged against my bow occasionally, etc. They were light but still too bulky to me.

Moved on to 9 squirrel steps for climbing which gets me to like 20-22 ft or so based on tree and how much i want to stretch them out. They all fit in a dump pouch on my saddle and though ive never weighed them they have to be well under 5 pounds with the straps.

Take away for me: My modified sticks are pretty light, easy to use, and easier to climb but STILL a pain in the ass to get into the woods if youre going really light and trying to avoid using a pack and such. Squirrel Steps are lighter, less bulky so MUCH easier to get into the woods, but a little more time consuming to hang (not hard though), and a little more difficult to climb being you're alternating steps.

I dont see going back to the sticks just for the annoyance of hauling them around. Its awesome to just put my saddle on, grab my bow, and in I go.
 
Last year I used the primal steps(almost same as WE). I use d them with a cayg 5 step aider. It was definitely a learning curve but I quickly had no issues with them. Yes it take an extra couple minutes going up But I’m not worried about a couple minutes. I did quickly start to repel down because I didn’t like going down with the aider but I could get to 20ft with 3 steps. For this year I chopped my LW sticks and am trying those for a few hunts. I may even carry one step to use for my first step.

I really didn’t think it was hard to get them canned over and set right with a little practice. I do see that if you have big feet they may be a little small for both feet. I say maybe buy a few on here used and give them a try.
 
I really like the concept of WE steps. I just don’t like actually using them. Mainly for reasons stated above, but also because coming down in the dark with them sucked. Maybe I didn’t get the muscle memory down well enough, but hated coming down in the dark.

Also, a game changer for me and sticks / single stick was buying an X2. They had a really good sale last fall and that pack changed my opinion on carrying sticks. Also rappeling down is awesome, and simple in the dark.

Haven’t sold my steps yet - its like an ex-girlfriend, still thinking there is a way we can make it work, but in the back of my head I know its time to let‘m go!
 
started with steps for pack ability and hated them. Just couldn’t seem to get them tight to the tree. Switched to hawk helium sticks and love the ease of setup but pack ability stinks. Thread injected a custom shoulder strap to make the carry in more comfortable. I’m probably destined to cut them down at some point.
 
started with steps for pack ability and hated them. Just couldn’t seem to get them tight to the tree. Switched to hawk helium sticks and love the ease of setup but pack ability stinks. Thread injected a custom shoulder strap to make the carry in more comfortable. I’m probably destined to cut them down at some point.
Have any pics of the shoulder strap?
 
Have any pics of the shoulder strap?


Not sure what he is using but i use this Hawk EZ Sling when I carry my sticks.


I just sling it over my shoulder and it works pretty good. I use it when I climb too and then it just unclips and goes in my dump pouch on my last stick up. It looks out of stock at Hawk so not sure if its discontinued or what but looks like Farm and Fleet has one on clearance? Ive used mine like 3 years now or so and its held up like its new.

 
What about this? A lot of cabbage but anybody tried this?
Or the concept of wrapping them up.


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Sew a long slender bag of canvas,{ looks like a lawn chair bag} Drop sticks in and drop ropes in on top. When at tree, pull ropes out and let hang over side like WE Stepps. No need to wrap ropes or straps and quiet. Doesn't hit on twigs and branches. Made mine long enough to drop my ROS in on top.
 
What about this? A lot of cabbage but anybody tried this?
Or the concept of wrapping them up.


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Seen people use yoga mats and compression straps to make a wrap and sling. Essentially what that $100 stick sling is.
 
Sew a long slender bag of canvas,{ looks like a lawn chair bag} Drop sticks in and drop ropes in on top. When at tree, pull ropes out and let hang over side like WE Stepps. No need to wrap ropes or straps and quiet. Doesn't hit on twigs and branches. Made mine long enough to drop my ROS in on top.
Thanks for the info. Might have to try this out.

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