Best Method for Climbing Backcountry Pines with Brittle and Scaly Bark?

[MEDaugherty]

Question:
What climbing method is recommended for backcountry public-land pines with brittle and scaly bark?

Background:
I hunt on backcountry public-land with pines that have brittle and scaly bark. Public lands rule out tree holes. Backcountry rules out heavy/bulky equipment. Longleaf and shortleaf pines don’t have branches low or sturdy enough to use throw bags. That leaves a few climbing options. Climbing sticks seem to be the most popular option, but they are somewhat cumbersome to pack. Also, I fear their hard edges during a fall. I believe that strap-on steps are unstable on southern pines. Wild Edge steps with a foot aider look promising. But all cam-over methods seem to be a bit of a problem on trees with brittle and scaly bark. At the moment, I am interested in two tether techniques.

List of Methods:
I have been investigating the following distinct
Techniques:
DRT – Dual Rope
SRT – Single Rope
BHT – Bolt Hole steps
SIST – Screw-In Steps
TCST – Tree Climbing Spikes
CTS – Climbing Tree Stand
COST – Cam-over Steps (e.g., WildEdge Steps)
SOST – Strap-on Steps(Squirrel Steps)
MST – Multi-Stick
DST – Dual Sticks
DsT – Dual steps
SST – Single Stick (and tether)
SsT – Single step (and tether)
2TT – Two Tethers
LLT – Leaning or Lashed Ladder
Aiders:
SSA – Single Step
MSA – Multi-Step
TSA – Thigh Strap
KSA – Knaider Swaider (thank you Peterk1234 & swampsnyper)
DVA – Dual Versa

 

[ThereWillBeSpuds]

Ok you need to chill with the dang acronyms.

Srt presets or single stick or two tether.

Sent from my SM-A516V using Tapatalk

 

[gameflogger]

I hunt east TX and I have used almost every climbing method except 2 tether climbing on pine trees. They all work well. Pine trees are noisy to climb and anything you leave on the tree that bites in ends up sticky before the climb down. Srt and drt are almost out of the question without presets. I currently one stick primarily, but I have used wild edge steps a lot they do get pretty sappy before the climb down.

 

[MEDaugherty]

I was going through the climbing methods posts and videos to trying to make a decision on the climbing method. So many methods; I had to categorize (label) them to help while taking notes. It seems as if no two hunters use the same tenique.