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Bullman steps vs Jim Stepps/WE

tullybluejay said:
I have not hunted out of the WE Stepps, as I have not had them long. I have been practicing climbing with them though and have settled on using the Chris Cain method of climbing.
I love it, as I only need a single rope and don't need to worry about going around limbs on the way up. I did make a couple modifications in that I use a knaider for the first step up, so I don't have to put my foot against the tree and risk it slipping, and I just use the shortened bridge on my saddle with an extra carabiner to attach to the Stepps on the way up. I get a little over 3'/Stepp plus my EWO stick with a Scout platform and/or the Silent Approach ROS, depending on the size of the tree. Once I get my platform/ROS set up I am clipped to my top Stepp and simply attach the rope I used to climb as my tether. I hope that makes sense. Again, I have not hunted, only practiced this system. I need a lot more practice getting the ropes secured more efficiently on the Stepps.
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Did you make the knaider or buy off EWO? Is there any real slippage from the aider? Wish WEI still made their aider!
 
Planning on 6, then another 2'-3' for my platform, so I'll be at least 20' overall to my platform. I have some trees, on private land, where I have holes for bolts up to 6', then will start using my Stepps from there. Those trees are multi-trunk and either very large at the base or oddly shaped, so the bolts get me up to where the tree is then straight.
 
I’ve used bull man saddle hunting to climb last 2 season while not perfect they work as advertised

maybe slower going up, but faster coming down nothing to pack up on the ground

saddle , ros , them very hard to beat
 
DMTJAGER said:
For those who own and use both the Bullman Seilent Approach strap on steps and the WE/Jim Stepp ladder steps which do you prefer and why?
I own a bunch of the original Stepp Ladder strap on steps but I must admit the compactness and ultra light weight of the Bullman steps are VERY appealing
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I’m partial to the Squirrel steps by Eastern Woods Outdoors personally.
 
I have both the WE and Bullman steps. I prefer the Bullman steps. Just like anything else...use as directed and they work. Mine have the original straps.
 
I'm optimistic in the prospects for a hybrid sort of approach I've been playing with. I have a cut down API stick with a 3-step aider that I set from the ground as high as I can reach, and then have a small fleece satchel with 5 bullman steps to get up the rest of the way. It makes transport and packing way easy, has half the number of attachments that would be needed if using only bullman steps, and it eliminates the pitfalls of having to haul sticks up the tree as you go. You could easily carry more steps but the area I hunt doesn't really allow going higher than that gets me.
 
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