Alan zanona
Member
I recently read about close calls with sticks. Are there any preventitive measures with steps that may reduce errirs with steps and perch?
-
The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
-
We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules
Close calls with steps
- Thread starter Alan zanona
- Start date
firehunter
Active Member
There is one thing if you want to reduce the risk of errors. PRACTICE!!!! PRACTICE!!! PRACTICE!!! That is all.
Alan zanona
Member
Agreed. I'm new and know I dont have all the answers. Going up a tree agian tonight.
Most (not all, but most) accidents/close calls that have been talked about here have to do with some type of aider. Aider, etrier, CAYG aider, knaider, swaider - there are all different types. Since they are made of rope or webbing, they are just not as stable and solid as steps or sticks so they sometimes "kick out".
I agree that practice and mastery of the use of these aiders is important for safety. If you want extra protection then you can use BOTH a lineman's belt AND a tether while you climb - nothing wrong with doing that to stay safer. Note - they do not make you 100% safe! The LB can help with positioning and keep your hands free and the tether will catch you if you fall. But you can still get hurt.
It is up to each of us to practice our methods in different conditions and trees and assess what we feel comfortable with.
I agree that practice and mastery of the use of these aiders is important for safety. If you want extra protection then you can use BOTH a lineman's belt AND a tether while you climb - nothing wrong with doing that to stay safer. Note - they do not make you 100% safe! The LB can help with positioning and keep your hands free and the tether will catch you if you fall. But you can still get hurt.
It is up to each of us to practice our methods in different conditions and trees and assess what we feel comfortable with.
This.
I got into and out of aiders when the knaider/swaider and knaider/multistep aider were getting lots of attention. I think single step aiders are perfectly safe for most folks, assuming practice and decent physical abilities. But I QUICKLY became convinced that somebody was going to hurt themselves swinging around on a long aider, and unfortunately I've been proven right.
Stay safe folks. Safety isn't just weight ratings.
IkemanTX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 3,501
I couldn’t do the Knaider/Swaider for this very reason. It is awesome when practicing in the yard, but loaded up with gear on crooked wonky trees it became VERY squirrelly. It could have just been me, but it added some weird tangential stability requirements that just made it not bulletproof enough for me.
I need something I can do in pitch black, from muscle memory, bundled up for the cold, with 2” of clay mud on my boots, with every single item I will have in the tree on my back.... every time.
I have even removed my carbon bolts from any setup down in floodplane areas, because without a hex/Allen head in the end my muddy boots have a tendency to slide off the end of the bolt.
I have always used 2-step aiders with my helium sticks, but now that I am switching to a CAYG version I am also making a 1 step in case the added strap length makes it too unstable for my liking.
For me, the key to safety is diligence. I have practiced my system so much (and my spacings are so instinctual), that I never have to worry about how far away a step is on the way down. I don’t do the flamingo dance with my one free foot trying to find anything. I always know which foot comes down first... everything is standardized, and any tree pre-prepped that deviates from the standard is specifically noted as such in my treestand sheet.
................................................................................All climbing methods, platforms, saddle designs, and/or use of materials possibly mentioned in the post above are not peer reviewed for safety, and should only be used as an example of my own method. Do your own research and testing before becoming confident in any DIY solution to support your life.
-IkemanTx
I need something I can do in pitch black, from muscle memory, bundled up for the cold, with 2” of clay mud on my boots, with every single item I will have in the tree on my back.... every time.
I have even removed my carbon bolts from any setup down in floodplane areas, because without a hex/Allen head in the end my muddy boots have a tendency to slide off the end of the bolt.
I have always used 2-step aiders with my helium sticks, but now that I am switching to a CAYG version I am also making a 1 step in case the added strap length makes it too unstable for my liking.
For me, the key to safety is diligence. I have practiced my system so much (and my spacings are so instinctual), that I never have to worry about how far away a step is on the way down. I don’t do the flamingo dance with my one free foot trying to find anything. I always know which foot comes down first... everything is standardized, and any tree pre-prepped that deviates from the standard is specifically noted as such in my treestand sheet.
................................................................................All climbing methods, platforms, saddle designs, and/or use of materials possibly mentioned in the post above are not peer reviewed for safety, and should only be used as an example of my own method. Do your own research and testing before becoming confident in any DIY solution to support your life.
-IkemanTx
ImThere
Well-Known Member
seems to me they have all been knaider, swaider related on steps which we all have been warned against for years,
when I first came to saddlehunter.com I specifically asked about using aiders with steps, EVERYONE told me about a guy that seriously got hurt on Archerytalk now we are just doing it anyways. those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Don't get me wrong we all have varying levels of athleticism and abilities some of use could and will use this method and never have a problem then there are the majority of us who this just isn't realistic form of climbing
when I first came to saddlehunter.com I specifically asked about using aiders with steps, EVERYONE told me about a guy that seriously got hurt on Archerytalk now we are just doing it anyways. those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Don't get me wrong we all have varying levels of athleticism and abilities some of use could and will use this method and never have a problem then there are the majority of us who this just isn't realistic form of climbing
I love the Cain method. The key is to practice a ton (common theme in this thread). Once you get proficient with the knot and camming the stepps, they are rock solid. With the Cain method, you are connected at all times. I didn’t trust the stepps at first, but I do now. Even if one slides a little. It isn’t coming off the tree.
Kurt
Well-Known Member
As mentioned above, you have to practice a lot. GO SLOW it's about being quite and safe when we climb not about how fast we get into the tree. Learn your climbing system. By that I mean not only how to deploy it but also be aware of it short comings so you can be EXTRA aware at those times. Use as many safeties as you can when you climb.