Cost savings

[Yhwh_strateuma]

Hello,
I've combed through a lot of the threads, but just wanted to see what advice y'all had for me. Just for reference of my budget I am a sole provider for my wife and two kids. Every two weeks I get about 50$ to spend on whatever I want. I've figured I need about 350 or so to get a saddle and climbing method. I'm not terribly intrested in the rock harness and sit drag mods, most land around the 90$ range I believe and sacrifice the benifits of a manufactured saddle. Plus I don't have a sewing machine. I'd like to get the trophyline ambush pro (159$) it's the cheapest on the market comes with two pouches and is the original saddle company which is cool. Seems like the best value to me. Not many people talking about them and reviewing or comparing them yet though like tethrd and aerohunter. I'll most likely grab two hunter safety system ropes straps for my LM and tether.

For climbing method I'm leaning towards drt, wild edge steps or gaphs.

Drt: I've priced deep woods rope at rope supply for .9$ a foot. So at most 90$ for 100' of rope. A 30$ hawk seat for a platform and a 15$ throw ball kit and I should be good to go. Total ~135$

Wild edge steps: 6 steps is 110$ with the bag, knaider and swaider 45$ giving me 155$ total ready to go.

tree spikes range from 130-150 plus a platform ~160-180$
I hunt public land in Wisconsin and the rules say no damage to the tree, such as screw ins, but doesn't mention anything else or define damage. so I'm not sure if these are 100% legal, or my climber I used this year that pierced the bark 12 times every time I set the platforms climbing up.

Is there anything I'm missing or any advice you guys have for me, I'm willing to put in the time and save up the money for the right equipment.

 

[Westdesign03]

As far as I know spurs aren’t legal on any public land that I know of. Yes climbers might punch the bark a little (really anything you put on a tree will somewhat usually), but spurs outright gouge the wood pretty deep and I think leave the tree a lot more damaged/open to disease etc.

For your saddle, you might take a look at H2 before you pull the trigger on anything. Almost same price as the trophy line at about $165 and has a few features that the tethrd and aero hunter saddles have that IMO are very beneficial. I don’t know that you can say the same for the trophy line.

I have the WE steps and at first I really wanted to like them but hated them. Then I read up a bit and realized I had to stretch the ropes first. Duh. After that, problems solved and now I love them. They do take some practice though if you’ve never used steps or something like these before and I did not in the beginning. But I recommend them for sure as long as you put some practice into them.

I can’t speak to DRT/SRT. Never tried them and don’t know that I have much interest to at the moment.

Just a few thoughts to chew on from my end.


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[Aaronpaul14]

I am in the same boat as you. Sole provider and 3rd kid on the way so not a ton of spare change laying around here. Most of my stuff are Christmas or birthday presents.

I did the sit drag option for my first year with WE steps. I use 5 and Knaider/Swaider. Took some getting used to it but love it now. Bought JC knaider and made my own swaider.

I’m waiting to hear what comes out in the next month but looking to get the H2 for next year unless something amazing in the same price point comes around.

The only other thing I would add to your options would be 1-stick climbing. Super popular around here and you can pick up a solo stick and some rope for tether/rappel down for the same price range. I picked up a muddy pro stick for $40 on here. Going to try it out this off season to see if it compares to WE steps.

Good luck!

 

[Yhwh_strateuma]

As far as I know spurs aren’t legal on any public land that I know of. Yes climbers might punch the bark a little (really anything you put on a tree will somewhat usually), but spurs outright gouge the wood pretty deep and I think leave the tree a lot more damaged/open to disease etc.

For your saddle, you might take a look at H2 before you pull the trigger on anything. Almost same price as the trophy line at about $165 and has a few features that the tethrd and aero hunter saddles have that IMO are very beneficial. I don’t know that you can say the same for the trophy line.

I have the WE steps and at first I really wanted to like them but hated them. Then I read up a bit and realized I had to stretch the ropes first. Duh. After that, problems solved and now I love them. They do take some practice though if you’ve never used steps or something like these before and I did not in the beginning. But I recommend them for sure as long as you put some practice into them.

I can’t speak to DRT/SRT. Never tried them and don’t know that I have much interest to at the moment.

Just a few thoughts to chew on from my end.


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I'm leaning away from the spurs as they're probably not legal, but the convenience of 'just walking up a tree' was unbeatable to not think about. I have looked up h2, but what benifits are you referring to?

Thank you for your advice!

 

[Yhwh_strateuma]

I am in the same boat as you. Sole provider and 3rd kid on the way so not a ton of spare change laying around here. Most of my stuff are Christmas or birthday presents.

I did the sit drag option for my first year with WE steps. I use 5 and Knaider/Swaider. Took some getting used to it but love it now. Bought JC knaider and made my own swaider.

I’m waiting to hear what comes out in the next month but looking to get the H2 for next year unless something amazing in the same price point comes around.

The only other thing I would add to your options would be 1-stick climbing. Super popular around here and you can pick up a solo stick and some rope for tether/rappel down for the same price range. I picked up a muddy pro stick for $40 on here. Going to try it out this off season to see if it compares to WE steps.

Good luck!

I've heard of the one step method, but I'm a little put off of the bulkiness of climbing steps. Granted one step wouldn't be bad just unsure of it.
Strongly leaning towards WE steps with knaider swaider for the versitility(in trees and types branches/no branches) quietness, speed and no need for an extra platform either save up for the platform or diy one, or shoot from the steps. Plus their other attachments like gear hangers.
Close second Is drt but I can think of a few instances this year where I would have preferred We steps vs drt. I had one spot where it would have been nice to have one WE step at the base of a tree and be in a saddle, and some pine stands I hunt with no branches to sling a rope over for 100+feet.

Thanks for the reply, and congrats on the kiddos!

 

[robstewart]

I’m in the boat of being on the Canadian side of the border so buying anything from the US will cost 30% more plus about $150 for shipping+brokerage+duty.

In my case I went with a rock climbing harness, made a fleece saddle and bought rope and climbing gear at the local outdoor store.

One thing I wish I’d done, and maybe this is an option for you, is to have bought a low end arborist saddle instead of a rock climbing harness.

For climbing I used hawk helium’s I had for my hang on stand. A guy on Facebook gave me a ring of steps. I’ve since transitioned to one stick and SRT up and rappel down as the tree dictates.

Honestly though, in your case as you are in the US I’d probably pinch my pennies and buy a commercial saddle.

My ideal setup would probably be a Tethrd saddle and a LWHC seat. I’d SRT in trees where it made sense or use the hand climber on my feet with my tether in smaller straight trees and either way ratchet strap the platform at the top to hunt.


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[Westdesign03]

I'm leaning away from the spurs as they're probably not legal, but the convenience of 'just walking up a tree' was unbeatable to not think about. I have looked up h2, but what benifits are you referring to?

Thank you for your advice!

Yeah I looked at spurs at one point for the same reason. Sounds super convenient and it would be. But want to stay legal because I hunt mostly public land. Also, call me a tree hugger but I didn’t like the idea of knowingly damaging a tree just for my own recreational benefit. If you’re climbing a tree to hack off limbs and eventually cut it down as part of a job or career that’s different.

The H2 saddle has a solid pouch that you sit in as opposed to mesh. This is similar to the aero kestrel (regular model, not the flex). I know everyone is in love with mesh because of the light weight and all that, but I feel like the solid style will last a lot longer and I’m interested in longevity of my gear. Also the difference in weight is only several ounces and that is negligible to me.

It has an awesome buckle for the waist band. Again similar to the kestrel. It is difficult to adjust in that you have to basically have it unbuckled to adjust it. Some people find see that as a problem but I think it’s a bit of a benefit because you know it’s not going to come loose on you while you’re using it.

If you order it with leg straps (I recommend you do), they use G hooks as opposed to more buckles. This is like the Tethrd mantis. They’re made of a light but heavy duty steel. Nice and quiet and super secure. I almost have to work to get them off, so there’s essentially no chance they’ll come off on you.

There is looped webbing across the top of the saddle that is very nice for hanging gear on. The style of this is like the aero kestrel in that they’re kind of stiff so you don’t have to fight to get stuff hooked into it.

Finally, the over all design/shape of the saddle is much like the aero kestrel again in that the main traps of the saddle all centralize around the bridge loops. To me this is nice because it supports your weight in like a sling style as opposed to something like a swing where you’re sitting down in the saddle and the bridge tends to angle more straight up as opposed to out. I find that I like to lean out in the saddle more than sit. It’s more comfortable and for some reason keeps me warmer in cold weather. I don’t have direct experience with the trophy line but to me that one looks like you would sit down in it like a swing and may not be as comfortable. I could be wrong but that’s just my assumption.

Anyway, those were my reasons for getting the H2 over the others. Wet similar design to the aero kestrel (which I was set in getting in the beginning) but this had the features I liked in the kestrel and a couple I also liked from the Tethrd. It cost less than both and I got it with about 8-10 days of my order instead of a couple months.


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[Aaronpaul14]

I've heard of the one step method, but I'm a little put off of the bulkiness of climbing steps. Granted one step wouldn't be bad just unsure of it.
Strongly leaning towards WE steps with knaider swaider for the versitility(in trees and types branches/no branches) quietness, speed and no need for an extra platform either save up for the platform or diy one, or shoot from the steps. Plus their other attachments like gear hangers.
Close second Is drt but I can think of a few instances this year where I would have preferred We steps vs drt. I had one spot where it would have been nice to have one WE step at the base of a tree and be in a saddle, and some pine stands I hunt with no branches to sling a rope over for 100+feet.

Thanks for the reply, and congrats on the kiddos!

You definitely can’t go wrong with the WE steps. I went through most of the season just using 1-2 steps as my platform depending on how high I wanted to go and just recently picked up the perch on sale and have used just a few times but my feet are definitely liking the extra space. Their gear hangers look cool but I don’t want to waste a step to attach them to. I just use an old piece of webbing and made Molle loops to make a gear strap. I also picked up a kydex holster for my steps which is super handy!

 

[Yhwh_strateuma]

Yeah I looked at spurs at one point for the same reason. Sounds super convenient and it would be. But want to stay legal because I hunt mostly public land. Also, call me a tree hugger but I didn’t like the idea of knowingly damaging a tree just for my own recreational benefit. If you’re climbing a tree to hack off limbs and eventually cut it down as part of a job or career that’s different.

The H2 saddle has a solid pouch that you sit in as opposed to mesh. This is similar to the aero kestrel (regular model, not the flex). I know everyone is in love with mesh because of the light weight and all that, but I feel like the solid style will last a lot longer and I’m interested in longevity of my gear. Also the difference in weight is only several ounces and that is negligible to me.

It has an awesome buckle for the waist band. Again similar to the kestrel. It is difficult to adjust in that you have to basically have it unbuckled to adjust it. Some people find see that as a problem but I think it’s a bit of a benefit because you know it’s not going to come loose on you while you’re using it.

If you order it with leg straps (I recommend you do), they use G hooks as opposed to more buckles. This is like the Tethrd mantis. They’re made of a light but heavy duty steel. Nice and quiet and super secure. I almost have to work to get them off, so there’s essentially no chance they’ll come off on you.

There is looped webbing across the top of the saddle that is very nice for hanging gear on. The style of this is like the aero kestrel in that they’re kind of stiff so you don’t have to fight to get stuff hooked into it.

Finally, the over all design/shape of the saddle is much like the aero kestrel again in that the main traps of the saddle all centralize around the bridge loops. To me this is nice because it supports your weight in like a sling style as opposed to something like a swing where you’re sitting down in the saddle and the bridge tends to angle more straight up as opposed to out. I find that I like to lean out in the saddle more than sit. It’s more comfortable and for some reason keeps me warmer in cold weather. I don’t have direct experience with the trophy line but to me that one looks like you would sit down in it like a swing and may not be as comfortable. I could be wrong but that’s just my assumption.

Anyway, those were my reasons for getting the H2 over the others. Wet similar design to the aero kestrel (which I was set in getting in the beginning) but this had the features I liked in the kestrel and a couple I also liked from the Tethrd. It cost less than both and I got it with about 8-10 days of my order instead of a couple months.


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Great points to think about, thank you! I wasn't a big fan of the mesh either must of my hunting is done in fall and winter here in Wi. Their pro version with bottomland camo vs mesh is 169$. Haven't heard to many reviews on their new saddles. Ultimately if I'm going to save up I want it to be the best value.
Thank you

 

[Yhwh_strateuma]

You definitely can’t go wrong with the WE steps. I went through most of the season just using 1-2 steps as my platform depending on how high I wanted to go and just recently picked up the perch on sale and have used just a few times but my feet are definitely liking the extra space. Their gear hangers look cool but I don’t want to waste a step to attach them to. I just use an old piece of webbing and made Molle loops to make a gear strap. I also picked up a kydex holster for my steps which is super handy!

I saw the kydex holsters their pretty cool, what's the benifits over the bag?
You said you had 5 steps right and you were still able to get high enough and use the last step as a platform.

 

[Aaronpaul14]

I saw the kydex holsters their pretty cool, what's the benifits over the bag?
You said you had 5 steps right and you were still able to get high enough and use the last step as a platform.

To me the holster is either hooked to my pack or saddle and the steps are a lot smoother sliding in and out. Only downside I have with it over the bag is wrapping up the ropes when I get down but that only takes 2 min.

I am 5’ 9” and set my steps at about chin level. So roughly 5’ per step. The first 3 get me to 15’. I then either decide if I want to be about 18-20’ I will set the 4th step on the backside and my step with perch on front (same thing I did before perch). If I wanted to get 24 I can just use my 5th as my sole platform (not as comfy for all day sit but better with perch). I even think I could push the height even more if I tried but I don’t see a need and I don’t have to strain at all going up or down as it is. I usually stay with the double at the top to have a more comfortable 360* shooting angles.

 

[Yhwh_strateuma]

To me the holster is either hooked to my pack or saddle and the steps are a lot smoother sliding in and out. Only downside I have with it over the bag is wrapping up the ropes when I get down but that only takes 2 min.

I am 5’ 9” and set my steps at about chin level. So roughly 5’ per step. The first 3 get me to 15’. I then either decide if I want to be about 18-20’ I will set the 4th step on the backside and my step with perch on front (same thing I did before perch). If I wanted to get 24 I can just use my 5th as my sole platform (not as comfy for all day sit but better with perch). I even think I could push the height even more if I tried but I don’t see a need and I don’t have to strain at all going up or down as it is. I usually stay with the double at the top to have a more comfortable 360* shooting angles.

That's a pretty sweet set up sounds like!

 

[Yhwh_strateuma]

I’m in the boat of being on the Canadian side of the border so buying anything from the US will cost 30% more plus about $150 for shipping+brokerage+duty.

In my case I went with a rock climbing harness, made a fleece saddle and bought rope and climbing gear at the local outdoor store.

One thing I wish I’d done, and maybe this is an option for you, is to have bought a low end arborist saddle instead of a rock climbing harness.

For climbing I used hawk helium’s I had for my hang on stand. A guy on Facebook gave me a ring of steps. I’ve since transitioned to one stick and SRT up and rappel down as the tree dictates.

Honestly though, in your case as you are in the US I’d probably pinch my pennies and buy a commercial saddle.

My ideal setup would probably be a Tethrd saddle and a LWHC seat. I’d SRT in trees where it made sense or use the hand climber on my feet with my tether in smaller straight trees and either way ratchet strap the platform at the top to hunt.


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I do prefer the arborist saddles but it's not much of a cost savings, but they do have lineman loops and a 'bridge's connection. What does one stick and SRT look like.

 

[Jtaylor]

So I went all in on saddle hunting this year after being frustrated with mobile stand hunting for the past few years. I have used just about every climbing method so far and have used a handful of different saddles. You mentioned the Trophyline and for me it works out fine plus comes with accessory pouches you might have to pay extra for with a different manufacturer. It takes a bit of time to figure out how to make it comfortable through adjusting tether height etc. I also like the Wild Edge steps but they do have a learning curve. I would use sticks which I was more comfortable with when I was frustrated with the Wild Edge steps. Gaffs/Spikes were not for me because they were too sketchy in thick barked trees and scarred the trees pretty bad if going up and down the same tree several times. Bolts/Carbon rod holes froze or grew shut leaving me with carrying the drill and re-drilling nearly every time I went in. Screw in steps are clumsy and cumbersome. I have Lone Wolf sticks (one set up for one sticking) and the Wild Edge Steps and will use one of the three depending on how deep I'm going into the woods and the tree I'm setting up in. The shortest learning curve will probably be sticks and they can be had for under $100. You can also add step aiders to your sticks which would allow you to get away with less sticks/weight for the same height. If you decide to try one sticking in the future, you'd already have the sticks bought too.

 

[Tr33_n1nj@]

If you are thinking WE steps, try to find the Primal V steps. Waaaaay cheaper and the same as far as I can tell.

 

[Homebrew454]

What part of Wisconsin are you from? I'm in the SE corner of the state. I have WE steps if you are close and wanted to test. I also have a predator platform and WE perch as well

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[Westdesign03]

Great points to think about, thank you! I wasn't a big fan of the mesh either must of my hunting is done in fall and winter here in Wi. Their pro version with bottomland camo vs mesh is 169$. Haven't heard to many reviews on their new saddles. Ultimately if I'm going to save up I want it to be the best value.
Thank you

You’re welcome. Understand. H2 seems to be an up and coming company. A nice bang for the buck I think.


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[Westdesign03]

So I went all in on saddle hunting this year after being frustrated with mobile stand hunting for the past few years. I have used just about every climbing method so far and have used a handful of different saddles. You mentioned the Trophyline and for me it works out fine plus comes with accessory pouches you might have to pay extra for with a different manufacturer. It takes a bit of time to figure out how to make it comfortable through adjusting tether height etc. I also like the Wild Edge steps but they do have a learning curve. I would use sticks which I was more comfortable with when I was frustrated with the Wild Edge steps. Gaffs/Spikes were not for me because they were too sketchy in thick barked trees and scarred the trees pretty bad if going up and down the same tree several times. Bolts/Carbon rod holes froze or grew shut leaving me with carrying the drill and re-drilling nearly every time I went in. Screw in steps are clumsy and cumbersome. I have Lone Wolf sticks (one set up for one sticking) and the Wild Edge Steps and will use one of the three depending on how deep I'm going into the woods and the tree I'm setting up in. The shortest learning curve will probably be sticks and they can be had for under $100. You can also add step aiders to your sticks which would allow you to get away with less sticks/weight for the same height. If you decide to try one sticking in the future, you'd already have the sticks bought too.

I also bounce between sticks and WE steps. I like both options for different reasons. Sticks are good for fast easy sets but are bigger to carry. Steps are good for awkward trees and compact portability but take longer to set up. At least this has been my experience. Pros and cons to all things.


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[Westdesign03]

If you are thinking WE steps, try to find the Primal V steps. Waaaaay cheaper and the same as far as I can tell.

Might be BS but I heard somewhere there actually is a difference in the WE steps and primal V’s. Same design but the WE’s are supposedly more robust and have a tougher coating. I dunno could just be marketing. I can’t say one way or the other.


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[Tr33_n1nj@]

Might be BS but I heard somewhere there actually is a difference in the WE steps and primal V’s. Same design but the WE’s are supposedly more robust and have a tougher coating. I dunno could just be marketing. I can’t say one way or the other.


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You could be right. But I gambled with the cheaper ones and am glad I did. I probably would not have paid the WE price... probably. I did buy a bag tho, lol.