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Cutting sticks equals less height myth?

Steve said:
Not to offend anyone but the kiss method is "keep it simple stupid"

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I like to believe that it’s “Keep It Super Sexy”


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Be comfortable & get confident with whatever limits u decide because that is what will keep u safe.

Once u feel good with ur set up then u can see if u wanna push those limits to save weight & gain height.

No rush & guys have killed deer for years without the modifications.

I’m choosing mods to save weight, save bulk, make my multi mile walks easier on my back , quieter set ups & have a wider tree selection since I won’t have to find good climbing stand trees.



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Thanks for the info. I can learn something every day from you guys on this site as a new saddle hunter. Now if I just had the amount of time some of you do!


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Myself, I don't see me ever using an aider so cutting down any steps equals less height. Saving a few ounces or a couple of pounds isn't a big deal to me. My recurve weights practically nothing, I don't carry a release, range finder, camera gear or other unnecessary stuff to drag me down. Using an aider in the dark looks like an accident waiting to happen. Seems to me that there are better areas to save weight than the equipment we use and trust our safety to as we reach hunting height.

Of course I'm an old cogger and not a young buck. However I can't see me ever doing it even when I was a young guy....
 
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Where aiders really, really shine for me is on the first stick. You can get that first stick up to 6 or 7 feet, it's minimal safety risk. Then 1 or 2 more sticks can reasonably get to huntable height. That's a no brainer to me. But yeah I see talk of knaidswaiders at like 35, 40 feet and yeah I cringe at the thought of that.
 
Okay. So I get the argument that cutting sticks and NOT using some sort of aider sacrifices height. But didn't technically have to be the case, right? In theory, I could leave a 4ft gap between sticks and do pull ups to get to the next stick.

It seems to me that the maxinum height you get between sticks is dependent on how high you can reach and secure the sticks. I'm an athletic 5'5". There's no way I'm getting as high as a similarly limber six-footer with the same setup.
 
denots said:
My next climbing purchase. I'll be very limited as to where I can use them but I really don't care look like too much fun.

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My thinking too. Plus at that price I think the resale may be higher than the initial price anyway.
 
Ontariofarmer said:
My thinking too. Plus at that price I think the resale may be higher than the initial price anyway.
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I thought I needed more time to rat hole some more money. Turns out I have it put up and then some. Busy rat this year! Thinking it may be next year before the KK deal comes through.

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Bdwilliams said:
Okay. So I get the argument that cutting sticks and NOT using some sort of aider sacrifices height. But didn't technically have to be the case, right? In theory, I could leave a 4ft gap between sticks and do pull ups to get to the next stick.

It seems to me that the maxinum height you get between sticks is dependent on how high you can reach and secure the sticks. I'm an athletic 5'5". There's no way I'm getting as high as a similarly limber six-footer with the same setup.
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Nope because if all you can reach is 7-foot in the tree and he can reach 8 he's got a foot on you for every stick from jump. Unless your Versa button was 6 in lower on the stick than his. Then he would only have 6 in per stick gain over you. And if you had the physical ability to pull up the difference between sticks you could definitely do it without an aider. This is why I'm using a movable aider and not concerned with dropping it. I know I have enough physical ability to lower myself down from one set of sticks to the next one without having to climb down on an aider.

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denots said:
I thought I needed more time to rat hole some more money. Turns out I have it put up and then some. Busy rat this year! Thinking it may be next year before the KK deal comes through.

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I am not counting on it for this season either.
 
denots said:
Nope because if all you can reach is 7-foot in the tree and he can reach 8 he's got a foot on you for every stick from jump. Unless your Versa button was 6 in lower on the stick than his. Then he would only have 6 in per stick gain over you. And if you had the physical ability to pull up the difference between sticks you could definitely do it without an aider. This is why I'm using a movable aider and not concerned with dropping it. I know I have enough physical ability to lower myself down from one set of sticks to the next one without having to climb down on an aider.

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I think we agree. The difference is all in how high a person can reach. I'm 5'5" so let's say the best I can get with a stick is 5' at the attachment point. The highest I can get with a stick is 5' plus the distance from the attachment point to the top step. It doesn't matter if you hack the bottom off or not. I can't get any higher.

If you really wanna go high, figure out a way to get the attachmet point at the bottom of the stick and it still be safe. That'll do it.
 
Bdwilliams said:
Okay. So I get the argument that cutting sticks and NOT using some sort of aider sacrifices height. But didn't technically have to be the case, right? In theory, I could leave a 4ft gap between sticks and do pull ups to get to the next stick.

It seems to me that the maxinum height you get between sticks is dependent on how high you can reach and secure the sticks. I'm an athletic 5'5". There's no way I'm getting as high as a similarly limber six-footer with the same setup.
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You're way taller than a Hobbit.
 
Thanks for posting this @denots. I had just bought a single helium to use for one sticking. I was torn on whether to cut it down or not, however after reading your post and thinking about it a little there is absolutely no reason not to cut it down. As you pointed out, I can only get as high as I can reach to attach it. And since my aider is attached around the upper tree bracket its relative position on the tree (and my ability to reach it with my foot) won't be affected by shortening the stick. Its a bit counter intuitive that you can climb just as efficiently on a shorter stick but pretty obvious when you think about it a minute.

The only advantage in not cutting it down is the smaller step range afforded by having the steps closer together. For me anyway, that's not worth the additional length. Thanks again for opening my eyes and making me think about this a bit.
 
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