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Easiest climbing methods for old guys

Sticks are probably your best bet. Unless you can pre drill trees with a screw gun. Also if you are on private land, preset trees with climbing sticks/ladders.
 
Wayne K said:
I am 57 and not as young as I use to be. In everyone's opinion what is the easiest way to climb.
Stepps Sticks Lone Wolf Hand Climber ....? Tried Cain's method a little tougher than I thought
Sticks hauling a ton of stuff in woods... Just your thoughts
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I have tried Steps, sticks, one sticking and SRT/RADS. Once you get the rope up the tree SRT/RADS is easiest. Any method where you are continually tethered seems safest, especially with legs not as strong as they used to be.
 
62, be 3rd year useing a 16 pack of WE stepps. Artifical hipp an both knees replaced. I place them about 16" apart for the bend in my knees. Carrys great in my tenzing 4000 backpack. Got 2 16 packs and a 12 pack.
 
Kevin Combs said:
Just getting into this saddle game! BTW, St. Simon’s is my favorite vacation spot!
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Born and raised there, just sold my home and moved to Flagler beach, fl. About 2.5 hrs south. Retired aocs, but eod for 16 years. Left in 02, dhs firearms since 03. Just retired again, this'll be my first season in a saddle also!!
 
Islandshooter said:
Born and raised there, just sold my home and moved to Flagler beach, fl. About 2.5 hrs south. Retired aocs, but eod for 16 years. Left in 02, dhs firearms since 03. Just retired again, this'll be my first season in a saddle also!!
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AOCS here also. Small world. IYAOYAS! I hunted several years out of a treesuit but just got back into the saddle game and going to give the Mantis a go!
 
harold wright said:
62, be 3rd year useing a 16 pack of WE stepps. Artifical hipp an both knees replaced. I place them about 16" apart for the bend in my knees. Carrys great in my tenzing 4000 backpack. Got 2 16 packs and a 12 pack.
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It would be beneficial to hear how you setup and breakdown your Stepps. And what has gone into your decision. I am 51 and use Stepps and sticks for climbing. Use sticks more. But am migrating more back towards Stepps.

I have used Stepps, no aiders, in the past. This was original Jim Stepp Stepps before the newfangled saddle craze. I would take 12 to get 18’. I really like how I can customize the placement of each Stepp for both the tree and my physical abilities. That said, the extra attachments to the tree is the cost (in terms of setup and breakdown)

But now, I use 4 muddy pro with CAYG aider and it is about the same weight. And I am really starting to intensely dislike anything aider related.

I use Stepps inline vertically and put my feet on a V on same step. I believe it is uncommon, but I have observed one instance where someone put them up staggered and used one foot on each Stepp. Not sure how good/bad that would be.

And Jim Stepp created them so he could deal with a war wound that affected his leg. I believe there is a great benefit to using Stepps for people of different abilities, not just tree ninjas (as we see here).

I think that the customizability of the Stepp setup is good for people with different physical abilities. It is not just for the knaider/swaider tree ninjas, but can be used by many people.

Anyway, I am rambling. Still would be good for the community to hear how you use the Stepps to keep you in the tree and hunting.

Good luck this season.
 
And I will add that I think the “dirty little secret” of aiders (CAYG or otherwise) is that if one needs to use them, it limits the trees to sections with vertical distance that accommodates aider usage.

Any tree, any time. Except for huge diameter or poison ivy filled trees.
 
69 yrs old (70 in 6 weeks). First year with a saddle. I'm going with WE steps for my first year. Been practicing this summer about 10-12 times so far, learned a lot. The WE steps seemed the easiest carrying in and putting up over sticks. Maybe next year I'll change method. The one stick method looks interesting. I'm determined to use the saddle and not revert back to ladder stands. I think the saddle is safer than climber or ladder stand. I'll report back after hunting season how I made out. That's if I remember!!
 
If any of the over 40 crowd that does one stick would be willing to share a video of it, i'd appreciate it. i've seen boyne's vid. (great job). but i'd like to see other people's take on it.
 
backstrap19 said:
If any of the over 40 crowd that does one stick would be willing to share a video of it, i'd appreciate it. i've seen boyne's vid. (great job). but i'd like to see other people's take on it.
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Don't think there's much variation in the climbing process regardless of age. It's more likely the individuals physical fitness level determines how the climb is done.
 
63 and use LW hand climber, sticks, bolts in that order haven't really had the opportunity to use the bolts much
 
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