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Hand climber

F

FayetteKong

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
81
How are you guys modding your hand climber for attaching it you your feet


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Those hand climbers will fold on you if your not careful.
Check out my diy climber. There is no way it can
 
FayetteKong said:
How are you guys modding your hand climber for attaching it you your feet


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Click to expand...
I have one practice session and zero hunts so far using my LWHC, but I used someone's idea on here of 18" Night Eyes Gear Ties to make stirrups. Also used the LW bungie cord to go behind my ankles and create tension (kinda like Summit climber system).

The foot attachment part works good. The HC as a viable climbing & platform option? Jury is still out on that one.

Same issues as others, mostly a pain to adjust belt as tree narrows while climbing. Thinking about using it during gun season to go higher in the tree than my 4 WEs take me (and leaves are gone!). Might consider rappelling down to save half the effort.

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Ran webbing side-to-side, threaded to create stirrups, and triglides to adjust. Used my first ever amsteel splice to capture the stirrups in the middle and tether to my kestrel leg straps. Pull on that tether to open the stirrups and keep the hand climber from getting away from you.

To prevent the hand climber from folding, secure with a heavy zip tie.

I've been using the hand climber a bunch to tend elevated cameras on public ground. Super fast and easy, like it a lot.
 
I made cobra braided stirrups, with a single 550 cord leash that attaches to the stirrups and harness. So you can lift up the stirrups without bending down and so you don't lose the platform by accident. I also have another cord that attaches near the teeth of the platform and is tied to the other leash this makes setting the platform back in place after adjusting the platform strap easy as when you pull it the teeth side come up and the platform bites again.

I haven't had an issue with it folding or even acting like it might I just keep my weight behind the ridge in the platform.

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I do think folks should really give this climbing method more of a chance! Yes, it is tough....initially to get the hang of everything but so aren't WE stepps, lol.

I just put a strap across my platform for my feet, another strap looped through the middle, gets clipped into my RCH biner that is holding my tether to my RCH. I use the connecting strap to pull up the bottom strap to get feet under and to assist pulling up my legs as far as possible. I highly recommend a ropeman or other such device to adjust the tether length while climbing. One of my tricks that I learned and I think helps is to stand on my tippy toes and tighten up the tether once I have it moved up and in place (oh I have part of a night-tize rubber gear tie that I cut and wrapped around the rope to hold it in place below the loop and it works great) then to sit down on it to pull the tether into place, because it can move a bunch, then I stand up again real quick and tighten, then sit and pull up my feet. Hopefully, you don't have to adjust the tether every time because it can speed it up a bunch.

Anyway hope that helps, oh and plan a little more time so you aren't so rushed because it is a little slower than some other climbing methods.
 
donnieballgame said:
I do think folks should really give this climbing method more of a chance! Yes, it is tough....initially to get the hang of everything but so aren't WE stepps, lol.

I just put a strap across my platform for my feet, another strap looped through the middle, gets clipped into my RCH biner that is holding my tether to my RCH. I use the connecting strap to pull up the bottom strap to get feet under and to assist pulling up my legs as far as possible. I highly recommend a ropeman or other such device to adjust the tether length while climbing. One of my tricks that I learned and I think helps is to stand on my tippy toes and tighten up the tether once I have it moved up and in place (oh I have part of a night-tize rubber gear tie that I cut and wrapped around the rope to hold it in place below the loop and it works great) then to sit down on it to pull the tether into place, because it can move a bunch, then I stand up again real quick and tighten, then sit and pull up my feet. Hopefully, you don't have to adjust the tether every time because it can speed it up a bunch.

Anyway hope that helps, oh and plan a little more time so you aren't so rushed because it is a little slower than some other climbing methods.
Click to expand...
Try building one of my diy climbers. Its even easier.
https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/diy-climbing-aid.7873/#post-119704
 
I've tried the gear ties, regular bungees, and straps. Not extensively, mind you. However, I settled on this style of (heavy duty?) bungee. I moved it a little bit closer to the teeth since this pic was taken. I also added a cam jam to the platform tether to keep the tether from getting caught between the tree and teeth. This thing is so light that I think anything can work.

abdd968366c7159868ac920277f1fbad.jpg


Something I did recently was number the teeth on the track belt to help me make adjustments up in the tree. Cause sometimes I forget whether I moved it one spot or two, etc. So numbering them 1-20 on each side helps me keep track.

Finally I put the belt inside a 1" clear hose. This has helped prevent getting the teeth caught. I have 1ft of tubing now, but I think I may replace it with 1.5ft.

In practice, I thought the platform wiggled a fair amount and was concerned, but when I hunted out of it it was firm. I think it's because I hunted off a pine and the teeth sunk in well in the soft bark.

Finally, to step from the ground unto the platform, I started to use an aider. Starting with the hand climber a bit higher on the tree makes it easier to set the belt right for hunting height, although an adjustment halfway up is not the worst thing in the world. Still working out the best way, but settling on a redsquirrel aider style, because my tether is already on the tree, I just clip in a foot loop. The trick is not knocking the platform to the side. Work in progress.
 
rabidd099 said:
I also have another cord that attaches near the teeth of the platform and is tied to the other leash this makes setting the platform back in place after adjusting the platform strap easy as when you pull it the teeth side come up and the platform bites again.
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Got a picture? I am interested!
 
I've never really had an issue with it folding, maybe once because I put my weight too far forward even then I didn't fall any, just moved my weight back a little.

Another thing I noticed with mine is that the square tubes that hold the belt can get noisy, moving up and down against the platform, I wrapped the platform where they meet up to reduce that noise. I need to try the hose to see if that helps.

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donnieballgame said:
I've never really had an issue with it folding, maybe once because I put my weight too far forward even then I didn't fall any, just moved my weight back a little.

Another thing I noticed with mine is that the square tubes that hold the belt can get noisy, moving up and down against the platform, I wrapped the platform where they meet up to reduce that noise. I need to try the hose to see if that helps.

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Click to expand...

Only time I had problems with the hand climber folding was when I was resetting the traction belt while hanging from the saddle. It was a PITA so I just zip tie it every time now.
 
sureshotscott said:
Only time I had problems with the hand climber folding was when I was resetting the traction belt while hanging from the saddle. It was a PITA so I just zip tie it every time now.
Click to expand...

When you take some pics tonight, can you show where you use the zip ties? Thanks
 
donnieballgame said:
Another thing I noticed with mine is that the square tubes that hold the belt can get noisy, moving up and down against the platform, I wrapped the platform where they meet up to reduce that noise. I need to try the hose to see if that helps.
Click to expand...

Yes, I noticed this too. Did you use camoform?
 
donnieballgame said:
Do you use that for ur platform? It looks pretty sweet but I hate bulk, does it come apart for packing? Also I think it's heavier than my XOP HC.

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Yes, it's my platform. Bulky? Not really, it's flat. Your XOP or a lone wolf hand climber, you can easily get yourself hurt as a platform. They can fold up on themselves if you get on a tree that narrows up quickly. It's been done by several. If 2 lbs more causes you or anyone to compromise your safety, then you need to stay on the ground, imo. Yes lighter is good at times but I personally don't like pain. Be carefulif you stick with your xop.
Also another big + on my diy climber. It cost $15
 
CDP said:
Yes, it's my platform. Bulky? Not really, it's flat. Your XOP or a lone wolf hand climber, you can easily get yourself hurt as a platform. They can fold up on themselves if you get on a tree that narrows up quickly. It's been done by several. If 2 lbs more causes you or anyone to compromise your safety, then you need to stay on the ground, imo. Yes lighter is good at times but I personally don't like pain. Be carefulif you stick with your xop.
Also another big + on my diy climber. It cost $15
Click to expand...

I would be interested in seeing a video of your build in action. If it eliminates all the issues and safety concerns involved with the LW climber, I will pay your to build me one, if you're interested.
 
SH4896 said:
I would be interested in seeing a video of your build in action. If it eliminates all the issues and safety concerns involved with the LW climber, I will pay your to build me one, if you're interested.
Click to expand...
I'm not in a business to make any money or anything. I'm not savvy with video making either. Just look at the pictures and you can see. It's just made of 1" steel tubing. Nothing special
 
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