I’m in need of some advice with my WE steps

[Golferhunter]

I need some advice with my WE steps. I’m a big guy. 6’3” 290lbs size 13/14 boot. I was planning on using wild edge steps as my climbing method this year, but so far it has not worked out. I can’t get them stable if I’m on one Side of the step. Both of my feet do t seem to fit very well. Also I’m destroying the bark on the trees I’m trying them in. It just sighing into the bark and when my weight shifts going to the next step it takes the bark right off. This could really be an issue on public land. See photo attached. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[tam9492]

That looks like a hardwood species? I've never seen damage like that on a hardwood, but you have me by about 100lbs. Some folks have issues with stability if they run the rope over the standoff, but other than that, practice should give you a rock-solid set-up.

 

[Big Country]

6' 2" 275. size 12 boots. It takes a lot of practice to really get the hang of camming over but when ya do it's pretty solid. It's gonna shift a lil but still solid.

 

[Golferhunter]

6' 2" 275. size 12 boots. It takes a lot of practice to really get the hang of camming over but when ya do it's pretty solid. It's gonna shift a lil but still solid.

The shifting doesn’t bother me, it’s the damage to the tree that I find most concerning. That photo is an oak behind my house, hate to see what it would do to a pine tree. I’m not ready to give up on them.

 

[vabwhntr]

Every tree I've put them on its left a mark but not one quite like that. I think once you get them cammed over tight you wont have that issue. It usually takes me a couple tries on each one to adjust it and get it so that its cams right. Once it does though it is rock solid and doesnt move at all.

 

[Big Country]

Yeah they def do damage. I try not to climb the same pine tree twice do to excessive sap leaking.

 

[fawnzy]

I’m 240. I leave a mark, but for now it’s legal.


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[Dewey]

I struggled with mine at first but getting better with practice. I was ripping up a lot of bark in the beginning because I didn’t stretch the ropes properly before using so thinking they gave a little once I put my weight on. Actually had my stepps slip and kick out on me a few times and would have been real bad if I wasn’t strapped to the tree. To be honest I almost gave up on them after that but decided to give them more time. Getting easier to use each time and I’m liking them more every day.


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[kenn1320]

Think upgrading the nylon to amsteel might work better? Im upgrading mine. Maybe the amsteel will allow them to be tighter, no stretch. Im 240 without gear....Ive never seen damage like that.

 

[EricS]

If you use an aider you only do half as many steps so half as much damage. I wouldn’t worry about the tree. I don’t use the wild edge steps on the same trees over and over. If they are shifting on hardwoods they aren’t tight enough. Some trees may require you to cam them two or even three times tightening in between. I wouldn’t use an aider until you were good at getting them rock solid. I was 295 my last trip to the doctor and my steps don’t shift on hard trees with exception to my platform after a couple hours one may develop a wiggle.

 

[sojourner]

Those look like marks I made on trees the first 1/2 dozen times I used them. I attribute it to stretching the rope out and my weight (265 to 285) and not cramming properly.

Once you get the rope stretched and you can purposefully place each step (which may require changing the length of rope or re cramming in a slightly different place), you should be fine.

I know that when I think “that Stepp is attached good enough” that it isn’t. When I think that, I will just uncam, adjust and recam.

You can stretch them out on a large diameter tree for a bit before using them.

I use stepps for my platform. Sometimes I use for climbing, but favor short sticks for climbing.

Good luck.

 

[Homebrew454]

Also make sure you cam them over with stand off part above the rope. Wild edge had videos on their website better showing this process.

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[CaptainKielbasa]

I have the same issues with mine right now, waiting for a response from WE. (emailed them on the 4th).

The day I got them I put them on a few trees and re-adjusted them every half hour or so for a few hours to "pre-stretch" the ropes.

After the stretching, whenever I cam them over, they feel solid, I pull down on them and they don't budge, but as soon as I step up onto one, they tear large sections of bark out and slide down and kick out. The reddish brown sections of missing bark are what I'm talking about in the images below.

Tree 1
Tree 2

At this point I'm just going to guess they don't work on trees that have large bark sections like the ones I tried, which means I either have to find a different place to hunt that has different trees, or sell the stepps and buy climbing sticks instead.

 

[Golferhunter]

I think they have a break in period. I’m getting them solid on the tree now. Thanks everyone for you help.

 

[EricS]

I think they have a break in period. I’m getting them solid on the tree now. Thanks everyone for you help.

I think the break in period is as much for the steps as the user. I haven’t tried the new rope but the old didn’t take very long to get them stretched out. I think it was as much my personal error as the stretching for me. They just keep getting better and easier the more you use them.