I'd rather disclose my embarrassing incident to this community, than keep it to myself and later read of something similar involving real injury.
Thanks for the thorough response and recap of the season using it--I agree, that "failure rate" is pretty high! Great to see you and others reevaluating this kind of stuff and sharing back here.I think it's just a limitation of the gear. The WE Stepp was not designed to be used with long straps and Hooks hanging off of it. It's not the fault of the Stepp Ladder if we use it incorrectly. But it simply doesn't work for me consistently when you throw on those long swaiders and aiders.
I probably used the KN/aider method 10-12 times last season in a hunting scenario. That's with 4 Stepp ladders. So on the high side I had 48 reps in a hunting scenario with the system. I had 2 kickouts that scared me. So I had a 4% "failure rate". That's waaaaay too high. Both cases were in the dark too. That complicates things.
I'm not suggesting it won't work for some people that use it a little differently than me, or in a different environment. But for me, it's too risky.
Again - I'm not blaming the Stepp. It's not the fault of a piece of gear if we use it incorrectly.
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Gotcha, I thought it seemed a little different than the one I original saw a while back, but it had been so long since I watched it. Thanks for the clarification.@Vtbow Awhile ago I updated the video description to reflect my current methods. I had another video that detailed the system with the WE Stepps and I removed it. This video shows it with both the WE stepps and a climbing stick.
Anything but the coffee, come on!You know, if as a grown man you carry an extra 5 pounds to your hunting location, have your wife carry it for you....
Leave the range finder, the video camera, the camera arm, the Thermos of coffee and the bino's home and carry your sticks. Sorry, I'm grumpy today...
Curious, amsteel bridge tied on that sitdrag?I'm super new to (posting on) this forum, but as someone who just got a knaider/swaider and only used Wild Edge steps a few times last year, it worth it to point out that we are all very, very different. Both in terms of our comfort with risk and with our ability to feel comfortable in sketchy situations.
I do some mountaineering, back country skiing, used to ski race, rock climbing, off shore fishing, mountain biking, etc... climbing 15-20 feet up a tree while wearing a saddle or RC harness is one of my safer outdoor pursuits. So, my first time using a knaider/swaider I went right up. I've had WE steps slip, twist, drop, come so loose the top supports were 2" from the tree before using the knaider and swaider and it never bothered me. With three points of contact and being used to climbing and hanging onto or having a foothold on much sketchier and smaller things than a tree trunk and a slightly loose step (while also wearing a linesman's belt), I have never really felt concerned about hurting myself in that way.
In just a month of messing with them, I've kicked out a bunch of times with the knaider and swaider (some intentional, some not) because I've tried climbing crooked trees in the rain. But I've never felt there was a risk of plunging 10-20 feet.
Then again, I'm a guy who had the knot on the bridge of my sitdrag slip off completely when I was 20 feet up (stupidly didn't leave enough tag end). I was tied into my RC harness, but it happened when I first settled into my saddle, while I was leaned out away from the tree while standing on one slightly loose WE step. What caught me wasn't my RC harness, and wasn't my lineman's belt - it was my arms. I just instinctively grabbed the tree trunk when I felt the saddle give way. I tightened up my lineman's belt, pulled the send of the sit drag that was hanging below me back up, retied the knot to the bridge correctly, and stayed in the tree for another 3 hours.
I'm not going to advocate that anyone do things like I do, but there is massively different experience/physical ability/risk tolerance in a community this size. And I understand people's concern that someone unaware of their limitations in those areas could seriously injure themselves if they just jump into it. At the same time, selfishly, I don't want people to stop trying things, coming up with ideas and exploring the various tools that are out there, because they shortened my learning curve 1000x and improved my hunting experience by about that much as well.
no, just 8mm climbing rope. Knowing I had the RC harness hooked in as a backup I didn't take the care I would usually take, and it was only my second time in the sitdrag. Tied a loop on one end and girth hitched it, then tied a figure 8 on the other. Didn't notice it had slipped from my first sit, or loosened or something.Curious, amsteel bridge tied on that sitdrag?
That was my intent with this one. There's a few good shares here.It would probably be a good idea to start a thread on Near Misses, and drop these into it.
You know, if as a grown man you carry an extra 5 pounds to your hunting location, have your wife carry it for you....
Leave the range finder, the video camera, the camera arm, the Thermos of coffee and the bino's home and carry your sticks. Sorry, I'm grumpy today...
The unlocked carabiner is the one that gets me from time to time. After switching out the self locking biners on my Kestrel I forgot to lock the one my lineman a few times. One time the rope partially pushed the gate open and I noticed it at hunting height. That will make the butt pucker a bit. Each time I was tired and in a bit of a hurry. Lesson learned. Slow down and pay complete attention. Your life depends on it.NeAr misses Two falls
One 8 feet. One 3 feet
Improperly closed carabiner
Broken carbon bolt.
I still use both
Carbon bolts to 8 feet
Carabiners make sure they are closed
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I find when I'm alone or in a hunting situation I almost always remember to lock my biners. When I get lax is when I'm practicing and have been up and down a tree a few times or when I'm demonstrating to someone and my mouth is running. Distraction or complacency are what will get me every time.The unlocked carabiner is the one that gets me from time to time. After switching out the self locking biners on my Kestrel I forgot to lock the one my lineman a few times. One time the rope partially pushed the gate open and I noticed it at hunting height. That will make the butt pucker a bit. Each time I was tired and in a bit of a hurry. Lesson learned. Slow down and pay complete attention. Your life depends on it.
A properly used tether is the safest way to maintain elevation. In a recent thread found here https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/lessons-learned-a-safety-perspective.12317/A method where you are constantly tethered to the tree has to be safer
One stick is safe for that reason
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