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Increasing efficiency for 1 stick climbing

rakbowhunter said:
Did you ever get this resolved? Interested in knowing what bolts to use as well
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10-24 stainless with locknut. I have the new heliums and mounted the cleat just below the versa button. 2 1/4 long bolts work if you can find them. I used 2 1/2 then ended up hacksawing off a little of the bolt.
 
pesqimon said:
Tried one sticking in the yard today. Way easier than one might think.

I don’t have a cam cleat but I found the cam strap quite nice. I left it a little loose like @Bwhana says, and it moves easily enough.

I compared it to a daisy chain strap and buckless. Daisy chain was kind of annoying if adjustment was needed. The buckless was too sketchy if you did a quick tie and too fiddly if you did a proper tie.

I also compared it to my LWHC and I have to say I am liking 1stick better.

I can see a two step fixed aider being nice. My CAYG aider worked well but less fiddle would have been nice in this case. My knaider also worked nicely!

Rappelling at the end is the best!
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I attached the buckle to my one stick and it works great to allow one handed stick holding with a simultaneous thumb press buckle release. The strap does not become detached from the tree and is simply loosened and slid up so no danger of dropping the stick.

My One Stick Helium Stick Mods

Do not attempt this at home. For information only. Platform I made a platform from an aluminum fence post insert which is used to strengthen vinyl fence posts for lock attachment and such. My platorm is 12 inches long. It seems to work fine. I still need a platform for when I climb SRT...
saddlehunter.com
 
I have reviewed all of the one stick videos I can find. I am seeing a Safety concern in the videos. When standing on the stick people are putting their hand + fingers under the tether as they are moving it up. If the stick should slip for any reason your fingers would be trapped between the tether and the tree. You would be trapped by your own weight not able to make a phone call to get help. If the initial shock load did not cut off your fingers your would loose them for circulation. I am not saying it can't be done safely, but I ask you to review the videos and you will see my concern. I lost a finger and thumb when I was 19 years. Since then I watch where I put my fingers.
 
Kenbama said:
I have reviewed all of the one stick videos I can find. I am seeing a Safety concern in the videos. When standing on the stick people are putting their hand + fingers under the tether as they are moving it up. If the stick should slip for any reason your fingers would be trapped between the tether and the tree. You would be trapped by your own weight not able to make a phone call to get help. If the initial shock load did not cut off your fingers your would loose them for circulation. I am not saying it can't be done safely, but I ask you to review the videos and you will see my concern. I lost a finger and thumb when I was 19 years. Since then I watch where I put my fingers.
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Not sure how else to do it, but I’ll keep it in mind next time I try this and see if I can come up with a way. Any ideas?
 
Kenbama said:
I have reviewed all of the one stick videos I can find. I am seeing a Safety concern in the videos. When standing on the stick people are putting their hand + fingers under the tether as they are moving it up. If the stick should slip for any reason your fingers would be trapped between the tether and the tree. You would be trapped by your own weight not able to make a phone call to get help. If the initial shock load did not cut off your fingers your would loose them for circulation. I am not saying it can't be done safely, but I ask you to review the videos and you will see my concern. I lost a finger and thumb when I was 19 years. Since then I watch where I put my fingers.
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I have done this myself and been worried while doing it. There are many things in saddle hunting where one failure can lead to disaster such as leaning back on one tether/bridge. I try not to get my fingers under the rope but sometimes it does happen.
 
Kenbama said:
I have reviewed all of the one stick videos I can find. I am seeing a Safety concern in the videos. When standing on the stick people are putting their hand + fingers under the tether as they are moving it up. If the stick should slip for any reason your fingers would be trapped between the tether and the tree. You would be trapped by your own weight not able to make a phone call to get help. If the initial shock load did not cut off your fingers your would loose them for circulation. I am not saying it can't be done safely, but I ask you to review the videos and you will see my concern. I lost a finger and thumb when I was 19 years. Since then I watch where I put my fingers.
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I'm a dedicated "one sticker" and you've hit on the one failure mode I haven't fully been able to address. This is one of the reasons I don't climb off the bottom two steps of the stick before advancing my tether. I just feel that the stick is more secure with my weight lower and well below the attachment rope. With my right hand I try to advance the rope with my threaded link so I'm not running my hand inside the rope. My left hand is a little more difficult. I've thought about wrapping a loop of paracord thru itself around the rope on that side to give me something loose to pull up with but I'm not sure it gives me enough pull points to get the rope fully advanced.
 
boyne bowhunter said:
I'm a dedicated "one sticker" and you've hit on the one failure mode I haven't fully been able to address. This is one of the reasons I don't climb off the bottom two steps of the stick before advancing my tether. I just feel that the stick is more secure with my weight lower and well below the attachment rope. With my right hand I try to advance the rope with my threaded link so I'm not running my hand inside the rope. My left hand is a little more difficult. I've thought about wrapping a loop of paracord thru itself around the rope on that side to give me something loose to pull up with but I'm not sure it gives me enough pull points to get the rope fully advanced.
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If anyone comes up with a good method I would appreciate the information. I purchased what I need to rappel and going to go to single stick method after much practice.
 
boyne bowhunter said:
I'm a dedicated "one sticker" and you've hit on the one failure mode I haven't fully been able to address. This is one of the reasons I don't climb off the bottom two steps of the stick before advancing my tether. I just feel that the stick is more secure with my weight lower and well below the attachment rope. With my right hand I try to advance the rope with my threaded link so I'm not running my hand inside the rope. My left hand is a little more difficult. I've thought about wrapping a loop of paracord thru itself around the rope on that side to give me something loose to pull up with but I'm not sure it gives me enough pull points to get the rope fully advanced.
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That's an issue I have never considered using a linemans or tether. Couldnt you use 2 short paracord pieces with a small fixed loop around the rope and hand sized loop to hold. That would keep fingers out from under the main line but still fairly easily reposition for moving the rope up the tree. That said, you cant remove all risk so we all have to determine what risk is acceptable and what is not for each of us. Thats one I may be a little more aware of going forward but not one I make gear changes to address.
 
BTaylor said:
That's an issue I have never considered using a linemans or tether. Couldnt you use 2 short paracord pieces with a small fixed loop around the rope and hand sized loop to hold. That would keep fingers out from under the main line but still fairly easily reposition for moving the rope up the tree. That said, you cant remove all risk so we all have to determine what risk is acceptable and what is not for each of us. Thats one I may be a little more aware of going forward but not one I make gear changes to address.
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That about sums this one up for me personally. I just wanted to throw some possible alternatives I had considered out there for others considering this failure mode who's level of risk is not quite as "reckless" :) as mine.
 
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I use small leather tabs on my tether. I feel like it makes advancing the tether up easier as well due to leverage maybe? I didnt like the idea of finger under rope.


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Aeds151 said:
I use small leather tabs on my tether. I feel like it makes advancing the tether up easier as well due to leverage maybe? I didnt like the idea of finger under rope.


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I have a friend who was learning to use spurs, when he moved his linemans belt up the tree, his spur gaffed out, and he fell and his hand was pinned below his linemans belt. He ended up having to pull it out in able to push off the tree to get the spurs back in the tree.. ripped all the skin off.
 
DanielB89 said:
I have a friend who was learning to use spurs, when he moved his linemans belt up the tree, his spur gaffed out, and he fell and his hand was pinned below his linemans belt. He ended up having to pull it out in able to push off the tree to get the spurs back in the tree.. ripped all the skin off.
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I watched a guy on YouTube teaching someone how to climb with a lineman. He was doing this weird overhand grip and made the other guy do it too but didn’t explain it.

Reading this, I now think it was for exactly this reason.


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I didn’t read through all 8 pages but...

If you have the newer muddy pros don’t even think about not half hitching the cam cleat. They will slip. My old muddy pros did not slip at all but the new cam cleats are garbage. Please half hitch them twice or use a different stick!
 
I posted this in another one sticking thread but want to share here...

This makes me curious so I have to ask, has anyone here personally had a stick give way or some sort of slip where your tether actually caught you from falling? Not a slip where you grabbed the tree but one where if it wasn't for your tether you'd have gone to the ground.

Working with heavy machinery and rotating equipment in a hot environment for over 30 years has ingrained in me the need to be aware of my surroundings and where I am placing my body parts at all times. Every time I climb I am acutely aware that my fingers could be trapped under my tether in the event I fall so I try to minimize that risk by not curling my fingers fully under and around it when I'm moving it up. My thinking is in the event I fall and the tether does catch my fingers it will be more of a pinch and I will be able to slip them out rather than a full entrapment. Will it matter? I'm not sure but God willing I hope to never find out.

Also, being I employ a cam cleat on my climbing stick I focus on the tail end of the rope and place it behind the stick and between the legs of the lower stand off prior to stepping on the bottom step so I don't accidentally step on it causing it to release and creating a possible life changing event.

There are risky moments in all we do in life, nothing is ever fail safe or bomb proof. The best way to protect yourself is by knowledge and constant vigilance. Stay safe!
 
Yes, I had an actual fall where my tether caught me this season. First time ever after over 30 years of climbing trees to hunt.
Pretty much exact situation you described (I think-it happened so fast). I was practicing one sticking with Muddy stick and I think I stepped on the rope and pulled it from the cam cleat. I was one move from the ground, so I got lazy and didn’t tie the half hitch. I probably had about 18-24” of slack in my tether. Tether caught at about the same time my toes hit the ground. It was jarring, but didn’t really hurt. What DID hurt was as the stick released and I fell, the top step of the stick got caught between my shin and the tree and left a nasty gash and bruise. I wouldn’t recommend falling.
 
What’s the preferred stick for this one sticking? A short 2 step or long 3 step stick?

I was thinking about getting a LWCG stick for this or possibly making a really long like 40” stick.
 
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