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Muddy Pro sticks vs Wild edge steps

Murph4028 said:
I've probably cammed over 2000 stepps on various types of trees. 9 times out of 10 I'll get it cammed tight the first time and it won't move. But even I come across trees that are a huge pain in the ass when using stepps. With sticks, the tree doesn't really matter. Where stepps shine over sticks is in heavily limbed trees where you can stagger them around branches. Even then, if the tree has that many limbs your probably going to have problems with rope placement which will affect your cam. The only trees I'm using stepps on this year are the few I pre set deep on public
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This has been my experience too. I find trees with soft bark are hard with steps because the stand offs sink into the bark under pressure and lose their cam strength.

This was the tree I was in last year where I got my first buck and first bow kill. In my opinion and experience (which isn’t a ton yet), this is a good example of where steps excelled over using sticks. The tree split very low and protruded up at a weird twisty angle. But the steps made it really easy to climb with no issue.
0b392a9e83b39c98e365c8919683fda6.jpg



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Also after you’ve left them on there and think you’ve stretched them, go back and retighten them and stretch them even more.


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Rich1201 said:
I'll let you know in a week. I've had muddys for several seasons and my WE steps shipped today. I'm really hoping I like them. I know they're not as simple to install but I'm looking to lighten the load and hope the extra time setting up will be worth it.

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It was more about the bulk than the weight and access for me. Walking to the tree and starting the climb right away is high on my priority list of climbing method.


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Westdesign03 said:
This has been my experience too. I find trees with soft bark are hard with steps because the stand offs sink into the bark under pressure and lose their cam strength.

This was the tree I was in last year where I got my first buck and first bow kill. In my opinion and experience (which isn’t a ton yet), this is a good example of where steps excelled over using sticks. The tree split very low and protruded up at a weird twisty angle. But the steps made it really easy to climb with no issue.
0b392a9e83b39c98e365c8919683fda6.jpg



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Is that 7 steps before your platform? Just curious, how high did that get you?

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iamcorey said:
It was more about the bulk than the weight and access for me. Walking to the tree and starting the climb right away is high on my priority list of climbing method.


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I could be wrong but I'm hoping steps will be easier in this regard.

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Rich1201 said:
I could be wrong but I'm hoping steps will be easier in this regard.

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Just takes a lot of practice. My 9 year old son can cam stepps because he's done it a lot where as there are grown men who can't do it. A lot of people get them and expect them to work out of the box. Almost everything in that package needs to be broke in before best results can be obtained. The bag is hard to zip until it stretches a little. The ropes need to be stretched really well for the stepp to work right. For rope stretching it's best to find the biggest tree possible, put the stepp on it and cam it a few times. Then leave it there for a day. Go out the next day tighten the knot a little and do the same thing. Just stand there and practice camming. Get it as tight as you can, cam it and leave it for another day or so. After that your ropes are definitely good. Most people short change rope stretching and wonder why they just won't work.
 
Rich1201 said:
Is that 7 steps before your platform? Just curious, how high did that get you?

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It is 7 steps for the climb. If you look at the very top of the pic, my 8th step is there at the base of the other trunk that goes off the other way. You can’t tell from the photo but the main base trunk of this tree actually goes up to about chest height. Was just high enough not to be able to jump up into that V of the tree on my own. So had to use one step on the other side there to then hang a cheap 3 step aider I was using at the time to get me up into the split there.

The trunk I climbed doesn’t go straight up either (obviously), but I think I got up to around 19-20’. My pull up ropes were slightly too short to rest the hang on stand and bow on the ground completely by time I was up there. And I believe the ropes are about 18’ long.

This was right before I got a saddle and platform. But if I were to hunt this tree again, I think I would use the same setup. I think I would be fighting the angles too much in a saddle with platform and still be able to face the way I needed to. Or at least for my current skill/comfort level.


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WE steps are the bomb. I've been using them since I've started saddle hunting (two years) and I love them. They are easy to pack, and IMO are easy to tie on. If you use some sort of aider you carry less weight. I use the Knaider/Swaider and I can cover 5 to 5 1/2 feet /step. The key is the tie on for sure, and the use of the linesman belt. Practice and it's easily mastered, although I've heard their not for everyone, I've never had a problem. I've never used a stick so I don't have that to compare to. This year I'll use the Cain method of climbing also. They are quiet to put on and take down. I killed a buck year before last, and I climbed to my position well within a 100 yds of where he was bedded for the afternoon. I still use the bag for containment of the steps for packing but I bought a kydex holster for my saddle when I deploy them and pick them up. Like all things, if you can get your hands on some to try, I'd do that. Do consider your fitness level as with all climbing, I am 56 and NOT in the best shape of my life, and think about your trees and how high you normally hunt. All of these considerations will help to determine how many you need. I bought a 10 pk. but have never used more than 6 at once, 5 is the norm. The bag is a bit of a pain but completely doable with some simple mods. The kydex holster really make it an easier climbing method. These can also be used as a platform if you want to leave some weight home for a longer walk in. I bought the perch but returned it. Some have designed mods for it that work and it is lighter than my Predator, but the Predator gives me more comfort and movement options when it's go time. Have fun picking
 
Kurt said:
WE steps are the bomb. I've been using them since I've started saddle hunting (two years) and I love them. They are easy to pack, and IMO are easy to tie on. If you use some sort of aider you carry less weight. I use the Knaider/Swaider and I can cover 5 to 5 1/2 feet /step. The key is the tie on for sure, and the use of the linesman belt. Practice and it's easily mastered, although I've heard their not for everyone, I've never had a problem. I've never used a stick so I don't have that to compare to. This year I'll use the Cain method of climbing also. They are quiet to put on and take down. I killed a buck year before last, and I climbed to my position well within a 100 yds of where he was bedded for the afternoon. I still use the bag for containment of the steps for packing but I bought a kydex holster for my saddle when I deploy them and pick them up. Like all things, if you can get your hands on some to try, I'd do that. Do consider your fitness level as with all climbing, I am 56 and NOT in the best shape of my life, and think about your trees and how high you normally hunt. All of these considerations will help to determine how many you need. I bought a 10 pk. but have never used more than 6 at once, 5 is the norm. The bag is a bit of a pain but completely doable with some simple mods. The kydex holster really make it an easier climbing method. These can also be used as a platform if you want to leave some weight home for a longer walk in. I bought the perch but returned it. Some have designed mods for it that work and it is lighter than my Predator, but the Predator gives me more comfort and movement options when it's go time. Have fun picking
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Just curious where you got your kydex holster for the steps.


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I liked wild edge steps, but they ultimately sat in a weird middle ground for me. 6 of them and a knaider would get me 20ish feet, with 2 at the top to serve as a platform/ROS. So 6 lbs for the whole setup was definitely not bad.

But, they were hard on a tree. If I can scuff a tree, I'm using a 1lb roll of bolts and a treehopper. No messing with aiders, and I can go as high as I want.

As I've started hunting new properties in areas that take tree damage more seriously, I had to find a better "public legal" solution. For me, lwcg mini sticks were what eventually made the most sense balancing weight, packability, and ease of use.
 
Recurveaholic said:
I love my muddy pro because I one stick climb with it but a whole set might get kinda heavy but on the other hand I have not been able to completely go all in on the WE steps cause I have yet to get them tight enough where they don't twist a little and that worries me that they could fail but alot of guys use them with no problems! Do you hunt private or public?
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I hit both. Probably more public this year
 
I have both i prefer the muddy sticks. I use three two with two step aider and one with one step aider. Its just a lot less fiddling around. All i need to do is set three sticks which is very easy with the muddy cam cleet and im done. I do like the W/E steps though but i just choose the muddys 99% of the time over them.
 
I'm big on the WEI steps and they will be my primary climbing/hunting method this year (with a knaider/swaider) with the exception of SRT pre-sets and the occasional single-stick climb with a EWO UL stick and aider setup. The WEI steps take practice, and as previously stated, stretch the ropes on the largest tree that they will fit on! I stretched mine for a week, and tightened them twice during that time. Practice, practice, practice, it's not going to be second nature in an afternoon!
 
IMHO and with my experience hands down, WE steps. Now, if your looking to save money, check these out https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/primal-steps-back-on-amazon.28466/#post-399516
I'm not saying they are the same thing but they are close, and for the money itll get the job done!
I can tell you that I use 4 WE steps to climb, and a 5th with the perch always attached. That gets me to 15-18 feet at the perch. Research the cain method, that's how I climb. Once you practice with the steps, the "fiddle factor" is a non factor, at least for me....
Setups are the most personal part of hunting, you need to understand what exactly is important to you when building it. I prefer simplicity over all else, weight being a close second. Once you figure out your style, selling any gear that doesn't work for you is easier then ever on here!
 
All this fiddle factor talk, I am interested in how y’all view WE Stepps compared to squirrel steps and an OCB relative to FF assuming same numbers of steps.


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I'm not one to rush or base everything off of time; but from standing fully packed up at the base of the tree, I can be 20' up with 2 additional WEI steps as an ROS, dead silent and smooth, and ready to hunt/shoot in 16 minutes. I can be down and fully packed, ready to walk away, in 12 minutes. All with 7 steps. I find, for me with my practice and application, they are rock solid and no more fiddle factor than anything else.

I cannot use bolts on game lands, so I haven't tried the Treehopper system.
 
bowhunthard88 said:
I'm not one to rush or base everything off of time; but from standing fully packed up at the base of the tree, I can be 20' up with 2 additional WEI steps as an ROS, dead silent and smooth, and ready to hunt/shoot in 16 minutes. I can be down and fully packed, ready to walk away, in 12 minutes. All with 7 steps. I find, for me with my practice and application, they are rock solid and no more fiddle factor than anything else.

I cannot use bolts on game lands, so I haven't tried the Treehopper system.
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This is encouraging. Are you using a knaider, swaider, or other technique?

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