Need help choosing new sticks

[lancebrackin]

So this was my first year saddle hunting and I went with hawk helium 20" sticks to start. They were on sale and the budget was tight to get everything needed. Anyway, I am looking to upgrade for obvious reason (they also scare me a little with all the horror stories out there). I was looking at Novix minis or XOP sticks. I want something light that doesn't require a small fortune to buy. Do you guys have any suggestions?
Thanks for the help

 

[HappyChappy]

I have lw sticks that I cut down to two steps @ 24”
I’ve had heliums and muddy pros but my modded lw sticks are my favorite. If I had to buy new, I’d go with the Novix mini sticks.

 

[tcmetrohunter]

Have you had any issues with your sticks? I'd say you're hard pressed to beat them unless you're looking to spend some serious dough. After having the single steps on my LW's and having the double step on my 20" Helium's I would never go back to the single step sticks. Also if you haven't had an issue with the Helium's you have and the look good upon inspection you should be good to go with them.

 

[Razorbak66]

For the price you can’t beat DANO s creations from EWO his stand offs bite better than any ones else and stands farther out from the tree plus if your a one sticker he has everything you need in one package!!

 

[Westdesign03]

I had the Hawk full length sticks and liked them pretty well. Wish I didn’t sell them really. Then I got the hawk minis and after heavy modding and fixing quality issues myself, never really being happy with them I lost interest and sold them too.

I have the Novix minis now and love them, even without the double step. If you don’t mind the single step deal I highly recommend them. Very good quality and very light. Lighter than I expected. I don’t mind carrying them in one hand and bow in the other, even on a long walk back to the hunting spot.

I’m pretty sure if you order from Novix, the promo code “deer hunter 15” will still give you 15% off on any Novix product.


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[lancebrackin]

I had the Hawk full length sticks and liked them pretty well. Wish I didn’t sell them really. Then I got the hawk minis and after heavy modding and fixing quality issues myself, never really being happy with them I lost interest and sold them too.

I have the Novix minis now and love them, even without the double step. If you don’t mind the single step deal I highly recommend them. Very good quality and very light. Lighter than I expected. I don’t mind carrying them in one hand and bow in the other, even on a long walk back to the hunting spot.

I’m pretty sure if you order from Novix, the promo code “deer hunter 15” will still give you 15% off on any Novix product.


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Thanks for the info. I thought about adding a double step to the top off the Novix.

 

[neonomad]

Hard to know somebody’s budget situation and stick priorities (weight? offset?), a d there’s no silver bullet. But will offer it’s good to measure twice and cut once with sticks - sometimes that’s more money up front... it’s either that or plan to keep experimenting and buying and selling, and long term that adds up too... if you want the ultimate set of sticks for the lowest price the answer is probably learn to single stick climb, and rappel. I’m 42, in decent shape, I went with that this year and I like it. So in that case all you need is one good stick. Mines a chopped LW with double steps and aider. For multiple sticks I don’t think you can go wrong with Novix, or [Novix chopped or mini + double on top + aiders]. Over time you could pimp those out with EWO etc. But a discussion of every stick out there is a long thread!...

 

[Letemgrowitllshow]

I have not hunted with many sticks, because if I don't love it in the yard I don't bring it in the woods, but I have tried hawk full length, hawk minis, xop full length, muddy pro, and novix minis. Of all those, I liked the muddys best for the cam cleat. Stand offs are decent. Steps are replaced with double steps from EWO.

 

[Westdesign03]

Thanks for the info. I thought about adding a double step to the top off the Novix.

Yeah a lot of people like to put a double step on seems like. That’s totally fine to do I think. I really prefer the way a double step climbs but I really do not like hiking in with them or the fact that any straps or ropes or anything that might be hanging off of me almost always gets caught on them. For some reason I don’t have that problem with these single steps at all. Also love the smaller profile of them when walking in and out much better too.


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[Cotehex]

I'm using full length Helium sticks with rope cam mod. and single wire aider and that has been my happy place after one year in the saddle. I started one sticking with rappel and ended up modifying my other 2 sticks.

 

[woodsdog2]

Here's a recent review from Bowhunter Magazine that covers most of them.

He doesn't cover the Muddy Pro's or the Stacked Outdoors sticks but they are very viable options as well IMHO. The stacked sticks are bulkier but easily double as a platform at HH. The Muddy Pro's with the cam cleat and rope are heavy but quick and easy to setup and have a great folding step feature that helps with packability. One Muddy Pro also doubles as an awesome one stick set up with the GM Climbing 24" loop with @SloMo devised and @boyne bowhunter used and recommended aider mods. My only additional mod to the GM Climbing Loop Aider was to add a castration band from Tractor Supply. It allows you to cinch the loop up tight to the bottom step of most any stick and prevents it from falling off when climbing and or packing in/out. I have, use and really like the Shikar's and Mini-Shikar's from OOAL Mfg. as well! Have fun!! Here are some pics of my simple aider. You can buy a three pack of these and have them cinched to each stick as well.

 

[tcbroome]

I'm a noob so take it for what its worth but I bought the Novix minis and am loving them so far. I added stealth strips and cable aiders and end up about 18' every time. I needed something in that price range, I wanted something short for packing, and I liked the roots from which they came (Lonewolf). I also love that the future holds many possibilities as finances become available. Later I can add double steps if I want to, new buttons, new stand off's. Many choices for the 1" tube. I really wish I could afford those beautiful sticks out there but I can't. I could throw double steps on these and have a similar stick with aiders for well under the price off the gucci sticks. For a guy like me the Novix minis fit the bill and I am very happy. Also almost every time I have to pry a few of the sticks off of the tree bc they bite well.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Here's a recent review from Bowhunter Magazine that covers most of them.

He doesn't cover the Muddy Pro's or the Stacked Outdoors sticks but they are very viable options as well IMHO. The stacked sticks are bulkier but easily double as a platform at HH. The Muddy Pro's with the cam cleat and rope are heavy but quick and easy to setup and have a great folding step feature that helps with packability. One Muddy Pro also doubles as an awesome one stick set up with the GM Climbing 24" loop with @SloMo devised and @boyne bowhunter used and recommended aider mods. My only additional mod to the GM Climbing Loop Aider was to add a castration band from Tractor Supply. It allows you to cinch the loop up tight to the bottom step of most any stick and prevents it from falling off when climbing and or packing in/out. I have, use and really like the Shikar's and Mini-Shikar's from OOAL Mfg. as well! Have fun!! Here are some pics of my simple aider. You can buy a three pack of these and have them cinched to each stick as well.

This is how I keep the @SloMo aider attached to my stick standoffs. I wrap it around each standoff in such a way that it folds over itself and binds tighter when loaded. Then I just added a zip tie across as a secondary retention just to make sure it doesn't come loose. It is something you want to inspect every once in a while to assure yourself that the edge of the standoff isn't cutting the aider but the one shown has been on that stick for at least two years now with no evidence of damage.

 

[Mschmeiske]

I’d run with what you’ve got and keep saving for something else.