I am new to this game and putting gear together. I am using 4 Tethyd Skeletor sticks and want to be between 18 and 20 feet or so up the tree. I am trying to figure which aiders to use. Single movable aider or separate one attached to each stick?
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New guy Aider Options
- Thread starter TonyG22
- Start date
I would suggest that you see how high you can get consistently with the stix alone first. Then, you need to decide how much "fiddle factor" you want to deal with while climbing the tree. An aider on each step definitely has less fiddling than a moveable aider, IMO.
I also have the Skeletors, & Wild Edge stepps. I decided to get a 3 step aider with a hook on top-it attaches to both, & comes off by itself when I climb up. Eastern Woods Outdoors (EWO) and Backwoods Mobile Gear both sell aiders, and also amsteel loops or aiders that can be attached to stix. Hope this helps!
I also have the Skeletors, & Wild Edge stepps. I decided to get a 3 step aider with a hook on top-it attaches to both, & comes off by itself when I climb up. Eastern Woods Outdoors (EWO) and Backwoods Mobile Gear both sell aiders, and also amsteel loops or aiders that can be attached to stix. Hope this helps!
This is a big help thank you. I am shorter (5'8") not sure if steps alone get me too far but I will try see what I get. I was actually considering the aider with the S hook from Backwoods Mobile gear. Really good to know I am at least looking in the right places.
Thanks Again
Thanks Again
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2021
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- 2,164
How high can you get on the 4 sticks alone?
the mathematical answer is: if stick spacing is 18” than four sticks gets you to 12’. if you add a two step aider (@ 18” per step) to the bottom stick and single step 18” aider to the other 3 steps that put you at 19.5’ on the top step. Materials and fixed vs non fixed is personal preference. Any weight you shave results in fiddle factor. Pick your poison.
Also, try out an aider before going whole hog. Not everyone likes them. A lot of people find them unstable and lots of people swear by them.
the mathematical answer is: if stick spacing is 18” than four sticks gets you to 12’. if you add a two step aider (@ 18” per step) to the bottom stick and single step 18” aider to the other 3 steps that put you at 19.5’ on the top step. Materials and fixed vs non fixed is personal preference. Any weight you shave results in fiddle factor. Pick your poison.
Also, try out an aider before going whole hog. Not everyone likes them. A lot of people find them unstable and lots of people swear by them.
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bfriendly
Well-Known Member
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- Jul 15, 2021
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- 1,110
This ^^ I like a single step, but not 2+
This was my first year hunting from a saddle but I had been using sticks to hang a lightweight stand in years past. I was reluctant to try aiders because of the safety factor especially as I hunt alone most of the time. This year in search of weight reduction I did add one step aiders to my sticks and practiced enough to get comfortable with them. IMO and speaking for myself multistep aiders have too much fiddle factor and are not something I want to be fiddling with coming out of a tree in the cold dark night. As far as height goes I run three Hawk Helium 20" sticks with a one-step amsteel aider on each, and a predator platform. I can easily get my platform set at 16' which means I'm shooting from approximately 21'.
Which ever way you go make sure you can do it safely in the dark.
Which ever way you go make sure you can do it safely in the dark.
Rex920 brings up a good point. If climbing down in the dark is a concern, you may want to consider getting a rappel rope.
Works just like a tether on the way up, plus it has the added benefit of allowing you to "bail out," & come all of the way back down quickly, at any time for any reason, without requiring additional "fiddling" adjustments.
I find it much easier for me, to come down that way, stop, disconnect my steps, & drop them out of the way on the opposite side of the tree, then proceed. Plus, I'm not fumbling in the dark with my aider or trying to see where to put my foot in a stirrup on the way down. My headlamp is shining on the tree, because that's where my feet are.
As with anything, there's a trade off-carrying the extra weight of the rope & whatever knots or gizmos you decide to use for descending, but for me, that's not an issue- it's extra weight that's worth carrying.
Works just like a tether on the way up, plus it has the added benefit of allowing you to "bail out," & come all of the way back down quickly, at any time for any reason, without requiring additional "fiddling" adjustments.
I find it much easier for me, to come down that way, stop, disconnect my steps, & drop them out of the way on the opposite side of the tree, then proceed. Plus, I'm not fumbling in the dark with my aider or trying to see where to put my foot in a stirrup on the way down. My headlamp is shining on the tree, because that's where my feet are.
As with anything, there's a trade off-carrying the extra weight of the rope & whatever knots or gizmos you decide to use for descending, but for me, that's not an issue- it's extra weight that's worth carrying.
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Coming from using a climber for the past 10 years, aiders can be terrifying on the wrong tree if you put your weight in the wrong direction. I've only used my saddle a half dozen times so far but have settled on a double aider for the first stick and single aiders after that. The amsteel aiders I have are superlight but don't like how they pinch my boot and make it hard to free my foot at times. It's not bad on the way up, but on the way down in the dark is when it's toughest. That said I have buddies who use 3 step aiders on all sticks and have no issues!