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One stick method branches?
- Thread starter Jsnake4444
- Start date
Too easy. Use your lineman's belt and unhook your tether. Attach tether above branch. Detach lineman's belt. Continue to climb..
1 sticking is an aquired taste. If you like it you'll stick with it and eventually do it without putting much thought into it. A lot of people quit because it seems like a lot of work but it really isn't once you get your own technique down. I was determined to do it because the one thing I can't stand to do is unwrap multiple sticks and mess with multiple straps at 5am trying not to make noise and going up and down the tree trying to beat first light. Not to mention all the straps it takes to hold them to your pack. So what I do is I carry my stick in my hand and when I find my spot for the day I just walk up, put the stick on the tree, tether in, and up I go. Simpler and faster. Depending on the tree I'm usually set up in about 5 mins.
The first time I saw a YouTube video of someone using the one stick method, I thought to myself, "That's so dumb. Why would anybody do that? It looks like so much effort just to save some weight."
Then I tried it out of curiosity and realized...
A. It's really not as hard as I originally thought.
B. It's so much lighter to carry one cut down stick.
C. It's a lot quieter than my old clunky climber and some other climbing methods.
D. It's much simpler than lugging multiple sticks and movable aiders up the tree.
E. You can climb pretty much any tree and go around branches if need be.
F. You are not limited on height; you can go as high as you want.
G. You leave nothing at the base of the tree to be seen or smelled.
H. It's safer than a lot of other methods because you're tethered to the tree the whole time.
I. It's actually kind of fun.
...And then I thought to myself, "It's so dumb that more people don't do this." Haha
Then I tried it out of curiosity and realized...
A. It's really not as hard as I originally thought.
B. It's so much lighter to carry one cut down stick.
C. It's a lot quieter than my old clunky climber and some other climbing methods.
D. It's much simpler than lugging multiple sticks and movable aiders up the tree.
E. You can climb pretty much any tree and go around branches if need be.
F. You are not limited on height; you can go as high as you want.
G. You leave nothing at the base of the tree to be seen or smelled.
H. It's safer than a lot of other methods because you're tethered to the tree the whole time.
I. It's actually kind of fun.
...And then I thought to myself, "It's so dumb that more people don't do this." Haha
I ruled out (before this season) one sticking and long aider-intensive methods largely based on wanting to avoid unsteady, dangerous situations at end of hunt. It looked like a ton of work, but the lack of a quick/easy way down was the biggest killer. I picked up an SRT setup late season...and the rappelling option, plus experience hanging in saddle mid-climb, is really making me think about the possibilities.The first time I saw a YouTube video of someone using the one stick method, I thought to myself, "That's so dumb. Why would anybody do that? It looks like so much effort just to save some weight."
Then I tried it out of curiosity and realized...
A. It's really not as hard as I originally thought.
B. It's so much lighter to carry one cut down stick.
C. It's a lot quieter than my old clunky climber and some other climbing methods.
D. It's much simpler than lugging multiple sticks and movable aiders up the tree.
E. You can climb pretty much any tree and go around branches if need be.
F. You are not limited on height; you can go as high as you want.
G. You leave nothing at the base of the tree to be seen or smelled.
H. It's safer than a lot of other methods because you're tethered to the tree the whole time.
I. It's actually kind of fun.
...And then I thought to myself, "It's so dumb that more people don't do this." Haha
Thanks for posting your experiences with this. I'm interested in trying this out.
I have climbed with a LWHC and I suspect it is a similar experience as far as difficulty. Awkward and unusual at first but gets better quickly. Assuming you bring around a 3 lb platform (Predator, etc) both systems are about 4-5 lbs to climb and stand. This one seems better for limb navigation.
I'm curious about the descent. Is it better/easier to 1-stick down or to use a longer tether and rappel? What is the added weight of a rappel system and how does that weight/ease tradeoff work out?
My WE/Primal setup is 6 lb to climb and stand but that requires the use of a Swaider which introduces some risk/complexity.
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I have climbed with a LWHC and I suspect it is a similar experience as far as difficulty. Awkward and unusual at first but gets better quickly. Assuming you bring around a 3 lb platform (Predator, etc) both systems are about 4-5 lbs to climb and stand. This one seems better for limb navigation.
I'm curious about the descent. Is it better/easier to 1-stick down or to use a longer tether and rappel? What is the added weight of a rappel system and how does that weight/ease tradeoff work out?
My WE/Primal setup is 6 lb to climb and stand but that requires the use of a Swaider which introduces some risk/complexity.
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I added up the weight of my gear to rappel in another thread, and it was something like 2-3 pounds without going to ultralight gear, Less if you would choose to use it as a tether or otherwise multitask, or use a lighter rope than me.
I'm going to give this one stick method a try in the spring. The top step of the stick and three squirrel steps will be the platform.
Thanks. So that sounds like the tradeoff in ease might not be worth the weight. You could almost carry three sticks for that (2 more). Unless it is really hard to 1-stick down. @boyne bowhunter made some really helpful videos on his 1-stick climb and rappel methods. I'm curious about his thoughts on the descent tradeoffs.
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I see 2 pounds in a packable form factor as closer to "nothing" than so much weight as to be not worth it. And packing even one stick less convenient/bulky/snaggy. What rope do you use for your tether? You could probably even rig up some sort of split tail setup, replace lineman and tether, and just be carrying an extra rappel device and few additional ft of rope if youre that concerned.
I find coming down with the one stick method is actually faster and easier than climbing up. When ascending, you have to pull up all of your weight against the force of gravity. Depending on your build, this may range anywhere from easy to so difficult that it's not worth it. Whereas on the way down, you're basically walking down the stick, sitting in the saddle, sliding the stick down the tree, and then walking down the stick again.
I have heard people say that the reason they don’t like this method is it would take them too long to come down in the event of an emergency. But @DB4x4 is correct it is easier and faster coming down than it is going up in my opinion. I use 2 WE steps and the top of my Muddy stick as my platform.
I think the standard we are looking for is different from "easier than going up". It may be a complete non-issue in practice, but it's more about ease and simplicity, especially if in a physically less than optimal state.
Going up im happy to take my time and execute physically challenging maneuvers. Coming down i might be cold, fingers could be near frozen, might be jacked up from an adrenaline dump. I may not be at my best. If my fingers are freezing - i dont want to be handling and repeatedly repositioning a stick, juggling with another line to move around branches, etc. I prefer not to descend aiders in such cases as well. In case that any "emergency" ends up compromising my abilities, i want to minimize the number of ways i can screw up the descent.
It may well be that easy on most trees, i havent tried it, but in general i (and probably others) have different priorities coming up than down.
Packing sticks up equals noise and cold hands. One sticks sounds better IMO
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I agree with others. Not having to pack up he sticks at the end of the hunt is totally worth it to me. Nothing I hate worse than trying to quietly stack up my lone wolf sticks at the end of an evening hunt. Usually with deer in the area. Would be great to get done and pretty much go.