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Silent approach

M

mkendrick

New Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
11
Who has the silent approach steps? Do you like them? Would you recommend them?


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I do, and I’m on the fence with them.

Pros: light, small, feel stable and safe, adapt to oddly shaped and branchy trees easily

Cons: time consuming to set up (25-45 minutes to set up 7 steps and a ring of steps), straps are black, kind of a mess to pack up, cam buckle is difficult to use at times and I have a feeling they will be far more difficult when finger numbing weather sets in. Loose ends of the straps are long and messy, the bag they come with is terrible (too small and the zipper is cheap and broke almost immediately)

jeez, my cons outnumber my pros. still, once set up I like them OK.

Things I'd improve: would be really great to figure out how to use an aider/swaider with them to eliminate half or more of the steps. Would be nice to replace the straps with grey or camo. Also replace the cam buckles with something easier and simpler. Ratchet straps with hooks on the ends might work but expensive. Would be really cool to figure out how to replace straps with cord and incorporate these cam cleats:

https://www.ebay.com/i/122023456620...1%26rvr_ts%3Dcf8400531660ac1a3ea62a75fff6236c
 
im in the process of them now. i really do not like the carrying pack. its too small and a pain to pack up. i threw them all in a good size fanny pack. i havent climbed with it like this yet but seems better. the black straps im not a fan of either will prolly switch them out at some point. however i was just messing around with them yesterday and got 5 or 6 steps up in about 3 mins so its actually way faster than i thought. but yet that cam buckle could be a pain wonder how well a whoopie sling would fair with like a biner holding it together.
 
I am in between those still because they look more packable from the rope and that they fold. But i already got SA. Cranfords are a bit heavier at 9.5oz each and heard it can be hard to loosen off tree but i may still pick some up to try.
 
I use SA steps exclusively. Sold my wild edge steps and selling my sticks now. It takes me about 10 minutes give or take to get to hunting height which is a little longer than with sticks but packing in 6 pounds IN MY PACK makes it worth it. Every time I use them I like them more. For me, it’s the ticket.
 
Tedly said:
I do, and I’m on the fence with them.

Pros: light, small, feel stable and safe, adapt to oddly shaped and branchy trees easily

Cons: time consuming to set up (25-45 minutes to set up 7 steps and a ring of steps), straps are black, kind of a mess to pack up, cam buckle is difficult to use at times and I have a feeling they will be far more difficult when finger numbing weather sets in. Loose ends of the straps are long and messy, the bag they come with is terrible (too small and the zipper is cheap and broke almost immediately)

jeez, my cons outnumber my pros. still, once set up I like them OK.

Things I'd improve: would be really great to figure out how to use an aider/swaider with them to eliminate half or more of the steps. Would be nice to replace the straps with grey or camo. Also replace the cam buckles with something easier and simpler. Ratchet straps with hooks on the ends might work but expensive. Would be really cool to figure out how to replace straps with cord and incorporate these cam cleats:

https://www.ebay.com/i/122023456620?chn=ps&ul_ref=https%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-117182-37290-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fi%252F122023456620%253Fchn%253Dps%26itemid%3D122023456620%26targetid%3D474392039224%26device%3Dm%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D9001877%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D1480970876%26adgroupid%3D56758917549%26rlsatarget%3Dpla-474392039224%26abcId%3D1139286%26merchantid%3D101693688%26gclid%3DCjwKCAjwyOreBRAYEiwAR2mSkrdkSrnEOTaS3OR5Tolb1JMLxv29q6fpx8BG41W-EOOU9gUY8SZiIhoCh-IQAvD_BwE%26srcrot%3D711-117182-37290-0%26rvr_id%3D1724893540931%26rvr_ts%3Dcf8400531660ac1a3ea62a75fff6236c
Click to expand...

I agree, the bags need a serious upgrade. I have contacted someone about making a set up with bigger bags made out of a saddlecloth type material. A better zipper too. I took the inserts out of mine and run it that way.
 
Haven't got my ideal spacing down yet but I like 'em. easy to attach,no knot tying,and don't have to choke the tree with 'em to set them . Bags need to be a little bigger with a #10 YKK zipper (that's whats on my wiggys gear and it's bombproof). Just practiced with mine today,had one a little to far to the side,
a good kick with the boot and a good mash fixed that (sweet being able to do that so easy). Setting up the ring of steps is giving me trouble getting the ratchet strap on with no twists.Anybody got any advise to cure this?? Also used 2 steps together and tighten down had no sideways movement.
 
Last edited:
I got my 2 extra steps yesterday and with the temps dropping and a wool layer I had to use tighter spacing. Seemed like I got to about the same height as 12. Might get a couple more. Left them and my Predator in the tree somewhere in Muskingum County Ohio, if you can find em they’re yours.
 
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