Coathanger15
Well-Known Member
For anyone who may be interested these are my take aways from my first use and hunt using the Stacked Outdoor Climbing Sticks. Backstory: I cut down and modified a set of hawk heliums over the summer and worked hard on a system using a DIY double step movable aider. Like most here I was on the search for a lighter weight, smaller profile, affordable set of sticks that could still get me up to 20 feet if needed. Long story short, they have not worked well for me. I realize there are many guys here who love them and I can understand why but I could not get comfortable with them and am currently trying new methods in season (I know, i know) to find what will work for me. So on to the quick review....
Before I picked them up used from another member here, I had searched and read all the posts I could find on stacked outdoors sticks. Other than "the steps are too short so I wont try", or "too heavy so I wont try" or "they look bulky so I wont try" and the very obscure and limitedly posted "I love my outdoor steps" there was not much of a detailed look from someone with hands on experience. So here you go:
- yes the steps are a little short. 17.5 inches between steps, but what they lack in length,they make up in girth (insert crude joke here). Seriously, they felt substantial to climb on. No worry of slippage. The grip pattern was aggressive and finished with a higher raised profile on the end, giving you a confidence that your foot was firmly planted.
-Yes they are too heavy. Plus you need to carry four to get to 20 with single aiders (at least I do) Although they did not feel as heavy as I thought they would there real issue comes from ....
-Yes they are bulky. That's where the weight is truly felt. The convenience and ingenuity of the stacking design has a major drawback if you mount to the back of your pack like I do. It puts the weight so far and away from your back that it pulls hard on your shoulder straps and throws your balance way off. Making sneaking in a real chore.
-the standoffs- they were solid in all but one area. They hold the stick off the tree further than most sticks giving much more foot room from. They had a small bit of flex when setting as mentioned in some of the videos I watched which gives them a very good bite. The downside is that because of the one piece construction there is no way for them to swivel if you are attaching to a twisted part of the tree. I did have one stick put on a twisted part of the trunk and it was slightly wiggly when first putting my weight on it. It did however seem to set when standing on it then it kind of popped up a little and when going back down needed to be set again...
Forgot to mention the noise. No metal noises obviously but when branches scrapped across them while walking in the sound was more natural to the woods (almost like antlers to my ears) but also seemed much louder.
Even though these sticks have more cons than pros I did really like their performance once at the tree so much that I want to find a way to use them. I dont mind the inconvenience of a little weight and bulk for the tradeoff of stability and confidence in my climbing method. I used single step aiders on each step and a combination of lone wolf straps, muddy straps and amsteel to tie off. All methods worked well. I easily got to 20 feet and felt very secure and confident in these sticks, much more so than with my heliums. All the negatives aside I really liked the sticks on tree and the confidence in them while climbing. I am tring to figure out a way to utilize the Stacked outdoor steps. I mostly hunt mornings and go out in the dark so I may strap my bow to my pack and sling the sticks around my shoulders and see how that works. I go through some reall thick stuff though and get worried about damage to the bow as I slither through all those branches/briers/vines....when it's in my hand I can move it around as needed.
Also working on single step climbing and rappelling down. Which looks real promising
Hope that helps someone.
Before I picked them up used from another member here, I had searched and read all the posts I could find on stacked outdoors sticks. Other than "the steps are too short so I wont try", or "too heavy so I wont try" or "they look bulky so I wont try" and the very obscure and limitedly posted "I love my outdoor steps" there was not much of a detailed look from someone with hands on experience. So here you go:
- yes the steps are a little short. 17.5 inches between steps, but what they lack in length,they make up in girth (insert crude joke here). Seriously, they felt substantial to climb on. No worry of slippage. The grip pattern was aggressive and finished with a higher raised profile on the end, giving you a confidence that your foot was firmly planted.
-Yes they are too heavy. Plus you need to carry four to get to 20 with single aiders (at least I do) Although they did not feel as heavy as I thought they would there real issue comes from ....
-Yes they are bulky. That's where the weight is truly felt. The convenience and ingenuity of the stacking design has a major drawback if you mount to the back of your pack like I do. It puts the weight so far and away from your back that it pulls hard on your shoulder straps and throws your balance way off. Making sneaking in a real chore.
-the standoffs- they were solid in all but one area. They hold the stick off the tree further than most sticks giving much more foot room from. They had a small bit of flex when setting as mentioned in some of the videos I watched which gives them a very good bite. The downside is that because of the one piece construction there is no way for them to swivel if you are attaching to a twisted part of the tree. I did have one stick put on a twisted part of the trunk and it was slightly wiggly when first putting my weight on it. It did however seem to set when standing on it then it kind of popped up a little and when going back down needed to be set again...
Forgot to mention the noise. No metal noises obviously but when branches scrapped across them while walking in the sound was more natural to the woods (almost like antlers to my ears) but also seemed much louder.
Even though these sticks have more cons than pros I did really like their performance once at the tree so much that I want to find a way to use them. I dont mind the inconvenience of a little weight and bulk for the tradeoff of stability and confidence in my climbing method. I used single step aiders on each step and a combination of lone wolf straps, muddy straps and amsteel to tie off. All methods worked well. I easily got to 20 feet and felt very secure and confident in these sticks, much more so than with my heliums. All the negatives aside I really liked the sticks on tree and the confidence in them while climbing. I am tring to figure out a way to utilize the Stacked outdoor steps. I mostly hunt mornings and go out in the dark so I may strap my bow to my pack and sling the sticks around my shoulders and see how that works. I go through some reall thick stuff though and get worried about damage to the bow as I slither through all those branches/briers/vines....when it's in my hand I can move it around as needed.
Also working on single step climbing and rappelling down. Which looks real promising
Hope that helps someone.
