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Step platform users

Cajunshooter said:
I’ve had two problems with it.
1. I could get it tight but after I moved around on it for a while, because the steps would kind of seat themselves into the tree bark, the whole thing would become lose. Then you have to loosen the whole thing to tighten it rather than just cranking the ratchet.
2. Several times in moving around the tree the toe of my boot or a step sliding sideways would push the handle of the buckle and open it up. Then everything gives way.

I know I won’t have to deal with either of those with a ratchet. I also know I can get the ratchet real tight without making much noise.

If someone made a really strong, small OCB that I could really crank down on without bending it (I’ve had that problem too) and if it wasn’t huge, then I’d stick with the OCB.

What do you say?

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1. Like @Nutterbuster said I will always walk around my steps as soon as I set them up to seat them down tight. No matter how tight you get any buckle you're going to have to do this because you are tightening it horizontally and standing on it vertically. For seating them into the tree bark are you referring to gaps in bark? On trees like that you do have to strategically place your steps so will be against a flat piece of bark and not fall into the gap. I would say that trees like this are definitely the worst trees for a strap on ring but they can be made to work. Standing on the steps after set up and really seating the strap down helps greatly on these trees.
2. I have only had this happen 1 time. I usually set up the buckle in the dead middle of 2 steps and it is not an issue. The one time it happened I had the buckle too close to a step.
 
redsquirrel said:
This is the best hook I've tried. Vinyl coated with round corners. The one with square corners doesn't have as pronounced of a hook and is prone to slip off.

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Of course I ordered the square one!

Oh well, I guess I was thinking of ordering the one with the strap already sewn on anyway. Couldn't find it originally. Guess I'll order it now with the rounded corners and eat the previous expense... man this hobby!

Thanks for sharing.

One more question: Where do you generally locate your steps? Thinking of the tree as a clock and the buckle at the 6 o'clock position where you and your climbing methods are. I have 5 Ameristeps if it matters.

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I traded for some ameristeps and got them last week. Really liking the OCB for it too. Now I just gotta figure out if I like the predator or steps more and for which situations. I ordered a 6' nylon strap with the flat hook but the ameristeps I got had 1 strap with the hook still so I don't even need it.
 
TNSTAAFL said:
Of course I ordered the square one!

Oh well, I guess I was thinking of ordering the one with the strap already sewn on anyway. Couldn't find it originally. Guess I'll order it now with the rounded corners and eat the previous expense... man this hobby!

Thanks for sharing.

One more question: Where do you generally locate your steps? Thinking of the tree as a clock and the buckle at the 6 o'clock position where you and your climbing methods are. I have 5 Ameristeps if it matters.

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Don't know when you placed your order but you might be able to call and get them to change it...

Think of the tree as the clock as you described, except I will put my buckle somewhere between 12-3 (this probably is another reason why I don't kick it open @Cajunshooter )
I place 1 step at 4, 6 and 8 o'clock. These are my main standing steps. I'll mostly stand on 4 and 8 and use 6 to switch it up. Then I have the 2 others at 10-11 and 1-2. Those are the steps that allow me to move around the tree so I can shoot 360. This is my general setup. It may change a little from tree to tree but that is my starting point.
 
redsquirrel said:
Don't know when you placed your order but you might be able to call and get them to change it...

Think of the tree as the clock as you described, except I will put my buckle somewhere between 12-3 (this probably is another reason why I don't kick it open @Cajunshooter )
I place 1 step at 4, 6 and 8 o'clock. These are my main standing steps. I'll mostly stand on 4 and 8 and use 6 to switch it up. Then I have the 2 others at 10-11 and 1-2. Those are the steps that allow me to move around the tree so I can shoot 360. This is my general setup. It may change a little from tree to tree but that is my starting point.
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I’ve only set my buckle at 12 O’clock once. Then I needed to move it. So then I have to come down and swing to the opposite side of the tree to loosen the buckle and make the adjustment. On a bigger tree that kind of a big deal if you’re concerned about movement.

I would rather have the buckle right in front of me, tighten it down one time so that nothing can move whether my foot hits it or a step slides into it and it’s done. If I have to move it, I simply reach down between my legs release it, move it and done. Again if they made a really stout, small OCB, that would be perfect. That would be perfect, but I can’t find one.

What are the problems you have had using a ratchet to do this? The only problem I can recall reading from the past was the noise. I believe that can be avoided.


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Cajunshooter said:
What are the problems you have had using a ratchet to do this? The only problem I can recall reading from the past was the noise. I believe that can be avoided.
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Honestly I really just hate ratchets for everything. For my step platform they are usually bigger and bulkier than I want and then the chance of noise. Once I found the boat buckle I never looked back.
 
DaveH said:
Here's a photo of my 5-step custom platform. Steps are cut from a 2.5" x 4" aluminum I-beam, covered in camo duct tape and a patch of non-skid tape on the 2.5" x 3.25" step area. Five steps on a ratchet strap weighs in at 47 oz. I could save 7.6 oz per step if I wanted to save weight but I like this setup for use in larger trees. They're a little noisier than I'd prefer so am thinking of brushing on a coat of Plasti-dip to see if that helps some. Any other ideas?

pu1s0lE.jpg
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Do you have any problem getting these tight enough so they dont kick out from too much side pressure?

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Catskills said:
how many ameristeps are you guys using on a strap? 4 or 5?
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On a strap I use 5. If I'm setting up a ring of steps with screw in steps I have used up to 6 or 7 on big trees but usually I only need 5 so that's what I keep on my strap.
 
thanks guys, I was going good with 4 but my practice tree is not that big. I think I will add the 5th in case the tree I need is larger
 
Connor J said:
Do you have any problem getting these tight enough so they dont kick out from too much side pressure?

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I can get them as tight as the Ameristeps that I used to have. Once I set them with some weight, they work fine.
 
First trial run of ring of steps with new saddle today.

Lots of fiddle factor that I hope gets better with practice. They seem to have a mind of their own when trying to space them prior to strap tightening. I was getting pretty annoyed with them for a bit there!

I also struggled with the boat buckle. It seemed impossible to cam over unless it was so loose the steps were useless. I struggled to get leverage on it given I was at height and the buckle handle is so little. I got it eventually but it was much harder than practice from the ground.

Once up I must say, they are pretty awesome! So different than the platform approaches that I'm also trying. It's so nice to be able to move completely around the tree. It seemed easy to sit also, either knees against tree (arcteryx) or straddling it. Probably not as comfortable to stand and lean like my platforms, but not bad either.

Honestly it's going to be tough to decide which to use. Perhaps the length of sit will come into play when it is a real hunt. Only way to know that is to take each along as a hunting partner on different days I guess.

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TNSTAAFL said:
First trial run of ring of steps with new saddle today.
I also struggled with the boat buckle. It seemed impossible to cam over unless it was so loose the steps were useless. I struggled to get leverage on it given I was at height and the buckle handle is so little. I got it eventually but it was much harder than practice from the ground.


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I am curious what others do to get the spacing right but for the OCB I just tighten as much as I can, if and when it doesn't cam over, I pull out a tad bit of slack until it does cam. Usually rock solid with just letting out a little slack after being as tight as possible.
 
Catskills said:
I am curious what others do to get the spacing right but for the OCB I just tighten as much as I can, if and when it doesn't cam over, I pull out a tad bit of slack until it does cam. Usually rock solid with just letting out a little slack after being as tight as possible.
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It might be my strap type. I was using a nylon tubular webbing as a temporary strap while my poly strap with sewn rounded flat hook (Strapworks.com) is shipping.

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TNSTAAFL said:
It might be my strap type. I was using a nylon tubular webbing as a temporary strap while my poly strap with sewn rounded flat hook (Strapworks.com) is shipping.

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Yeah that could be it. I actually ordered from Strapworks too while I was waiting for my ameristeps to arrive and it wound up that one of the straps still had the flat hook on it.

So if anybody is building a ring of steps I have a strap for you at cost
 
Nutterbuster said:
Here's the link to the buckle I use:

https://www.amazon.com/BoatBuckle-T...buckle&qid=1537219617&sr=8-15&ref=mp_s_a_1_15

It's the one papasquirrel recommends. I love it. It's tiny, weighs practically nothing, but is rated for 1200 lbs. If you can break it camming it over, you're a better man than me. I've never had it come undone. There's not a lot to bump with your boot, and even if you did it locks down pretty tight.

I use a poly strap and bow up on that buckle like I mean bizness. Red says loosen it a little before you cam it, but I don't. I force that bad boy over. I walk my steps down at the start of the hunt to snug them up. They very rarely make noise. I won't say never, but it's no noisier than anything else I've tried.

I'm not out anything if you use a ratchet. It may work great for you. But I love me some OCB. If you want to give it a shot, this is the one to use.
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Is there another link to this? It's unavailable on Amazon
 
I got a endless stainless ratchet strap 8 feet long from strapworks years ago for my ameristep. I use 5 steps on the strap and have no problem getting it tight.I'm going to check out the boat buckle.
 
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Does anybody have one of the boat buckled they could spare? Looks like amazon is out of stock. Do you have an alternative buckle @redsquirrel ?
 
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