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Steppladder Platform Prototype

Good ideas. I have tried swapping out the cam buckle for an ocb and had mixed results on different bark types. Have never strapped anything to board itself.

Seems to be less fiddle factor with cam buckle. Ended up leaving ocb on my ROS setup.

My platform does not pull away at all from tree as is in the pic. Seriously, I can lean all the way on outer edge, sides or corners and it doesn't budge. It's all about getting that cam tight.

I like the idea of having steps on the other side of tree, but then again with my lower tether placement and shorter bridge I don't think I could get to them anyway. In the end I think it is a style choice. ROS go best with high tether and long bridge. It's awesome and useful to swing all the way around the tree. Feet get a little sore after a few hours.
Platform is the opposite. Low & short. Feet and thus body are very happy well into the hunt, but less mobility if desired or just enjoyed.

Both work great and have pros and cons. So far switching it up mostly succeeds in keeping me interested!

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I thought I read where you were having problems with the platform coming away from the tree and wanted to be able to go around the trees so I thought of you add a new strap through the nose of the platform and added a step or two on that strap completely separate from the step that it would help hold things up a little bit And provide pivot point


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TNSTAAFL said:
2nd sit with the Primal plywood platform. Pretty sweet deal, especially considering the price. $5 for the Primal step. The plywood was garage scrap. Traction pad was around $10.

After 4 straight hunts on a ROS I'm liking the platform approach. Maybe it's just a change of pace. I really liked the Ameristeps.

I don't love not being fully able to pivot around the tree, but it is seriously roomy up here on this thing. It's like a party for your feet!

I have the tether set lower at about chin height and a shorter bridge (maybe 24") than with my ROS. Leaning is super comfy and I don't even have a back band yet! Still find myself sitting a bunch and loving Arcteryx against the tree. I think I'm less fidgety overall this way. I think when my back pad comes in I'll be falling asleep in this thing!

Picture is of me leaning way out with feet on outer edge. No leverage pull away from tree. Side to side is awesome too. I did have to reset it once and used the plywood as a lever to get the step cammed over nice and solid.

The rubber mat is a little squeaky/noisy against my hiker boots if I'm not careful when repositioning.
7a1ed5c330897c8524f1ac787deff463.jpg


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Click to expand...
Thanks for the updates. I've got a set of four on the way. This is a way better system than the 4x4 block of wood I'm using.
 
ImThere said:
I thought I read where you were having problems with the platform coming away from the tree and wanted to be able to go around the trees so I thought of you add a new strap through the nose of the platform and added a step or two on that strap completely separate from the step that it would help hold things up a little bit And provide pivot point


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Click to expand...
I could see that working for sure. Might have to give it a try.

If the cam buckle strap is not set tight enough the platform will pull away from tree slightly.

This actually happened this morning on my first set. The good thing is since most of your weight is in the saddle it is not a huge deal. It doesn't completely collapse or anything like that. I rolled with it for a bit and then when I felt like testing things out more I just lowered myself down to do a recam, this time using the board for leverage and that was the trick. Rock solid from then on.

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Two things
1) Be careful camming over with the board, I bent one of my steps pretty well the other night doing so.
2) Got to my spot tonight, and realized setting up on the ground was the better option, so I strapped a step to the tree, threw in the platform, and sat on it like a tree seat! Worked great, But made me miss the comfort of my fleece, for sure!
 
Wolverinebuckman said:
Two things
1) Be careful camming over with the board, I bent one of my steps pretty well the other night doing so.
2) Got to my spot tonight, and realized setting up on the ground was the better option, so I strapped a step to the tree, threw in the platform, and sat on it like a tree seat! Worked great, But made me miss the comfort of my fleece, for sure!
Click to expand...
Awesome. I threw mine on a tree as a seat a few days ago when I stopped to take a break hiking out.
 
Wolverinebuckman said:
Two things
1) Be careful camming over with the board, I bent one of my steps pretty well the other night doing so.
2) Got to my spot tonight, and realized setting up on the ground was the better option, so I strapped a step to the tree, threw in the platform, and sat on it like a tree seat! Worked great, But made me miss the comfort of my fleece, for sure!
Click to expand...
That's a worry for sure. For my setup last night I had to use the board again to have proper tightening leverage. Sooner or later it will likely bend the step. Probably should pick up a backup step.

Platform was awesome though! So roomy and comfortable. I went extreme with a low tether and short bridge (see pic). Chest height and maybe 20". Best my Kite has fit/felt yet. Even with no back band I felt completely supported from my legs to back with no pressure points or adjusting necessary. Leaned 90% of the time and loved it. Sitting with knee pads against tree still worked and was good too.
3b27a700539a200f5623529af8fc89a8.jpg
26bf3984165d00d52b832294f80fad4f.jpg


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TNSTAAFL said:
That's a worry for sure. For my setup last night I had to use the board again to have proper tightening leverage. Sooner or later it will likely bend the step. Probably should pick up a backup step.

Platform was awesome though! So roomy and comfortable. I went extreme with a low tether and short bridge (see pic). Chest height and maybe 20". Best my Kite has fit/felt yet. Even with no back band I felt completely supported from my legs to back with no pressure points or adjusting necessary. Leaned 90% of the time and loved it. Sitting with knee pads against tree still worked and was good too.
3b27a700539a200f5623529af8fc89a8.jpg
26bf3984165d00d52b832294f80fad4f.jpg


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Click to expand...

Awesome!! Can you provide the dimensions of the platform? Hope to replicate this. This is a great cheap option that I think will work great for me.


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I used these from @fbwguy
87a16a49102b1c73cb4842e84ab95b98.jpg


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Does it have to be a primal step or can this be done with a wild edge?
 
Mengle said:
Does it have to be a primal step or can this be done with a wild edge?
Click to expand...
Well, the original idea came from a guy who used a WE. Problem is the board will likely be on a slant/slope due to limited gap between cross bar and standoffs on the WE. The Primal has a larger gap that fits 3/4 plywood perfectly level.

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Any good solutions for keeping the platform in the step? I know it's not likely to come out, just a peace of mind thing for me. I've been experimenting with some paracord and shock cord, I can make it stay, it's just not a clean, simple solution. I do love the primal platform though, sturdy, inexpensive and easy.
 
Lu Rome said:
Any good solutions for keeping the platform in the step? I know it's not likely to come out, just a peace of mind thing for me. I've been experimenting with some paracord and shock cord, I can make it stay, it's just not a clean, simple solution. I do love the primal platform though, sturdy, inexpensive and easy.
Click to expand...
Nothing simple and elegant. Gave up trying to find one actually. After enough hours of it not going anywhere I’ve decided that unless I purposely take it out it isn’t going anywhere.
 
Jgetch said:
Nothing simple and elegant. Gave up trying to find one actually. After enough hours of it not going anywhere I’ve decided that unless I purposely take it out it isn’t going anywhere.
Click to expand...
Good point. I just need to spend more time on it. Not like I'm going anywhere if it would happen to come out anyway.
 
Not sure if anybody else touched on this yet but pay attention to grain orientation on the plywood. I haven't been able to break one with the grain going in the direction of the first pic. But with the grain going the other direction (2nd pic) I was able to break it with some bouncing. Plywood has more voids in it than you realize (3rd pic).

IMG_1636.jpgIMG_1637.jpgIMG_1638.jpgIMG_1636.jpgIMG_1637.jpgIMG_1638.jpg
 
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