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Sticks vs Wild Edge Steps

I couldn’t find the WE steps in stock anywhere. Pretty much every review I read about the WE steps is the rope needs to stretch and the comments above confirm. Since this is my first year with a saddle, I figured he helium sticks might be the best way to start…….simple to get up the tree wearing a lineman’s belt.. So easy to set up and being able to keep feet level is really nice. but I am already trying to figure out how to use just one of them with some kind of strap step(K/S)?
 
I run 3 WE Steps and a 4-step aider. Love em.

Weight is 3lbs. They hang off Nite-Ize Gear Ties on the back of my saddle. Total weight of my phantom setup including steps and aider and ropes is 8.4lbs. I have a small pack with my platform and my bow as well; thats it.

When I reach the tree, I detach them, and hang 2 on my left hip on open hooks made from Gear Ties. The third I tie right onto the tree.

I hang each step at 6'-7'. 3 steps gets me 18'-21' high, plus another foot or two to the platform.

The fiddle factor goes away with use. I rarely have to adjust the tightness of the rope after I tie it the first time. I found that shoving that step up as far as I possibly can before camming it over gets me a solid lock every time. I personally have never had one un-cam or slip on me in 2 seasons of hunting.

Sticks are great. More comfortable to climb. But I still need 3 sticks and an aider to reach the same heights as my steps. Depending on the sticks you are looking at, the WE Steps could be half the weight and a third of the bulk to reach the same heights.

Like I said, practice makes perfect. This goes for EVERY climbing system. Maybe a little more practice with the steps to get to the same levels of competency. I can comfortably climb to hunting height and be setup in 10ish minutes. Thats plenty fast for me. I don't push for speed...

There is one climbing method that looks to be lighter, less bulk, and faster than my current system. I intend on trying it this fall. Spurs... If you are not going to be using spurs, I'd say the steps are your lightest and least bulky option.

Just my humble opinion. I've used sticks before, but not extensively. Take my opinion with a grain of salt.
 
I have Full Length Lone Wolf Sticks, Beast Sticks, Cut-Down Lone Wolf Sticks, a One-Stick, and some WE Steps.

I’ve spent time with all of them, and they all have their advantages; however, I’ve settled on the WE Steps and a Knaider/Swaider.

K/S and 4 Steps, and your 20’ in no time with little effort. I highly recommend the Gripper/Grabber from Genesis 3D Printing. It makes packing them a lot easier and makes it very simple to take one off at a time as you go out the tree.


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Do you wear the GRPR on your saddle on the way out? Or attach it before you climb?

Also, is your swaider a carabiner connection or a hook? I had the carabiner and kept fumbling it around. Thinking of switching it to a good like my Knaider.
 
I’ve used both and find sticks with step aiders to be way more simple of a process. Three sticks with one step aiders on the first two sticks get me about 18’ and it’s a quick set up.
 
Do you wear the GRPR on your saddle on the way out? Or attach it before you climb?

Also, is your swaider a carabiner connection or a hook? I had the carabiner and kept fumbling it around. Thinking of switching it to a good like my Knaider.

I attach my steps on the GRPR to my Tethrd Predator pack. I use a ROS from EWO and they are very lightweight and compact so I keep them and a few other essentials in the pack and attach the steps to the Molle loops on the outside of the pack. I’ll take it off and put it onto my saddle when I get to the tree and climb.

My Swaider has the carabiner.
I haven’t had an issue with it so far.


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Very similar experience to many here. They are great for packability, I was fortunate enough to pick up and try a great set, they were all stealth stripped, and someone took the time to fleece cover the bag, handle, and sewed in a pocket inside it.

I was doing a test climb in my backyard, and I must've messed up one the third step, and it slipped or I bumped it as I was going up, and wasnt on the tree proper. I wound up having to grab onto the 4th step and use my arms to lower myself down to the 2nd one, which I could barely touch. Listed them for sale that night. I didn't want that to happen in the woods.

I know this was my mistake, and I dont blame the we steps, but I couldn't see the possibility of putting myself in that somewhere in the woods, alone and dark.

Sticks are simpler for me.
 
Very similar experience to many here. They are great for packability, I was fortunate enough to pick up and try a great set, they were all stealth stripped, and someone took the time to fleece cover the bag, handle, and sewed in a pocket inside it.

I was doing a test climb in my backyard, and I must've messed up one the third step, and it slipped or I bumped it as I was going up, and wasnt on the tree proper. I wound up having to grab onto the 4th step and use my arms to lower myself down to the 2nd one, which I could barely touch. Listed them for sale that night. I didn't want that to happen in the woods.

I know this was my mistake, and I dont blame the we steps, but I couldn't see the possibility of putting myself in that somewhere in the woods, alone and dark.

Sticks are simpler for me.

Kind of wonder if the ropes for the steps weren’t stretched yet, or enough. You can cam them over as tight as possible and they can loosen just enough to get wobbly within a few min if the ropes aren’t stretched.


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Very similar experience to many here. They are great for packability, I was fortunate enough to pick up and try a great set, they were all stealth stripped, and someone took the time to fleece cover the bag, handle, and sewed in a pocket inside it.

I was doing a test climb in my backyard, and I must've messed up one the third step, and it slipped or I bumped it as I was going up, and wasnt on the tree proper. I wound up having to grab onto the 4th step and use my arms to lower myself down to the 2nd one, which I could barely touch. Listed them for sale that night. I didn't want that to happen in the woods.

I know this was my mistake, and I dont blame the we steps, but I couldn't see the possibility of putting myself in that somewhere in the woods, alone and dark.

Sticks are simpler for me.

I get it. Hasnt happened to me yet, but I figure it is only a matter of time. Doesn't take much to pop em sometimes.

A big factor for me is that I am fully equipped to rappel. This upcoming season I actually plan to rappel as my primary method of descent. Either way, if you have a rappel system you should never be stuck up a tree. I carry a fig8 descender and a prusik backup because I plan to rappel. All you need is a rope though; you can rappel off a Munter Hitch on your carabiner if you need to... I figure it is more wear on the rope from friction to use all the time so I picked up a fig8 for regular use.
 
Kind of wonder if the ropes for the steps weren’t stretched yet, or enough. You can cam them over as tight as possible and they can loosen just enough to get wobbly within a few min if the ropes aren’t stretched.
They were used when I picked them up, I'm not 100% what happened there, it was totally my fault somehow

I get it. Hasnt happened to me yet, but I figure it is only a matter of time. Doesn't take much to pop em sometimes.

A big factor for me is that I am fully equipped to rappel. This upcoming season I actually plan to rappel as my primary method of descent. Either way, if you have a rappel system you should never be stuck up a tree. I carry a fig8 descender and a prusik backup because I plan to rappel. All you need is a rope though; you can rappel off a Munter Hitch on your carabiner if you need to... I figure it is more wear on the rope from friction to use all the time so I picked up a fig8 for regular use.
Oh your set then, I like the idea of always having a rappel setup. I was already a convert to a multi stick setup from my 1stick setup l, just picked them up to try them out. I did have them a few weeks at that point, and this was probably my 20th climb with them, I did want to give them a fair try too. Unfortunately I refused to find myself in that same situation when I'm alone and in a darkening woods. (I do always set my location sharing on for my wife while hunting)
 
I have used both sticks and Wild Edge Step Ladder. Both will work. I had a climbing incident with a Knaider Swaider and the Wild Edge Steps. It could have been a life or death incident it it had been higher up. It scared me and I have not used the Wild Edge Steps since. I use 5 Novix Double Step Mini sticks with rope mods and 18" cable aiders. I also tried the Versa Button aiders with success. I have tried the amsteel double step aiders but like the single cable aider better.
 
I have 20 WE stepps, a set of Tethrd Skeletors, & 3 Hawk Helium sticks. I've played with all, & use the WE steps the most. Using just steps, I use 10 to get to where I want to be-7 gets me to height. 1 higher for an additional hand hold/bow hanger, & 1 on each side of the perch. I take my time, so can't say how long it takes me to get up-that just doesn't matter to me. This year, I'll be trying a 3 step aider & knaider, plus a rappel rope to see how many steps I can leave at home, just for fun. I like the sticks too, but the concern I have with them is that to me, the edges seem wicked sharp, so getting a serious cut if I would slip & fall a bit sometimes worries me. I don't have that concern with the WE stepps. The Skeletor sticks are easier for me due to their attachment device. The Heliums take me about as long to set as the steps due to their cam buckle arrangement.
 
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Just an observation about climbing time. If you are new to saddle hunting, please don't start bad habits, especially ones that will get you seriously hurt or killed. Climbing time means nothing. (I know of no benefit getting up in a tree in 2min vs 4min vs 15min) If you are in a hurry you will eventually make a mistake is the point here. If you need to be sitting in a tree at a certain time then get to the tree 15min early. Problem solved.
Best advice you can get!
 
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