• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Tether climbing?

Tom Karrow

Tom Karrow

Active Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
170
Location
Ontario
Probably already been discussed but I searched for it and found no clear link. In our continued efforts to reduce weight and bulk, and pack further in, why not use two teathers to climb.. rope or webbing? Much like one sticking, without the stick. Im pretty sure I saw a video on youtube with the method somewhere and they guy ascended very quickly. Far more quickly than with steps, sticks or one sticking. I would lean towards webbing, girth hitched with a loop for a foot on the other end... Anyone tried this?

Tom
 
looks like DIY sportsman did a video on it but I saw it done elsewhere and it looked simple.

Anyone try it? If not, why not?

I think he over complicated it by using a mutli step aider. Why not a single rope or web long enough to girth hitch and then have a foot loop at the other end. Place one on either side of the tree and walk up lifting the unloaded tether?
T
 
Last edited:
Today was my first attempt at saddle hunting. I used a DIY 5 step aider attached to a cam over step (primal). I used my tether to climb. Once I got to about 20', I used the cam over step and a strap on L-step to support my feet. You can see the aider attached to the cam over in the attached picture.image.jpeg
 
Tom Karrow said:
YES, why are we not doing this?
Click to expand...

No reason why not. Looks doable to me. Just maybe not the safest because the video doesn't show any saddle or RCH hookup. An unexpected kickout at the wrong moment could leave you hanging upsidedown from your thigh or foot. But watch his other videos on youtube. He does mention connecting the top tether to a saddle in one of them. In that config I think it could be a legitimate contender for a truly light, fast, and safe method.
 
Looking at the video, that is basically the way I climbed this morning. The aider was attached to the cam over step with a carabiner. The step holds the aider a few inches away from the tree which makes it easier to get your foot in the loop. The first setup was at about 6 1/2' from the ground. After that, I could move the step and aider about 4' between setups.
 
Hmmm. That's really interesting. I wonder if you could could climb that way by just using your usual tether and the second one as a foot loop. Basically one stick without the stick.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
243SuperRC said:
Today was my first attempt at saddle hunting. I used a DIY 5 step aider attached to a cam over step (primal). I used my tether to climb. Once I got to about 20', I used the cam over step and a strap on L-step to support my feet. You can see the aider attached to the cam over in the attached picture.
Click to expand...

My only issue with cam-over steps is how they chew up the tree, if used on soft bark trees like I climb (aspen's). Whereas rope or webbing tethers leave no trace.
 
like.2.fly said:
My only issue with cam-over steps is how they chew up the tree, if used on soft bark trees like I climb (aspen's). Whereas rope or webbing tethers leave no trace.
Click to expand...

I think that's pretty much what DIY Sportsman is doing in the video above (in post #2).
 
sweats said:
Hmmm. That's really interesting. I wonder if you could could climb that way by just using your usual tether and the second one as a foot loop. Basically one stick without the stick.
Click to expand...

I think that's pretty much what DYI Sportsman is doing in the video above (in post #2), but he's using a multi-step aider instead of a single foot loop. But yeah, it should work fine.
 
image.jpeg
Here is a picture of the aider tied to the cam over step. I have since changed to a carabiner attachment so I can easily remove the aider if necessary.
 
That fellow is doing more development of this climbing method. I’m staying tuned.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
like.2.fly said:
No reason why not. Looks doable to me. Just maybe not the safest because the video doesn't show any saddle or RCH hookup. An unexpected kickout at the wrong moment could leave you hanging upsidedown from your thigh or foot. But watch his other videos on youtube. He does mention connecting the top tether to a saddle in one of them. In that config I think it could be a legitimate contender for a truly light, fast, and safe method.
Click to expand...
I would be running a LMB when doing this for sure... possibly a "top" tether too.
 
243SuperRC said:
Looking at the video, that is basically the way I climbed this morning. The aider was attached to the cam over step with a carabiner. The step holds the aider a few inches away from the tree which makes it easier to get your foot in the loop. The first setup was at about 6 1/2' from the ground. After that, I could move the step and aider about 4' between setups.
Click to expand...
Why is that needed? at ground level, a right foot could be put into a loop. Then step up on that right foot to then insert a left foot in a loop. These would stay in the loops until at height, essentially walking up the tree.
 
sweats said:
Hmmm. That's really interesting. I wonder if you could could climb that way by just using your usual tether and the second one as a foot loop. Basically one stick without the stick.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Exactly my thought! Why carry a stick at all?
 
Two completely different methods being compared. No sticks, no Aider, no cam over steps. Just two tethers with foot loops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
NoxNinja (spelling?) has a video here somewhere of him climbing with just aiders. He also adds stirrups for his feet to rest during hunting. That is no platform or ring of steps.

Personally I think I’d rather do the Hand Climber method over this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Video by @noxninja here:

short climb/stirrups vid

Some have requested a demo of my stirrups..short web aider climb and how I use my stirrups at top of climb....I was just using my rock climbing harness for support, but they work well on the guido, sit/drag and preachers seat
saddlehunter.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top