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The Best Public-Legal Climbing Method

2 link daisy chain, i think i know what you mean.Would it get tighter tho? Im not sure Ill need to try.


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So I got OCB buckles and sewed up some flat hooks and tried this climbing method with my Ameristeps. I wrapped the buckles with vet tape to quiet them down and found that gave me s good grip on the buckles too. I climbed a tree 3 times with them tonight and found it to be very quick, quiet and easy.

I have had Ameristeps since they came out that I used on some federal land. I never liked them because the buckles were big, heavy and loud and they often times slipped on me. With the OCB buckles they are great. I wish I would have known about them back then. Now I wish I wouldn't have sold some of my ameristeps off. I also have some golden buck steps and this works great with them too.

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My 10 came today and what little testing I had time for was awesome. My custom side stacking double step sticks may end up getting sold. Probably hang on to the bolts for pre sets for now.
 
Swampman said:
So I got OCB buckles and sewed up some flat hooks and tried this climbing method with my Ameristeps. I wrapped the buckles with vet tape to quiet them down and found that gave me s good grip on the buckles too. I climbed a tree 3 times with them tonight and found it to be very quick, quiet and easy.

I have had Ameristeps since they came out that I used on some federal land. I never liked them because the buckles were big, heavy and loud and they often times slipped on me. With the OCB buckles they are great. I wish I would have known about them back then. Now I wish I wouldn't have sold some of my ameristeps off. I also have some golden buck steps and this works great with them too.
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That's awesome. The OCB completely changed my opinion of the Silent Approach steps too. Wayyy more solid/stable with the OCB over the cam buckle they came with.
 
@DanO
I had a hawk bowholder and it had this little cam over piece built into it that once you screwed it in, you would cam it over and it locked it down. Something like this incorporated on the step would allow a lighter cinch strap to be used or even a rope mod and then just cam over this lil piece to pull the slack out of the step. May not work but seems like it would take up slack and allow the step to bite into the tree. I still have it somewhere if you think it has merit and would like to look at it hands on, I can mail it to you. Probably be back to the same weight and bulk as using a OCB. Just a thought.
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swampsnyper said:
@DanO
I had a hawk bowholder and it had this little cam over piece built into it that once you screwed it in, you would cam it over and it locked it down. Something like this incorporated on the step would allow a lighter cinch strap to be used or even a rope mod and then just cam over this lil piece to pull the slack out of the step. May not work but seems like it would take up slack and allow the step to bite into the tree. I still have it somewhere if you think it has merit and would like to look at it hands on, I can mail it to you. Probably be back to the same weight and bulk as using a OCB. Just a thought.
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I have something similar from Hawk with that plastic cam piece. I'll mull it over with my machinist.
 
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Just my two cents the ocb strap is rock solid every time. The only trouble with camming over to tighten is the consistency. Wild edge step for example have same trouble. Not a huge problem or a deal breaker but a problem nonetheless. Not bashing ideas if DanO can come up with a consistent cam action and cut weight I’m all in. I just prefer consistency over weight savings. Keep the ideas rolling.


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Vtbow said:
Hey, is that a picture of my work bench? :)
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I told you I was going to go shopping in your warehouse. I’ve got five but sometimes it’s easier to borrow photos already on the site than to go out to the truck and dig through my box of goodies. I was playing with the cranfords and a skyhook today. The ocb is much faster going on than the cranfords with a timber hitch. Removing and packing up is about the same speed. I think I would rather have the step in a pocket like the ameristeps.
 
EricS said:
I told you I was going to go shopping in your warehouse. I’ve got five but sometimes it’s easier to borrow photos already on the site than to go out to the truck and dig through my box of goodies. I was playing with the cranfords and a skyhook today. The ocb is much faster going on than the cranfords with a timber hitch. Removing and packing up is about the same speed. I think I would rather have the step in a pocket like the ameristeps.
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I wish I never sold my sky hooks. Have my eye out for more!
 
EricS said:
I told you I was going to go shopping in your warehouse. I’ve got five but sometimes it’s easier to borrow photos already on the site than to go out to the truck and dig through my box of goodies. I was playing with the cranfords and a skyhook today. The ocb is much faster going on than the cranfords with a timber hitch. Removing and packing up is about the same speed. I think I would rather have the step in a pocket like the ameristeps.
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How did you attach the strap to the step (Cranford)?
 
So would you guys say the key to any of these steps getting rock solid is a ocb buckle? I might buy the buckles and try them with the silent approach steps if that's the case.
 
pesqimon said:
How did you attach the strap to the step (Cranford)?
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I didn’t use the ocb on the Cranford just the sky hook.
@Randy Marsh I consider the cranfords rock solid with the timber hitch. I actually don’t tie them as tight as I can to get them off easier. Most steps are solid feeling when applying down pressure. I’m sure the ocb would improve the silent approach steps but the strap isn’t the real problem. They built the step upside down. There have been at least 10 different strap on step designs, maybe more. The silent approach steps are the only ones I know of where the step surface is above the strap. They work but aren’t ideal.
 
I'm going to try 10 Ameristeps with DanO 7ft Camo ROS strap and OCB. Weighs about the same as a SS. Packs about the same when packing them individually each with a strap and OCB. More solid for me (because of the wings) on some of the thick barked oak trees I hunt. No vet wrap needed to quiet them down. Cheaper for me since I already had some. But you can't go wrong with SS and I would purchasing 10 of them if I didn't have all these Ameristeps. Also still may go with a SS ROS since it does pack down much smaller because the SS can be stacked side by side.
 
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EricS said:
I didn’t use the ocb on the Cranford just the sky hook.
@Randy Marsh I consider the cranfords rock solid with the timber hitch. I actually don’t tie them as tight as I can to get them off easier. Most steps are solid feeling when applying down pressure. I’m sure the ocb would improve the silent approach steps but the strap isn’t the real problem. They built the step upside down. There have been at least 10 different strap on step designs, maybe more. The silent approach steps are the only ones I know of where the step surface is above the strap. They work but aren’t ideal.
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That's good to know about the SA steps. I'd heard of people having issues but had hoped the ocb would solve the problem and I could save a couple hundred bucks going with them over the squirrel steps. But I really want these to be as quiet as my lone wolf sticks so I want to make sure that's even possible before buying any kind of step. You've had good luck with the cranfords and timber hitch? They don't sag down the tree at all when stepping on them? I had also thought about trying the ocb's with the cranford scaffold steps but it sounded like they might be kind of heavy in the end. How much do ameristeps usually go for?
 
@Randy Marsh ameristeps can be found on occasion at $15. Yes the cranfords slide down a couple inches. I can get them tighter but it makes removing them more difficult. I’m sure your lone wolf sticks slide down when weighted also. Once they slide down a little they stay put. The key to any strap on step is not spacing them out so far that you can’t push down on them when climbing. The Squirrel steps are awesome but Ten of them are a little pricey but not too bad if I t was your climbing method and only climbing method.
 
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