Three step or four step aider?

[DannyAttacksTheMountain]

My two step aiders on my muddy pros just aren’t getting me high enough. So curious if anyone ever uses a three step or four step aider with their climbing sticks? If so pros and cons?

Thanks guys

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[JEEF]

I use a 4 on my bottom stick only, i'm 6'4 so I can place that first stick very high. I would never use it for a higher stick though, the bottom two rungs aren't stable enough for me to feel safe. Just my opinion though.

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[noxninja]

I just use a 4 step aider without sticks, saves on weight. However the folks on here that use them in conjunction with sticks use a 3 step aider I believe.

 

[DanO]

Not much experience yet with mine, but I don't need any more than a 2 step custom aider. I'm 6'5" and can set my 24" sticks pretty high. The steps on my aider are 20-24" apart.

 

[Chistavocat]

I used a 3 step last year and went with a 4 step this year. The steps are closer together than on my 3 step due to the fact that I spent too much time fumbling around and sometimes had to use my hand to assist my foot to and from the steps when layered up. More work that it was worth. The closer steps make it easier to climb and 80% of the time I only need 3 on the second stick and 0-3 on the third depending on location and cover. I have 21” step spacing on my sticks and about 15” on the amsteel movable aider. I’m 5’7” for reference.

To limit kick out I attach the aider over the top standoff with a loop that runs down to the bottom step and helps stabilize the aider and hold it out from the tree. My sticks disappear on the tree and I can leave the aider on the top stick or pack it.

 

[DannyAttacksTheMountain]

I used a 3 step last year and went with a 4 step this year. The steps are closer together than on my 3 step due to the fact that I spent too much time fumbling around and sometimes had to use my hand to assist my foot to and from the steps when layered up. More work that it was worth. The closer steps make it easier to climb and 80% of the time I only need 3 on the second stick and 0-3 on the third depending on location and cover. I have 21” step spacing on my sticks and about 15” on the amsteel movable aider. I’m 5’7” for reference.

To limit kick out I attach the aider over the top standoff with a loop that runs down to the bottom step and helps stabilize the aider and hold it out from the tree. My sticks disappear on the tree and I can leave the aider on the top stick or pack it.

I like this idea to prevent the kick out. I’m 5’9” and def know what you mean by the closer steps make it easier to climb. Any issues with the stirrups staying open?


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[Ontariofarmer]

I use a six step black diamond for several reasons. I have tried swaiders single double homemade aiders but keep going back to these

Why

1. The foot loops stay open
2. Short steps are easier to climb without kick outs because your foot pressure is down not out because you don’t have to lean back to put you foot up two feet
3. I can if needed get 10 feet on my first stick
4. Just my preference on all the above
And if you do not need all the steps it is easy to put your first foot in the bottom loop on the ground or on the next stick up and that stabilizes the aider out from the tree so the next lifted foot is easier to fish into the loop
Hope that is clear

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[DannyAttacksTheMountain]

I use a six step black diamond for several reasons. I have tried swaiders single double homemade aiders but keep going back to these

Why

1. The foot loops stay open
2. Short steps are easier to climb without kick outs because your foot pressure is down not out because you don’t have to lean back to put you foot up two feet
3. I can if needed get 10 feet on my first stick
4. Just my preference on all the above
And if you do not need all the steps it is easy to put your first foot in the bottom loop on the ground or on the next stick up and that stabilizes the aider out from the tree so the next lifted foot is easier to fish into the loop
Hope that is clear

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Very good info. Curious if I could reach that high with my first climbing stick since I’m only 5’9”. If not then I was thinking maybe a four step aider. I’ll check out the black diamond


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[ImThere]

I use a 5 step on the bottom stick. and 3 steps on the next 2 sticks.
you can get the first stick as high as you want just use another stick set up low to stand on then you can stretch that 5 - 6 step out off the ground easy enough. I wish I had all 5 steps I'm only 5'7" i can easily get 25' with my set up

 

[Chistavocat]

I like this idea to prevent the kick out. I’m 5’9” and def know what you mean by the closer steps make it easier to climb. Any issues with the stirrups staying open?


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Sometimes...all I have to do is straighten the step out, only takes a second and usually only needs to be done after I unpack the aider. I put a piece of amsteel inside the amsteel step and whipped it with some cord (paracord - smaller than 550) as tight as I could wrap it. The best material I have used to keep steps open was inserting some nylon tubing into my old tubular webbing aider. It was a piece of 1/4” inside a 3/8” inside a 1/2” (air brake tubing) to make a 3 walled stiff tube. It work great. It didn’t bend much and it always kept the step open. I may go back to that with the amsteel but no time to monkey with it now. I will try to remember to post a pic of it hanging on a stick. This is the only one I have and you can’t see much. The nice thing with this aider apposed to my last one is that with it being held away from the tree farther all you have to do is get your foot into the loop and if it’s not in far enough wiggle it while moving it to the side and it slides right on. If I can get it about half way onto my foot the next step is 4-5” from the tree making it easy to continue the climb.

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[tider]

I use a 2 step moveable aider . I’m only 5’8” and can get slightly over 20’ with 3 sticks.


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