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Top stick kicked out

F

fr0sty

Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
182
Location
Minnesota
I was hunting tonight with my kestrel and hawk helium sticks. I got up to the top of my third stick and settled in but soon realized I was on the wrong side of a mildly leaning tree. I thought I could slide around the tree and put my feet on the near peg on my helium to get a better hang. It didn't take long to realize the folly of my choice when the bottom of that stick kicked out. There I hung up against the tree trying to figure out how to get that stick back into place. I ended up using my feet to lift the foot pegs which allowed me enough space between the helium and the tree to move the stick back into place. Once that happened I gingerly tested the stick and found it held.

Eventually I moved down the tree a bit and then snugged the step and settled back in.

Eye opening to say the least!
 
Glad your okay. I guess slow careful and easy. Equals quiet and safe


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Good to hear your safe. That is what I luv about this system. As long as your tied in properly you cannot fall.


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It's a good reminder that no matter how many times we climb and hang, something could happen.
 
Were you using the rope mod or stock heliums? I had a stick kick out while practicing but it was because I did not do an overhand knot after wrapping around the versa button. Lesson learned
 
The sticks were stock. I was in the position for a while, but eventually the weight of my feet pressing down and away on that near top step was enough to kick the bottom out. Not to self, screw in my extra step rather that try this again.
 
Glad you’re ok, fr0sty.

I love my heliums but I don’t think they “grip” the tree as well as my lone wolfs. I think it’s because of the standoffs - I think they are too tall and too narrow. I don’t have a fix for the standoffs but I make extra sure to “seat” each stick after hanging.
 
I agree! I have hunted with lone wolfs for years and bought a set of heliums last year. I don't think the heliums set as well as the lone wolfs. Quality product though!
 
Reading your experience and others has lead me to a simple idea. Let me know if I am wasting time, going to test this weekend. Simply put, I am going to do an extra rope with 550 paracord around the bottom of my heliums, not ultra tight, not load bearing, which would prevent the possibility of a kick out. This seems like a simple, lightweight solution to me. A little more effort, but worth it to me.

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For what it is worth i have to disagree i have been using the heliums since they hit the market. I think they bite well as i have removed the rope and still the sticks were stuck on the tree. This could just be the case of the tree that you were on or shift the stick around. Pressure could have caused it to pull away and i wouldn’t be suprised if it was the cam buckle that stretched open some as you mentioned they were stock sticks. I run the rope mod and it has not happened yet “fingers crossed”. Either way the most important thing is your okay and that is all that matters.
 
The issue was definitely me using the stick in a way it wasn't intended. I was putting a lot of my weight on one of the top steps at a side angle(using it as my platform) which was pushing it away and out from the tree.
 
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