There is a Sladder under the tree for me. I have been pretty content climbing with bolts and an aider the last couple of years but seeing
@kyler1945, who I know shares my opinion on bolts speak highly of the sladder pushed me over the edge to try one.
And I almost forgot there is an EDP under there too. I was checking into the support thread to laugh at the people who bought more gear when I saw someone mention EDP’s were back in stock and on sale. So the support thread cost me another $150, or saved me $50 depending on how you look at it.
I’ve been eyeing a sladder & an endorsement from
@kyler1945 &
@redsquirrel is pretty solid since they hunt deer not trees & don’t climb for recreation…….. waiting to hear what you think after you get healed up
Appreciate the kind words fellas! Merry Christmas!
I am confident the sladder will cost me a chance to get in a tree and kill a deer at some point. But as a new dad trying to maximize efficiency and risk reduction hunting on public ground, it fits in well.
I’m also confident it’s much like the JX3, in that me not understanding why more people don’t use it, is an indictment on me not them. I try to meet people where they are and use their logic and reasoning to talk through their perspective on an issue. And if asked how it applies to me, offer insight on my thought process. I suck at it though. I just think some things ARE, regardless of folks feelings and thought process.
Anywho, I used the sladder to climb a dozen trees and set cameras, and another five times to hunt.
I met one tree I couldn’t get in(and the only way up was SRT, and no chance I get in it without spooking the deer by sight doing it). It was on the hunt I shot my contest buck. The tree I selected and climbed worked better anyway.
I didn’t use another method. I killed 3 deer. One from the ground.
I didn’t fuss, fight, fiddle. Just got up and down dead quiet, with minimum 3 points of contact, in less than 3 minutes each way for the “climbing” portion of getting up the tree. I spent less than a minute on each end to pack and unpack and deploy the method to climb. It weighs a pound.
I still think it goes right back into the “makes no sense” category when you move it a third time and incorporate rappel gear. But for getting to 12-15’ it’s on par with bolts/aider for me.
