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Why I am moving away from One Stick climbing method

arrowchukker said:
I didn’t like the slack issue either.
So I now use a JRB cinch with a telescoping painter pole. Problem solved.
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I use my telescoping hiking staff. No slack ever until my linesman is tight at the top of the second move. That solved it for me. Thanks to @Fl Canopy Stalker for putting that idea in my head somehow
 
in attempt to smooth things out.
I haven’t 1 sticked this year, this is mainly due to preferring somewhere around 13-15’ to my feet as Im using a recurve for archery. Also those few times the rope does not release or gets hung up make me grumpy. I evaluate tether slack vs linesman belt after every climb.
I’ m mixing in 1 stick as a height option now that firearm is coming in and I may climb higher or take a hang on platform for longer sits.
2 sticks with a 3 step aider is smoother for me w a UP on top stick ; this I can change up by adding a ROS for comfort.
It’s wild how I debate my climbing methods when they are more similar then different . (weight and time to get set up/ packed up being within 1 Lb and/or 5 minutes)
Examples:
10 Bolts , drill in belt holster & 5 Treehopper ROS, climbing sling for 1 st step ( tether & LB)
5lbs 12 oz ( best but No on Public)
6 Bullman Steps with cam straps / climbing sling aider & ROS ( ( tether & LB)
6 Lb 4 oz
1 stick w U.P. Platform (40’ rappel w mad rock and back up biner on hitch)
6 Lbs 2 oz
2 stick ( EWO) & 3 step aider( tether & LB)
6 lbs 13 oz

I’ve moved past 2TC and Wild edge w aider ; both of which are lightest options, but do not feel smooth in the heat or numb fingers cold.
These are the lowest cost of ownership and reasonably safe .

options that mess everything up
*Hybrid platform -7 Lb with seat pads and attachment
saddle ?
Pack?

Climb with what is safe for your abilities and gives you confidence to not rush.
Or pop your butt in a seat

* I’m not good at killing deer
 
DOMMA said:
I have been a proponent of One Stick Climbing and invested in all the gear and practiced all summer and early season here in MD. I still see the advantages over multiple sticks; lighter and easier to carry, climb to any height, and rappel down (the biggest advantage)

However, there are downsides that I could not get around that off-set the advantages.

1. There is no way to climb without introducing slack in the line. Not just once, but multiple times during a climb. Many do not care, I'm 55 and and safety is important.
2. Time to reach 20 feet. With my four full-length Beast sticks, one aider on first stick, I can get to 20 feet faster than 1-sticking
3. It requires more effort to 1- stick. Yea, I watched all the videos that make it look effortless, not true in my reality.
4. I found I had to be more selective in the trees I would climb. It is nearly impossible to retrieve your tether if the trees in the area are tight together with lots of branches. On several occasions I had to re-climb the tree to adjust the tether on top so I could pull it out of the tree from the bottom. Doing this in the dark sucks.

I'm now sticking with my 4 Beast Sticks and experimenting with different aiders so I can drop to 3 sticks and still reach 20 feet. I wish the Beast Sticks stacked better, because I often have long hikes in and out of the woods.

I though I would share these thoughts for those completing making the change to 1- stick climbing.
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I use my linemans belt while I climb and the tether is to move the one stick. So I climb just like I do using multiple steps just I have my tether when moving my one sticking.
 
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DanielB89 said:
I was just thinking about this the other day and you may disagree, but idk of ANY system that doesn't introduce some type of slack in the tether or linemans belt. There have been 100's of times where I would be climbing using my linemans belt while trying to take the largest step possible and have a downward angle on it after I stepped up(slack in it).

Even when using a climbing stand; you will put your tether up as high as you can and then climb up to it, move it up again, etc.

I have come to these conclusions:
1) You will ALWAYS have slack, though amounts will vary from method to method.
2) I believe a tether is safer than a linemans belt.
3) I like one sticking due to the lack of weight being carried in.
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1) …waiting on [mention]John RB [/mention] to enter the discussion
 
I did not care for 1 stick either. I went back to sticks and am now using 3 20" LWCG doubles with aiders. I didn't find it as easy as the YouTube videos show. I loved to rappel out of the tree, so I kept that as part of my system, and it frees me up to be able to get extra height by "one sticking" if i need without having to worry about climbing down. To me it introduced the perfect balance of safety and weight and versatility.
 
I'm like most of ya'll, I don't have a problem retrieving my rope after repelling down. maybe he's not using a delta link? Guys I'm 6 foot tall and weight 280 pounds and 54 years old and I love one sticking! It takes a little practice to figure out what works for you but the mobility and access to almost any tree is huge for me. I love it. As far as slack in system I never have more than a foot of tether slack but I also use a linesmen rope as i climb stick and aider. I like being able to use both hands. But I climb slow and try not to make any noise. Plus being fat i don't want to get all sweated up!
 
As much as this thread is why some folks are leaving or sticking with one sticking, it is helping me figure out some of the basics. I was going to post a question about where to start to compare the various climbing methods for a rookie - but had sort of excluded a few due to age (52), so @DMcdonald I'm encouraged by you. I'm only ~205lbs and while I could be in better shape, I will check out one sticking - and figuring out how to rappel down (also completely new to me) in any event.
 
dalton916 said:
I’m 57, 6-3, 275#, don’t like heights and I love one sticking. Also, I’ll never come down any other way than rappelling.
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I found and watched this video today -
. If you have seen it, would you say it’s a good representation of what to do, and gear to consider?
 
One pound climbing sticks make it hard for me to justify one stick climbing and I was a very big proponent of one stick climbing.
 
enkriss said:
One pound climbing sticks make it hard for me to justify one stick climbing and I was a very big proponent of one stick climbing.
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I think next year one pound climbing sticks will be my off season change as well… frankly I too am getting a little tired of one sticking. It would be one thing on telephone pole trees but that’s rarely the case. Today I only one sticked because I was going up a river valley with a heavier load and didn’t want to carry three more sticks, and the one sticking was a hassle.
 
enkriss said:
One pound climbing sticks make it hard for me to justify one stick climbing and I was a very big proponent of one stick climbing.
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If the third gen perform well this year for people I'll be buying a set for next year. Still love one sticking, but I want options.
 
I quit no sticking because of the slack as well and I never wanted to find out what sliding while using a linemans belt feels like. Ropes for me,100% of the time.
 
I use a lineman’s belt when I’m playing with my trail cams. I take my stick with me and set my cams while standing on the top of my stick. I like everything about them being up high on public land.
One day I’ll SRT climb, but for now, my 1 stick is working well. I’m 55 in decent shape. I want to SRT mainly due to being able to climb rediculous trees! Only downside 1 sticking for me lately is tree selection.
 
I know this is really really bad and I do not suggest doing this or recommend it at all but I’ve been one sticking and not rappelling down for the last several hunts. My reasoning is quite pragmatic, I don’t like carrying all the rappel rope with me. It seems to add considerable weight to my setup. Stupid? Yes! Thanks he one stick I’m using is a muddy pro tube with an EWO LP and Ultimate lower step and a three step Ultimaider. This stick and aider combo has been so stable for me that I’ve not needed to rappel down. I transition from the upper step to the lower step at each descent cycle, moving my tether down very incrementally. I only use the Ultimaider at the last progression down. Where I get to the middle step on the aider and then slowly loosen my rope man 1 to allow me to touch the ground.
 
I've been one sticking this season after spending the last season hating on it and calling it pointless. It seems to work ok, though I still think multi sticking is easier, the weight savings is nice. The posts here I don't understand are the ones from guys saying they carry multiple sticks in but then one stick. What's the point of carrying the extras then? If I'm going to carry sticks, I'll use them all.
 
thedutchtouch said:
I've been one sticking this season after spending the last season hating on it and calling it pointless. It seems to work ok, though I still think multi sticking is easier, the weight savings is nice. The posts here I don't understand are the ones from guys saying they carry multi
ple sticks in but then one stick. What's the point of carrying the extras then? If I'm going to carry sticks, I'll use them all.
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I have run into trees too big for my lone wolf straps but could one stick up it so didnt use sticks. I only have to carry 2 sticks so they arent heavy..just like having them if i feel the tree i pick is better suited for it. I do use all sticks majority of time
 
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