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Wild edge stepp lovers

ThePennsylvanian said:
Ok after all these years I still don't know what a knaider or a swaider is, does anyone have pictures?
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I’m not sure if danO is still selling these or not. But if he isn’t I seen on backwoods mobile gear’s website that they sell them as well. A little more expensive there though.
 
redsquirrel said:
So share your love of stepps here. Whether you use the wild edge aider, knaider or just use them as they are. ( I don't support the knaider/swaider combo fyi!!!)
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Curious as to specifically why you don't support the knaider swaider combo. I sometimes use a swaider with my climbing sticks. It is really easy and stable feeling going up, but it's a bit sketchy going down. Is there something different about using a swaider on the WE Stepps that you don't like or is it the combo of knaider and swaider that you don't think it's safe?
 
mathhunter said:
Curious as to specifically why you don't support the knaider swaider combo. I sometimes use a swaider with my climbing sticks. It is really easy and stable feeling going up, but it's a bit sketchy going down. Is there something different about using a swaider on the WE Stepps that you don't like or is it the combo of knaider and swaider that you don't think it's safe?
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I never like the swaider either. It's mostly a stability thing for me. The knaider basically connects your knee to the step directly. Very stable. The swaider tethers your foot to the step with a couple of feet of strap. Very easy for your foot to slip/swing off to the side if you aren't careful in your climbing IMO. It just wasn't worth it to me. I get plenty high with just the knaider and I'm much more comfortable with the climb. And it's still easy to get down.
 
I have trouble with the knaider. I can’t get it to release from the cross bar when stepping up.

I’ll have to practice that more.

I do have 3 step aiders that work reasonably well.

3 steps to 18 feet. A 4th as a hand hold at the top.

Platform.

I rappel down.

Rappel rope is my pull up rope.

I use a 12 step bag. I store my rope in the bag at height and for transport.


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mathhunter said:
Curious as to specifically why you don't support the knaider swaider combo. I sometimes use a swaider with my climbing sticks. It is really easy and stable feeling going up, but it's a bit sketchy going down. Is there something different about using a swaider on the WE Stepps that you don't like or is it the combo of knaider and swaider that you don't think it's safe?
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The thing I don't like about the swaider with stepps is there is nothing about you to hold onto at some point and you end up dangling from the swaider while you're trying to hook on your knaider. I don't mean to sound insensitive to recent events but I've at times wondered if there is someone out there hanging upside down on a swaider that has never been found. That's how strong I feel against it. I always come back to lots of things are fun and easy in the backyard or practice but it's always much different in a hunting situation. I've been using the knaider since it came out, 2018 I believe. The knaider only with stepps is about as rock solid and fool proof as it gets. I put a stepp at waist height, then one just above head height. I attach my linesman's belt, hold onto the higher one, and knaider onto the lower one. Rinse and repeat up the tree and just exactly reverse it on the way down. You always have a hand old to maintain 3 points of contact. Anyone remember that they taught you that during hunters ed? On the last step I set my ROS so it is just a little bit above so it's just.a short step onto it.

I think the knaider/swaider with sticks is better because you still have a hand hold on the top step of the stick. You just have to deal with the lean of the tree if it's not straight.
 
Used a set of 5 steps to get above some thick cover and hang my Windwalker for this morning’s hunt. The combo comes in at 12.5 pounds. Hard to beat it when you don’t need to get real high.


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Ever try the WE Stepps with a boogie woogie aider and a knaider? That was my go to until 2TC swept me off my feet. Made a video for someone abt how I used it and my carbon fiber platform for the primal step...just an FYI!
 
Samcirrus said:
Ever try the WE Stepps with a boogie woogie aider and a knaider? That was my go to until 2TC swept me off my feet. Made a video for someone abt how I used it and my carbon fiber platform for the primal step...just an FYI!
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That's definitely an interesting method. But to me the simplest way to climb means only having one method up, one method down, no matter the situation daylight dark. This is only my opinion, as what works for me won't for others. I sacrifice a little weight for simple, I carry a couple 3/4" webbing steps that I girth hitch onto the step bar if I need them. I don't always.
 
Wolverinebuckman said:
I've used the primal steps for the last 3 years now. I like them well enough. I still use the original buckle straps that came with them, instead of switching it up to the rope. They can tend to get a little loose on me, but I'm a big dude.. 280. Use the plywood platform with it, but it doesn't want to stay tight to the tree. Maybe the rope mod would help with that.

I have used the knaider on occasion, but after one time of trying the swaider and almost wrecking myself, I decided not to go with that.

And yes, they do tear the snot out of the bark of a tree.
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Do you have an additional piece of wood on the bottom of the platform to keep it from sliding out?
 
I think one of the good things about the Stepps is how flexible setups can be.

From the knaider/swaider or boogie woogie aider for the young/strong/flexible/risk takers, to the knaider for people who are a little more risk averse but don’t want to carry a Stepp for each move, to people who have some physical limitations and use Stepps without any aiders.

And hunting swamps with branchy trees, one is not constrained by having to find an 18” stretch to fit a stick.
 
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sojourner said:
I think one of the good things about the Stepps is how flexible setups can be.

From the knaider/swaider or boogie woogie aider for the young/strong/flexible/risk takers, to the knaider for people who are a little more risk averse but don’t want to carry a Stepp for each move, to people who have some physical limitations and use Stepps without any aiders.

And hunting swamps with branchy trees, one is not constrained by having to find an 18” stretch to fit a stick.
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100% agreed! A very versatile piece of kit.
 
Wow. That sounds tough. How long to climb tying al those steps?


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Yesterday I started using an adjustable connection to step that is at my waist( or a little higher) and this with my lanyard makes for a solid 3pt contact. My saddle has a central, very tight connection and this enables me to suspend directly off the step and having my lanyard tight to the tree mitigates the slip/ fall potential. As long as pressure is in a downward direction these steps are solid but can come unsprung when bumped upward as I am sure a fact anyone that has used these already knows.
 
Kinda like "Cain's" method + a lanyard- similar but adjustable.
 
I've been using the stepps since 2018 and love them. My primary method is a modified Cain using a knaider only. The knaider is modified as well. I also had a hard time unhooking so I cut off part of the hook. As far as them digging into the tree, I've packed the ends with JB weld so they don't core the bark. I use a kydex holster for 6 stepps which i carry in in my pack and attach to my saddle prior to accent. I don't use a linesman belt on the climb. I have a biner on the bridge that attaches to the stepp at my waist. I rock an adjustable bridge pulled until about 6 inches out from the friction hitch. This gives a little fudge factor on the stepp height if its not exactly waist height. If the bridge is to long you hang back to far to get the right height on the overhead stepp tie on, his gives me hands free to tie the next stepp without the hassle of moving a linesmans belt around limbs. My set up gets me 20 feet plus.
To me it's just like climbing a tree when I was young, and I can get into every tree i need to. It's a solid method it's quick enough, and I can do it quietly.
 
Kurt said:
I've been using the stepps since 2018 and love them. My primary method is a modified Cain using a knaider only. The knaider is modified as well. I also had a hard time unhooking so I cut off part of the hook. As far as them digging into the tree, I've packed the ends with JB weld so they don't core the bark. I use a kydex holster for 6 stepps which i carry in in my pack and attach to my saddle prior to accent. I don't use a linesman belt on the climb. I have a biner on the bridge that attaches to the stepp at my waist. I rock an adjustable bridge pulled until about 6 inches out from the friction hitch. This gives a little fudge factor on the stepp height if its not exactly waist height. If the bridge is to long you hang back to far to get the right height on the overhead stepp tie on, his gives me hands free to tie the next stepp without the hassle of moving a linesmans belt around limbs. My set up gets me 20 feet plus.
To me it's just like climbing a tree when I was young, and I can get into every tree i need to. It's a solid method it's quick enough, and I can do it quietly.
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Do you have your tether tied above you as you ascend? Or do you hook into the step at waist height, tie on the one above your head, unhook from waist height step, and step up untethered?
 
kyler1945 said:
Do you have your tether tied above you as you ascend? Or do you hook into the step at waist height, tie on the one above your head, unhook from waist height step, and step up untethered?
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I do not use the tether. I am either clipped in or I have three points of contact on the tree/stepp. The stepp gives a great two hand pull up until I'm clipped in so I'm not worried about my hands slipping off the stepp.
 
Kurt said:
I do not use the tether. I am either clipped in or I have three points of contact on the tree/stepp. The stepp gives a great two hand pull up until I'm clipped in so I'm not worried about my hands slipping off the stepp.
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This is my only hangup from using this method. I wonder if there's a way to attach tether to stepp above head, and have progress captured as you climb. I'm thinking hitch and tender, with some type of redirect on the tag end of tether. As you step up it pulls slack hands free.
 
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