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Xop climbing method

A

Arkhunter18

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
460
Okay I picked up a lightly used xop hand climber for 100 bucks today...I tried using the seat to climb with...its not bad but the only thing I wondered was if I could go ahead and attach a cam buckle strap very loosely around the tree before climbing so when I reach desired hunting height, all I'd have to do is bend down and cinch it tight with one hand..
 
Never tried it, but fairly certain it will get caught on stuff or otherwise interfere with the climb.

There’s a couple of ways to secure it once you reach height but I don’t find the benefit worth the hassle of securing it.


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You can try that. Not sure if it will get caught up on the brake while climbing. But worth a try


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Kenn... I'm not really sure how I'd reach down with both hands and throwing a cam strap around a tree...
 
Maybe an aider? Hook it to platform, step down and sit in saddle. Hook it up and climb back in. I have a LW sit and climb, no way I'd stand on it and be happy without a strap making it more solid. You could try connecting the belt with the strap on the front of the tree. That's how I used to keep my summit climber from falling
 
Thought about hooking a strap to the arms and going around the tree pulling down instead of hooking it to the seat itself
 
Man the title you posted really got my attention because I'm in need of some helpful details or videos on how to climb with this dang seat as a platform. NOT to hijack your thread but if anyone has some experience PLEASE chime in. Tried using mine this weekend and boy was I surprised how difficult it was to only get 5 ft. off the ground. I have a homemade seat with a standoff something like the preacher's seat and couldn't bring my knees up much at all...seems like I didn't have enough leg room to be able to sit and climb. Thank's for any help
 
Hillbilly said:
Man the title you posted really got my attention because I'm in need of some helpful details or videos on how to climb with this dang seat as a platform. NOT to hijack your thread but if anyone has some experience PLEASE chime in. Tried using mine this weekend and boy was I surprised how difficult it was to only get 5 ft. off the ground. I have a homemade seat with a standoff something like the preacher's seat and couldn't bring my knees up much at all...seems like I didn't have enough leg room to be able to sit and climb. Thank's for any help
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Not sure what you mean by preachers seat. Theres a video on climbing with one of these
 
Hillbilly said:
Man the title you posted really got my attention because I'm in need of some helpful details or videos on how to climb with this dang seat as a platform. NOT to hijack your thread but if anyone has some experience PLEASE chime in. Tried using mine this weekend and boy was I surprised how difficult it was to only get 5 ft. off the ground. I have a homemade seat with a standoff something like the preacher's seat and couldn't bring my knees up much at all...seems like I didn't have enough leg room to be able to sit and climb. Thank's for any help
Click to expand...
What is your fall protection? You could probably climb using climber and rock harness then transfer to the preachers seat once at height.
 
@Arkhunter18 someone came up with a way to attach the strap to the back of the climber then run it under the bottom around to the top. Then they attached it to the tree above the platform and climbed up past it and cinched it down. Here’s a thread showing a picture of this setup
https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/xop-climber-seat-as-climber-and-platform.2031/
In my opinion your better off just accepting that it may move some but you can move around on it just fine. @bongo uses the hand climber a good bit and pointed out that if you see deer from a distance you can move the climber around the tree. You can put a strap around the traction belt and that Will stop it from falling but it doesn’t make it more stable. I just tie a piece of paracord to the platform and hook it into the carabiner on my tether.
 
EricS said:
@Arkhunter18 someone came up with a way to attach the strap to the back of the climber then run it under the bottom around to the top. Then they attached it to the tree above the platform and climbed up past it and cinched it down. Here’s a thread showing a picture of this setup
https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/xop-climber-seat-as-climber-and-platform.2031/
In my opinion your better off just accepting that it may move some but you can move around on it just fine. @bongo uses the hand climber a good bit and pointed out that if you see deer from a distance you can move the climber around the tree. You can put a strap around the traction belt and that Will stop it from falling but it doesn’t make it more stable. I just tie a piece of paracord to the platform and hook it into the carabiner on my tether.
Click to expand...

I just watched one of the vids in that link. I remember that thread now. lol When I saw the one example of side loading, it reminded me we have 2 different types of saddle guys on here. Leaners and hangers. If you hang you can side load a tooth pick probably, cause the saddle holds 98% of your weight. Im a leaner, hence the platform is my choice. Im basically standing up for a shot and the saddle is really just keeping me from falling. Im putting 90% of my weight on the platform. I need to get one of these and test I guess.
 
When I first got my hand climber I was using the sit drag and was mostly leaning. I could shoot 360 with a rifle and most of the way around the tree with my bow. You can keep one foot on the climber and swing out to the side and put a knee against the tree and it’s plenty stable. You just have to hold down pressure on the stand and keep your foot past the arms on the stand. There was some talk of the stand folding up and slipping down if you Put your weight too close to the tree. It’s definitely possible but hasn’t happened to me. I can still sit with my feet all the way to the tree. When I go to get up instead of standing straight up I push away from the tree which pushes the teeth on the climber toward the tree and keeps it from slipping. It’s just another system that has it’s limitations but when practiced it can be a viable system. It’s definitely a huge platform compared to most styles and in an area where climber friendly trees are plentiful it’s about as light as you can get and still have a platform. I use it a few times a year but wouldn’t want it to be my only system. I don’t take it on blind sets because I don’t know if I will have a good tree once I decide where I’m going.
 
Hillbilly said:
Yes I'm using RC harness also but still don't have a system figured out to progress up the tree
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You hang and climb similar to how you would use a sit and climb. Only difference you push your hips away from tree with hands to give your knees clearance to lift up the platform.
 
That's a bosun chair. (Grin)
Your gonna have to tilt it or sit on very edge to straighten out your legs to be able to lift to seated position.
 
EricS said:
When I first got my hand climber I was using the sit drag and was mostly leaning. I could shoot 360 with a rifle and most of the way around the tree with my bow. You can keep one foot on the climber and swing out to the side and put a knee against the tree and it’s plenty stable. You just have to hold down pressure on the stand and keep your foot past the arms on the stand. There was some talk of the stand folding up and slipping down if you Put your weight too close to the tree. It’s definitely possible but hasn’t happened to me. I can still sit with my feet all the way to the tree. When I go to get up instead of standing straight up I push away from the tree which pushes the teeth on the climber toward the tree and keeps it from slipping. It’s just another system that has it’s limitations but when practiced it can be a viable system. It’s definitely a huge platform compared to most styles and in an area where climber friendly trees are plentiful it’s about as light as you can get and still have a platform. I use it a few times a year but wouldn’t want it to be my only system. I don’t take it on blind sets because I don’t know if I will have a good tree once I decide where I’m going.
Click to expand...

The slip and fall of the platform is real. If you watch the video I’m in from Saddlepalooza mine slips and falls but the tether just catches you. No big deal I’ve hade it happen several times on slick bark trees. But that’s why you have to tie the platform to the tether biner or your self. That way if it slips off your feet it doesn’t end up where you can’t stand up and recover from the slip. I also carry an aider now for branches and mishaps.
I also carry an ezkut drill and 3 or 4 bolts. I am usually by myself so need to be self sufficient as possible.


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Let me say "Thanks" Bongo, finally saw your video last night and it brings new inspiration to me. Gonna get out and do some practice when time allows
 
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