Give me your opinion on climbing sticks

[Big_Al]

I bought 5 fixed stands and plan on hanging them semi-permanently for the season on my hunting land, and packing climbing sticks in and out.  I've been looking hard at the Lone Wolf sticks - what are your opinions and suggestions?

[gregg dudley]

If you are going to buy a single set and do as you intend, they are probably a great choice.  I choose to buy a set of sticks for each stand and leave them in place/move them with the stand.  I opt for generic and inexpensive climbing sticks by strongbuilt or similar manufacturers. The aspect of a fixed position stand that attracts me is how quiet they are. I think you kind of defeat that by moving ladders when you are trying to hunt.

The thing that I recommend is buying the tallest set of sticks that you can and then buying an extra section.  For the sake of safety, you want to step down into your treestand not climb up into it.

[Danny Roberts]

I buy only Rapid Rails.

[Winterhawk1960]

Al,

I picked up five sets of these at the Deer & Turkey Expo that they have every March in Columbus, Ohio. I am leaving the link to their website, but they are cheaper.....cash and carry. These sticks are a TRUE 20 ft. to the top of the ladder and sturdy as heck. Price isn't to bad either, even from their website.

 http://millenniumstands.com/Page41.html

Winterhawk1960

[swp]

I like the LW's, they are expensive but worth it.

[Molson]

Originally posted by gregg dudley:
If you are going to buy a single set and do as you intend, they are probably a great choice.  I choose to buy a set of sticks for each stand and leave them in place/move them with the stand.  I opt for generic and inexpensive climbing sticks by strongbuilt or similar manufacturers. The aspect of a fixed position stand that attracts me is how quiet they are. I think you kind of defeat that by moving ladders when you are trying to hunt.
 

Yep.  Buy the cheap ones, add a dollar store ratchet strap, and leave them up all season.

[macbow]

I used the lone wolf sticks for many years. During that time I had many safe hunts. I also had two slips both were caused by type of footwear and eith mud or ice. I had several bad gouges from the sharp steps on the lone wolfs. A safety strap kept it from being a hospital incident. I would by the rapid rail type if doing it again.
Ron

[kctreeman]

I use the LW sticks also.  Takes me four sticks to get to my 20' perch.  No slips or falls yet.  Safe and sturdy once hooked to the tree.  Getting them strapped to the tree can be a challenge. I started wearing a linemans belt to hang the sticks, never did that before using screw in's.  Older and wiser maybe. I never can get the sticks to birdnest stack together for carying.  They still want to rattle around while I'm moving to my stand locations.

[DeerSpotter]

Lone Wolf climbing sticks get my vote,

Easy use, quiet, strong

But like others have said, their expensive.

But some guys have been using them for years, so over the long run they're not as expensive as you think.


Pastor Carl

[Mike Byrge@home]

I opted for the rapid-rails for the reason macbow stated.  I saw a internet-pic of a terrible looking "gash" a fellow got on the back of his arm from falling on a lone wolf step.  Looked like a chainsaw wound.  I've used the lone wolf sticks and really liked them until I saw that picture.

I've got no real complaints with the rapid rails other than they can be noisy going on the tree.

[Coop]

When I was using hang-ons I used the ones Dick's sells for $25 every year around archery season. I figure since I was on public ground i wanted to keep it cheap in case they got stolen. They worked well and were easy to set up.

[RockChucker30]

I'm doing the same thing...putting up stands with my LW sticks, locking the stand, the taking the sticks when I leave.  It definitely keeps others from using or "borrowing" my stands.  The LW are the best out there if you want them to be mobile and easy to use.  4 will get you to 20 feet or so.  An added bonus:  add up the cost of steps or sticks for each stand...if you're like me and have 10+ up, the LW sticks pay for themselves.

[Morning Star]

I use Rapid Rails to access all the stands I leave up through season.  The Rails are very safe (good footing) and easy to use.   I have the older style constricter rope models, which do I prefer a bit over the newer strap/buckle model.  

I use Lone Wolf stick / LW Assault stand for my pack in pack out hunts.  Together they are more compact and a little lighter than the Non Typical Rail/Stand package. The LW stand/stick combo is the best package out there IMO.

Dislike....To pack the LW sticks as they are designed, it get's a bit noisey.  Probably my biggest dislike of LW sticks is that metal clink'n as I packup at the base of the tree.  I also dislike that they come with straps and not constrictor ropes.

The LW sticks are very nice, but overall the Rapid Rails have better footing and you can hang them from each other as you ascend and descend.  LW sticks are kind of pain to ascend the tree with IMO.  Both have there qualities, but if your just going to be carrying a ladder in, go with Rails IMO.

There is a Trad Gang member who makes constricter ropes for the LW sticks.  With a little work, you could also apply these to the newer style Rapid Rails I believe.

You can also buy rubber crutch caps to fit over the feet of Rapid Rails, it makes them extemely quiet when setting them on the tree and packing them up.

[Pluck Yew]

buck trax, cabelas...

Shawn..  

[Onestringer]

Climbing stick is all I use for my stands.  I bought API.  I have a total of 88 feet of sticks in the shed.

[Ray Hammond]

I don't like anything with a step sticking out of it.

If you fall, even using a fall restraint, while climbing your ladder, you can get a step underneath your ribcage for your efforts..and that might leave a mark, among other things!

I like Rapid Rails...I leave two up on each stand, and take the bottom two out. That way no one can climb the stand while I'm not in it, and deer (read that BIG BUCKS) can't walk up and smell me on the ladder while I am away.

two rails weighs maybe 4 lbs, go in with me on my backpack, and I can put them up with a strap in less than a minute.

Big shoes aren't a problem, slippery shoes arent a problem, because it sits AWAY from the tree like a ladder, and your shoe is enclosed by the rails. You can get 20 feet up with a four piece set of rails so even you nosebleeders will be happy..and they are not too expensive.

[dnovo]

I have several stick ladders that I set up on hang on stands that I leave up on my property. Slip in and climb up. No noise or commotion. For stands I am hanging and hunting and taking down each day I use the rapid rails. I have used both the lone wolf sticks and the rapid rails and hardly use the lone wolf sticks anymore as I much prefer the rapid rails over them. Much easier to put up. The only thing the lone wolf has over them is a little weight difference and it's not much.

[Dave2old]

MY opinion on climbing sticks, as requested: Anything we can live without, we live better without. dave

[Big_Al]

I can see the advantages to the Rapid Rails, and according to the Cabela's catalog 4 rapid rails weigh no more than 4 Lone Wolf sticks.  Please elaborate on the Rapid Rails - what makes them easier to put up than the Lone Wolf sticks?

[Ray Hammond]

Dave,
I had a guy in Colorado tell me once " see that deer over there in that thick stuff?" and I was looking five miles across a big basin looking for a thicket when all the time he meant two little spindly, scraggly looking mesquite bushes the size of a labrador retriever about 45 yards away!

its somewhat EASIER to live without stick ladders where you are, than it is where you cannot see more than 15 feet in any direction, leaves stay on trees till January, and game doesnt follow a single established trail more than twice in a calendar year(two thirds of land east of the Mississippi is like that!!!! )