Screw in steps or climbing sticks?

[Toba]

I have been using screw in steps to get to my hang on stand. I don't mind them but would like to hear thoughts on the climbing sticks and portable ladders. The sticks seem like they would be less hassle and faster. Any help would be great. Good luck hunting.

[CatchPhotoFilet]

I only use climbing sticks! light weight i cant think of one bad thing to say about them. They can be put up in seconds and removed just as quickly!

[Archerysniper]

Get the climbing sticks you can have your stand set and hunting in the time it would take you to put in six screw in steps, plus if you are hunting a area that you dont know you can leave your stand and easily take down the last 3 or 4 sections of sticks so it is harder to get your stand.

[HunterLee]

I have thought about going to all sticks. Instead of having the two buckets of tree steps, i thought just using my lone wolf sticks and hanging the stands and when i want to go sit take the sticks and set them up and hunt. No need to worry about loose pegs or someone getting the stand. Plus i can have one $100 set of sticks or $300 worth of tree pegs.

I have two mobile rigs. Lone wolf hand climber and a alpha hang on and 4 sticks. Both are fast and safe. Sticks are for the not so good spots for a climber.

[mnguy152]

i got the rapid rails and love them fast easy on and off and move which ever way you want even on the crooked ones.

[paceman]

The climbing sticks are the way to go for sure. I am slowly replacing all my screw in with the sticks. Sure they are a bit more expensive but they are way easier to put up and much much safer. I like going up in the 17-20' range. It is a bit spooky hanging on with one hand and trying to screw in a step especially in a hardwood like an oak tree.

[Code-Man]

I have climbing sticks from menards 30 bucks for 16' I don't think is bad. I usually put those in for the first two years. I also would like to state my tree stands come down each year. Heard too many people stealing stuff so I don't leave them up even on private posted land. But Getting back to topic when I find a tree I like and have hunted more then one year I will use my ladder sticks to get the tree stand up and safely secured in the tree but once done and taken a break from sweating like a mule and get water in my I start putting in screw in steps where every step is on the ladder. Figure it's safer to use the sticks and a lot easier using the ladder to get the screw in steps then being a monkey getting the steps in. I used to go all screw in steps because I didn't like the idea of people walking around and seeing all the metal on the edge of a tree but now that I've gotten into bow hunting all but one of my stands have the ladder sticks but that's cause I'm still learning the property and bow hunting.

[onthefly]

I'll add to it.... climbing sticks! Fast and easy to set up, plus makes it easier to climb the tree. I have the Lone Wolf sticks, but see those got really expensive now. I bought mine 5 years ago. The nice thing is they seat together for easy transport. Gorilla also has nice ones. Haven't tried any of the others.

[DoubleLunger]

sticks for sure

[trolloni]

The only thing with sticks they sure make a lotta noise when youre trying to be quiet , while setting up ,pegs they are a lotta work unless you have a treestep installer,for security sticks win, unless somebody is real ruthless and comes back with there own set!Usually with pegs i take the bottom 3 out then they cant get up there once again for the moment anyway !

[CrowRiverRat83]

The sticks are safe and quick, but like stated above, they tend to be more noisy and cumbersome. Any tips on bringing them in quietly and easily? Do you guys carry them or lash them together to your stand?

[Wanderer]

Any of the sticks can be lashed together tightly enough to keep them from clanging with simple bungees. But yes, the Lone Wolf sticks go together as nice as Legos and strap to their stands (Alpha at least) very nicely.

The problem with lashing them to your stand they way they were intended is that it screws up the backpack carrying strategy. You can't center the pack on the stand. You have to choose which one gets the ride or bungee the sticks to the side.

Here's the thing though; don't go all steps or all sticks unless you consistently set up in the same size and type of tree. Keep both handy for those trees that you can't strap sticks to because of too much diameter.

I was all steps until last year. I tried converting to sticks because everyone said they were so slick and quick. I think they're over rated.

They are less physical to set up but in my opinion are more cumbersome to carry, can be noisier, can't wrap around the bigger trees, you're limited to the height of how many sticks you have ( I bought a fourth because 3 are not enough), and cost more.

Plus, I haven't actually timed it, but I swear it takes me longer to set up my stand using sticks over steps. Take down is a breeze though until I have to wrap the straps and stack the sticks for quiet carrying.

I've always been able to stash all my steps quickly into a designated pocket in my pack.

I now carry 6 steps and 4 sticks. Sometimes I think about just going back to 12 or 15 steps. It's way more versatile.

[walterman]

alright...im a peg guy myself but recently bought and pair of the muddy outdoors sticks. They are awesome! I have their hang on stand as well. The stand is designed to accommodate the sticks so its really slick. If they ever enter the climber market they will give lone wolf a run for their money. Just my .02!!!

[harvey lee]

Climbing sticks are safer than those screw in pegs.

[Archerysniper]

As far as packing them quietly get some of the black foam pipe insulation and put it on the main part of the sticks it will greatly quiet them down and then I stack them and bungee them to my stand and pack them in or out.

[Toba]

Has anyone else used muddy outdoor sticks?

[Riverratpete]

Strap on climbing sticks are the worlds greatest invention..can't stand the screw in type.

[sticknstring]

Quote:

the muddy outdoors sticks. They are awesome!

I've got to agree. The Muddy rails are light, quiet, & very fast. The cat's meow for sure. I still use climbing sticks and EZ steps but slowly converting to rails. The Ameristep Non-typical aluminum rails are reallly nice as well.

[Archerysniper]

I forgot to mention one reason is shy away from screw in step is a few years back I tore the tendon off in my right thumb puting one in and took me out of bowhunting the rest of the year.

[bigbucks]

I have enough pegs for one portable, but only use them on a stand I don't intend to move all season. I put them in for the stand in the cow pasture, as I think the cattle would mess with the sticks,perfect for scratching themselves on. I have three sets of sticks now, they're much faster & easier in my eyes.

[cupper]

Beating a dead horse here, but go with the sticks. I have switched out all of my screw-in steps with climbing sticks in the last two years. I have the rapid rails and gorilla brands. Both work great. Much safer and easier to set up. I will say this though, it is handy to have a few screw in steps on hand if you need an extra grip or two at the top of your set.

[Buckcountry]

Stick it you know where! Sticks are great, faster then screws, well worth the $$

[BucksnDucks]

Ok guys heres some food for thought. I was thinkn about this subject 2 day at GM. You do the math here, since im by no means guna waste my time. 32 inch of sticks, (1 set) $15. Screw in steps $3 a step. Now how many feet can you afford to go up? I'll stick with screw in until I get a 2nd job to afford sticks at that price!

[Archerysniper]

Do what I did buy your sticks when they go on sale, I bought the gorillas a few years back a $12 a section.

[heat checker]

Ok guys heres some food for thought. I was thinkn about this subject 2 day at GM. You do the math here, since im by no means guna waste my time. 32 inch of sticks, (1 set) $15. Screw in steps $3 a step. Now how many feet can you afford to go up? I'll stick with screw in until I get a 2nd job to afford sticks at that price!

It depends what you value your time at. Most of us oversleep, work too long, or are just plain late getting out there. If the extra 15 minutes of setup cost you the 32pt Ripley Buck because you weren't quite ready, those sticks just became PRICELESS! I use both, mostly the pegs, because there isn't alot of staight trees with few limbs where I hunt. Each method has it's own advantages and disadvantages.Got to be a better way, How do the SQUIRRELS do it?