I bought two 20' sets of sticks this year, just to give them a shot. I bought Hunter's View Tree Snake sticks. They were VERY inexpensive, which is why I thought I'd try them. I've only used them half a season, but so far so good. I can tell you their customer service is PHENOMENAL! I had been planning on building my own, but these were cheaper than JUST the raw steel I would have needed. They're not too heavy (though I have nothing to compare it too). During the off-season, I plan on getting some grip tape from the local skate shop, and applying a thing strip to each step...will stop the squeaking sound from my rubber boots when wet, and will make them much safer when muddy/icy. The last batch of screw-ins I bought came from Walmart, and are the steel rod type (non-folding). Used them for 3 season with no complaints at all...they go in MUCH easier than some of the older steps I had.