DaveH

From all the help and suggestions you all have given me, I've done some research on the Rapid Rails, the Gorilla stacking sticks, the lone Wolf sticks and a few others. Of these, most cost about $100 for the basic set-up without adding extra sections and most weighed under 12lbs. That's all good. What I need to know now is which will get me to around 18 feet easily. If I'll need to buy additional sections to reach that height, I need to know that since it is a big factor i.e.-extra weight, noise, cost, etc.

stoneman

Hunter's View Tree Snakes will get you 20', and I only paid 38 bucks. I bought 2 20' sets...one of the pieces was missing the part that rests against the tree, and they sent me THREE free sections and let me keep the one I had...that's 16' free, and they did it FAST. There may be higher quality stick made (I'm sure there is), but these work nice, and the company treated me super, so I'm "stickin'" with them.

Drakeman

4 lone wolf sticks can get me 20' feet and they stack together and only weigh 14lbs total.

stoneman

How much does 4 sections of Lone Wolf cost?

Talondale

How do you guys transport these sticks? I have some hunter's view sticks and they are noisy and heavy and it's hard to carry stand, pack, sticks, bow all at once. I tried strapping them together with velcro straps but can't get all four to stay together tight and quiet. That's why I was considering one of the shorter independant (non-interlocking) steps that could be strapped to my stand. I still haven't found a method that beats my amacker screw ins for ease and quiet. I carry 11 steps in a fanny pack and can get up to 25' if I stretch. It takes a bit longer to get in and set up (approx 30 min to climb and hang stand ) but it's getting hard on the elbows hanging off the tree even with a lineman setup on my rock climbing harness. Although the steps may be heavy (probably just under 10 lbs) it's a compact weight and close to the body so easy to carry. Haven't found an alternate system yet that I like as much but these steps are getting old and I'd like to retire them before they fail.

stoneman

I just use 2 of the tree strap tie-downs that came with the sticks to tightly hold all 5 sections together. If you're hauling in a stand as well, you can strap those to the back of the stand. I usually juts through them over my shoulder and carry them in that way...but I never have to go farther than a mile with them. I used to use pieces of pipe insulation between the sections to make them quiet, bu now I find that if I just strap the sections together tightly, that it's good enough.

rush creek

well, i have the lone wolf climbing sticks and the lone wolf hang on they fit to the stand perfectly and if you go to the hardware store and get to 16' bungy straps they hold the sticks to the stand perfectly w/out a noise. it will get you depending on how much space you put between them from 14-18 feet. in my neck of the woods i usually hit some branches and don't even use but 1-2 of the sticks. i will warn you not to trust a pecan tree though. just this past weekend i was one lucky sole, i used on stick and thought i would be cute and just grab the 1st limb and pull my self up them climb on up to put the stand on. well the i got on it and grabbed the next limb and without warning the limb my foot was on broke and the limb i was holding swung me out and it broke. i fell about 10-12 feet and landed on my back and head. i have hunted out of treestands for 15 years and have never fallen til now but it has really opened my eyes. if you use a limb you better make sure it is alive and this time of year you cant tell w/ pecans. when the brake there is no warning. i nocked my shoulder outand sprang my knee as well as a sore back, neck, head. i am very fortunate. please be carefull. i hit the sticks on the way down and just bruised me if it would have been a screw in step there is no telling what it would have done.

stoneman

Good illustration of why you should use a safety belt the second you're off the ground...after reading about others falling this year, I use my climbing belt as soon as I'm off the ground. Glad you'e not seriously hurt...heal fast!

Drakeman

4 lone wolf sticks are $133...you can order directly from their website. One of the sticks has a velcro strap and that will hold together all 4 sticks. Then I just attach the 4 to my stand with a single bungee. Just need to figure out how to attach to tree without climbing down the tree each time you put another stick up.

stoneman

WOW!! $133?? For that price they better LIFT me into the tree. I can get 3 sets (and have change) of the Hunter's View for that price...that's 60' feet of sticks. There's nothing that can justify that price for sticks...but I have 5 kids, and several other money-sucking hobbies; not counting my wife.