I wanted to add a smidge of height to my setups this year, so I ordered a couple of amsteel aiders from Custom Amsteel Products. They are amsteel material with the rubber hose type material as a "step" to help keep the loop open. I'm glad I did some practice with them, because I needed to change how I attached them. They basically loop onto the stick. I started with them looped over the bottom tree bracket on my Lone Wolf sticks, and that caused a problem. They hung so close to the tree I couldn't get my foot into them too well. It was more of a problem on the way down than the way up.
It was a lot better once I looped them around the actual stick, and draped them over the bottom step of the stick. How much height did it add? I don't know for sure without measuring. I roughly measured my pull rope once I got my bow up, and I think my platform was in the 14ish foot range. I could have lengthened them out a little more, I wasn't stretching for extra height on this setup. Compared to the past two seasons using 3 LW sticks, I felt a good bit higher.
The aiders weigh practically nothing and give me at least 2 more feet of height. I think they'll be handy this fall. I've gotten away with hunting lower the past two seasons, but I wanted to get up higher. I'm nowhere near brave enough to try that one stick stuff with rappelling. I'd die.
Get out there and practice in your gear, the time for dress rehearsals is coming to a close, folks.
It was a lot better once I looped them around the actual stick, and draped them over the bottom step of the stick. How much height did it add? I don't know for sure without measuring. I roughly measured my pull rope once I got my bow up, and I think my platform was in the 14ish foot range. I could have lengthened them out a little more, I wasn't stretching for extra height on this setup. Compared to the past two seasons using 3 LW sticks, I felt a good bit higher.
The aiders weigh practically nothing and give me at least 2 more feet of height. I think they'll be handy this fall. I've gotten away with hunting lower the past two seasons, but I wanted to get up higher. I'm nowhere near brave enough to try that one stick stuff with rappelling. I'd die.
Get out there and practice in your gear, the time for dress rehearsals is coming to a close, folks.
