What a video! Its one thing to compare specs but having them all to compare on the spot is awesome! One of the best hunting product review videos ive seen.
This helped me keep my stacked outdoors stick, was looking at other options but like what I have for now. Thanks for the best comparison review by far!!
That was an awesome video, very comprehensive. I've been using my Hawks for several years. I have the long and the shorter version. For the price they're just hard to beat and I'm very partial to double steps. Thanks again for the video. It was the bomb!
Been looking forward to this review for a while. Great job! One note ... Out of the top three , OOAL has had many sales on sticks, making the FXD a really good bang for the buck if you can catch them on sale. The GWB's will never be on sale. EWO tends to keep low prices and does not really have sales. Four FXD's at 20% off come out to $72 a stick,. Suddenly that stick receives the "best bang for the buck" award.
Great review, I agree with the XOP’s minis. I use 3 of the minis with 2 Aiders to lighten the load of them. But I’ll probably end up grabbing the Novix minis and use the aiders instead.
I’m in commibook jail so I’ll add my comments here..thanks for taking the time to put all this together. Great information. With all that said, I cannot pull myself off the muddy pros. Even over a couple high end options I’ve had. I have them with api steps and they’re way better. Lighter too. But when my ewos get here I’m sure theyll be my go to stick...at least until I see the new ninjas. 😉
Great review one of the best Ive seen! Every time I see a new stick review, it makes me glad I purchased the EWO ultralight sticks. Standoffs, is one of the best in the industry, solid as a rock on the tree, no flex in the steps, packs really well and light weight. Not sure why you don't like the way they stack. I actually like the way they stack as I have four sticks. I turn one of them around when I stack them and they protrude very little outward. Secure tight with a Titan strap and they pack small and compact on my backpack. Great review keep them coming ! Subscribed due to a solid review on all these products !
Thanks for the HONEST superb best ever stick review And believe me when I say I've watched THEM ALL and yours was easily the best I am very similar in size as you at 6'-2" and fluctuate from 230-260lbs and wear 14xxw boots Stick stability and stand off FOR ME surpass all other considerations What your video showed me was if you're a big 230lb+ guy with over size 12 feet there are no perfect sticks out there at any price that will give you ultra light wight, ease of use/pack/stack/instal, and extream stability Big guys with big feet will have to either compromise and accept certain drawbacks to get minimum weight or accept heavier weights and get the stick that will serve our needs best I for one will gladly accept an additional 1-2lbs total weight to maximize my safety factor and minimize my fiddle factor For me NWIH would I ever use a stick that only allows 3" or less of my boot on a step, or moves beyond a absolute minimal degree while in use I also feel another factor of utmost importance hunters, especially older 50+ bigger hunters MUST consider I advise all hunters especially bigger over 50YOA guys like me to absolutely factor into your step choices climbing up but most importantly down AND in the dark AFTER is the fatigue factor of four or five continuous days of hard hunting sets in it is when you are tired and fatigued while ascending or desending in the dark when your odds of something bad happening are your greatest and once tired and fatigued your odds of emerging uninjured from an incident are at thier lowest TO ME saving 1.5-2lbs is not even close to be worth getting injured due to a unexpected shift of a stick of slipping off of a boot that when I was fresh and not fatigued wouldn't be nearly as big a factor as when the fatigue of 4 to 7 continuous days of hunting sets in and my chances of injuries have gone from minimal to much greater Just something for us over 50yoa hunters who are bigger to much bigger than average size to consider.
Any noticeable change for stand-off distance with any of these when you put them on the tree? Great job with this review. I appreciate how unbiased this was. It seems like everyone plays favorites to a brand in other stick reviews. This was extremely helpful. 👍🏼
Thats 1 thing that is hard to show but is true. The distance on a flat surface doesn't translate to a round surface. But I feel its extremely hard to measure that...beasts sticks might have a little less due to the standoff design but its negligible
I bent a 20" Shikar FXD permanently, OOAL replaced the shaft and I ended up buying the foldable Shikars in 17". 17" shafts don't bend half as much, very solid at 250lb. I find FXD much more useable though. The inline packability is nice and the standoffs never rotate while setting, which happens on the foldables on almost every climb.
Being brand new to Saddle Hunting, the thought of spending that much money and having to customize any of them absolutely puts purchasing those ones out of contention. If it doesn’t work out of the box I’m scratching it off my list. Thanks or the video
This is the best climbing stick review video I have seen. Any thoughts on using a cam cleat on an EWO Featherlight instead of a versa button for quicker attachment? I was thinking of doing that with a UP Platform on the top step plus some squirrel steps to avoid having to carry a Predator Platform.
@@ridgeraisedoutdoors its interesting half the people have experiences like me...the other half have experiences like you...what is your attachment method
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 yup can’t be feared only money can’t take it with u when u are gone. trophyline covert light saddle and mission platform along with a couple rope man
Once again as being brand new to Saddle Hunt doing that complete seems to me to be the only way to go anything other than that would be like buying old technology being able to do this in the dark in cold conditions camcleat really removes the risk of doing it wrong and makes me feel more safe
Give me the weight and features of the tethrd sticks. The dead sound of the TN. The stacking of the lwcg doubles. And the footoom and standoff of the ewo...is that too much to ask for?hahaha
Beast stick or Tethrd One Stick? looking to be as mobile as possible but still have decent foot on the stick. Open to options. I currently have the Hawk 20s and I like everything about them except for the weight.
Yes novix and trophy line have a new double step for the minis...it resembles the single step. They also have a wingman platform for the stick. It looks sweet
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 ok thanks for the reply 👍🏻 enjoyed your video! I’m looking for a good set of 3 or 4 stick combo that I can add an aider to & use for mobile hunting this coming season
So I just ordered the tethrd ones and bought a double step aider. In this video you mentioned you can't hook anything onto the steps "ask me how I know" but your other video of them shows you using an aider. So what happened before and is it safe using an aider on the bottom steps ? Just want some clarification
I had tried to hook an s hook 3 step aider to it and a knaider. If the metal hook of either wat attached directly to the step it would not work correctly. The aiders sold at EWO or Backwoods Mobile Gear will work fine...aider designs especially for a moveable aider needed to be changed for this stick in particular
I am surprised you didn't rank the beast sticks higher . I have the beast mini stick and the 1 stick climbing method. To me what really like about them is thier really light weight and grabs the tree really well. I own a lone wolf climbing sticks before the original ones, before my tree saddle I was using my climbing tree stand. But at least your honest. Final question are beast stick the most popular because they are really hard buy always out of stock?
Beast stick are a solid option. For me I just don't like how they pack. I'd rather have the shikar fxd. But I wouldn't argue with anyone who loves their beast sticks. If I had beast sticks I probably wouldn't sell them in the hopes of getting something better...thats how close all these sticks really are.
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 I have a quick question let ask a hypothetical question if the stacking issue was fixed how rank the beast sticks ? Would go higher. Because I seem videos were use a metal rod to fix that problem
@@kidneystones3406 they stack very nice especially when you add stealth strip. I meant they stack very tall. Several sticks do. If they could make them more compact i wouldn't have any complaints.
All that work a long video to watch, I appreciate it but if you had to buy one for your sons birthday and it was his first time using climbing sticks which one would it be? put price aside thank you
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 they are loose i used a gear tie. Was going to cut a Beast stick down for one-sticking but couldn't bring myself to do it. So i got a piece of that 6061-T6 aluminum tube and made a stick using EWO stand offs and Beast step with a straight scout on top works great.
I have not. Tried every new stick but those. I think if they made a fixed version they would be really nice. I dont see an advantage to them collapsing a few inches.
I would say they are 1 of the best sticks at the price point. Something in the area where the industry was missing. Same thing goes for the xop x2 sticks
They stack about the same height but the beast sticks stack inline as were the ewo are offset...if those were my options im taking the ewo sticks...but I wouldn't blame you for taking the beast sticks...were splitting hairs here
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 Been experimenting with the stacking. I have four EWO ultralights and if you turn one of them the opposite direction there is very little offset. Just FYI.
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 LWCG says they are 10.5” wide at the steps. I think I would rather have standoffs the grip the tree and give me foot room. The “One stick is in last place for everything but weight. Still gonna sell a bunch of them. Kind of a joke to me.
@@jcarter2575 i agree foot room and comfort are nice. I like some of the features of the tethrd sticks but man there is minimal contact with that wing on your foot
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 just watched it, and the pin video. Boy I hope they have that sorted, as I just ordered them yesterday lol... almost have to have an aider to get as high as I typically hunt. 20’ or so in a saddle where I’m at seems to be the sweet spot for them to look up and not really spook. So many guys still using tree stands they sort of just give you a funny look and are confused and go about their business more often than not when I’m in the saddle up that high.
I would build and sell billet Aluminum sticks all day long if people are paying $150/stick lol. Anything over about 40-50 bucks seems overpriced for what these things are
@@srtsaddlehunter3285 ive built some over the last few years just for personal use (perks of owning CNC machines and having plenty of scrap aluminum on hand) I guess I just didn't realize how pricy these things have gotten lol
That's a helpful video. Thanks Luke. I keep dragging my feet on buying new sticks. I've got my original Hawks modified to a 23" step and they weigh 2lbs 4 oz with versa straps. With three sticks and a versa aider I'm at 18' without stretching. They just work so well that I'm hesitant to upgrade until I see exactly what I want. I'm hoping the Catalyst Carbon Pros are it!
Thank you. I believe in the if it isn't broke dont fix it approach. If anyone is happy with what they have then they should keep it. I think the most important thing is developing a repeatable system that will make you the most efficient no matter what gear you use.
