So I got a heck of a deal from a co-worker... He sold me a Timbertall Baby Lite climber for $50 all it needed was a foot strap so that I could climb with it... I purchased some foot stirups yesterday and a new BIG GAME Treestands Vest style harness for it... I have never owned a stand or even used a climber so can any of you guys give me some advice or input on where to start with climbing so that I will be using it safely and effectively... Thanks
Stay away from slick barked trees like beech, elm. Pick and climb your trees before pruning limbs as you go. When you stop make sure the platform is level vs. a self cleaning pitch. Oh, and hook your bow to your pull rope before climbing.
Good advice right there. I make sure my platform is attached to my seat by a tether just in case the platform somehow fails and falls, i can just pull it back up. I also like to strap my seat to the tree once I've picked my hunting height to avoid knocking it down if I decide to stand up. Just make sure everything is attached to your hoist rope that you need before climbing, it does take some effort and time to climb back down the tree if you forget something.
So do i tie the hoist rope to my items and tie it to my stand ?? So that both hands are free for climbing??
Practice climbing and getting used to setting up in the tree, that way you're not fumbling around in the dark for to long on those morning hunts. Practice all your transition movements so when the moment comes you are comfortable/confident with standing up and taking your shot! Also no need to speed climb up the tree, take your time and do it right.
great advice so far!!!! do yourself a favor and go to this website to purchase a few extra add-ons to make your life in a climber more enjoyable!! thirdhandarchery.com purchase: the bowholder (it allows you to climb with it on the top half of your climber) the stablilizer straps...(they cinch the top down tight tight for super stability) watch the product videos!! I have these items on my summit climber and it makes such a huge difference!! definitely definitely check it out!! also practice practice practice like crazy, opening morning you will be glad you did!! also make sure you stay attached to the tree constantly while climbing up or down. theres no prize for getting up the tree fast. enjoy!!
Practice practice and practice. Best bet is is go out with someone who knows how to use them and get them to show you how to get it done safe and effectivly
All good advice. Always make sure the portion of the stand you are moving has a good bite on the tree and is stable before you begin to move the other piece. It's not a good feeling to start to move the seat piece only to have the platform slip a few inches. If you make sure you have plenty of hoist rope then you can easily tie the rope to the stand before hand and then pull it up when you are all set up and secure.
Sweet thanks... I actually have a bowholder.. It came with my stand but I will look at the stabilizer setup
If the platform doesn't self level make sure you pay attention to how narrow the tree gets or if it holds its girth all the way up. Its a pain to climb up only to realize your platform is leaning up or down.
my advice is dont think you can just wander into the woods and expect to see deer. it may be more convenient now that you have a climber but scouting and preparation is still crucial even with a climber
Your outer garment chest and sleeves will take a beating from the bark. Have the sun at your back and wind in your face for every sit.
first thing is make sure you have a safety vest and then a safety line around the tree that your vest is connected to. DO NOT climb without a safety vest, and it doesn't matter if its only 10' off the ground. Practice climbing a couple of times before you go out. Put a reflective push pin in where you stop on the tree for hunting. that way if your climbing in the dark you can see the pin with your headlamp and know that your in the right height and position on the tree. Add ons really do make it nice. My climber has 2 side bags, front bag, a wrap around blind/blanket, bow/gun holder, and put one of those 2" foam pads for sitting onto the foot part of the climber. It'll keep your feet off the cold steel and keep them warmer. Put the same kind of pad on the seat and that'll keep your butt warmer. Another thin pad on your back keeps your back warm. I 've been using my climber since 01' and keep adding to it all the time. good luck and let us know how it goes.
This^^^ I use a pull rope for my bow, a long piece of 550 cord with a D-ring. make sure you dont forget to tie your bow off Deffinatly practice on a good tree b4 going and doing it. And like others have said remember to tie the two sections together, this has literally saved my ***. be careful take your time do it right.
Ok so instead of starting a new thread I figured I could just do it here... How long should I make my tether for the top and bottom platforms??? How long should i make my haul rope? What material should i make both pieces out of??
Your tether should be no longer than a full "bite." By this I mean while standing on the platform, raise the seat portion (upper half) as high as you can go but still being able to pull support your weight with your arms and pull up the platform (lower half). If you make it too long, the bottom half could slip off your feet and fall too far to where you can't reach it anymore, defeating the purpose of it. Your hoist rope is pretty self explanatory... My Summit came with a small diameter rope to tether the 2 pieces, it only needs to hold about 15lbs worth of weight.
