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Leverage sticks

Jake_C

Junior Member
Are they still making these? The website looks current but when I go to midway usa etc.. they all say discontinued. I want to find something to replace my climber for next season. with not being allowed to trim trees on public ground, i find myself spending more time hunting trees than deer.
I want to get either an XOP air raid or one of the hawk stands and some sticks. I am leaning towards the Hawk Heliums but wanted something else to compare to. I'm not a huge fan of the LW or XOP sticks due to the staggered steps.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I'm a stick guy myself, and I run up to five LW sticks and a Muddy Pro Stick for my top stick. If you don't like the alternating steps, I would go with the Heliums. The Leverage sticks have a metal hook end that can be noisy, where the Helium sticks have a plastic coated hook end. The only thing I don't like about these and the Leverage sticks is that the feet don't pivot. I didn't think that was a big deal at first, but sometimes when you get on a tree that isn't perfectly straight, you need to pivot the feet to get all four touching the tree. Just something to think about.

Also, Beener (Beentown) owns a set of the Leverage sticks, and I think he did a mod to them where he was able to use a loop strap without hooks. Shaved a little weight and is a bit quieter. Maybe he'll chime in.

Also something to consider in the stand department is platform leveling. When you're going in blind, you're going to need that option. You don't wanna get 20' up a tree in the dark and realize it's got a slight lean to it. Of your two choices above, I would go with the Air Raid. Also, i would suggest looking at the Muddy Stands as well. That's what I run.

Good luck!
 

Jake_C

Junior Member
I'm a stick guy myself, and I run up to five LW sticks and a Muddy Pro Stick for my top stick. If you don't like the alternating steps, I would go with the Heliums. The Leverage sticks have a metal hook end that can be noisy, where the Helium sticks have a plastic coated hook end. The only thing I don't like about these and the Leverage sticks is that the feet don't pivot. I didn't think that was a big deal at first, but sometimes when you get on a tree that isn't perfectly straight, you need to pivot the feet to get all four touching the tree. Just something to think about.

Also, Beener (Beentown) owns a set of the Leverage sticks, and I think he did a mod to them where he was able to use a loop strap without hooks. Shaved a little weight and is a bit quieter. Maybe he'll chime in.

Also something to consider in the stand department is platform leveling. When you're going in blind, you're going to need that option. You don't wanna get 20' up a tree in the dark and realize it's got a slight lean to it. Of your two choices above, I would go with the Air Raid. Also, i would suggest looking at the Muddy Stands as well. That's what I run.

Good luck!

thanks for the info. I'm definitely open to suggestions. haven't tried a stick/stand set up at all yet so I'm not really biased toward anything other than what i mentioned in the OP. The pivoting feet is a really good point as well as the leveling platform. looks like I have some research to do. I'd rather not be 500 deep on a set up but I suppose i can sell my three climbers to help offset the cost a bit.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
thanks for the info. I'm definitely open to suggestions. haven't tried a stick/stand set up at all yet so I'm not really biased toward anything other than what i mentioned in the OP. The pivoting feet is a really good point as well as the leveling platform. looks like I have some research to do. I'd rather not be 500 deep on a set up but I suppose i can sell my three climbers to help offset the cost a bit.

Got any LW Climbers?
 

Jake_C

Junior Member
Got any LW Climbers?

No, the one i'm currently using is an XOP enforcer. I love it but like I said. they suck for ohio public land. I hate only being able to get 12-15 feet off the ground. I know people kill deer from those heights and on the ground all the time but I prefer to be in the 20-25 range.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
No, the one i'm currently using is an XOP enforcer. I love it but like I said. they suck for ohio public land. I hate only being able to get 12-15 feet off the ground. I know people kill deer from those heights and on the ground all the time but I prefer to be in the 20-25 range.

If you decide to sell the XOP, let me know what you want for it. I may be interested.

I understand what you're saying about getting high. When I hunted exclusively with a climber, I was always 25-30 feet up because I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. Now that I mainly hunt with prehung sets, and my LW/Muddy mobile setup, I've found I don't always have to be that high. You will find using some version of mobile sticks, you will be able to get into trees where you don't need to be more than 20'. It's a very versatile setup, but it takes time and finess to get in and get set up quietly.
 

Jake_C

Junior Member
That's what I'm looking for. I only want to be that high with the climber because you can't get into the cover the limbs provide. I'd be perfectly happy at 15 feet if I'm well hidden. I'm sure it will be a learning process just like the climber was. I made a hell of a racket the first several times I used one. This XOP has definitely cut the noise factor way down though. In the mean time I think I'm going to start hunting on the back side of the tree on shorter hunts and just stand the whole time. I think that'll help out with breaking up my outline.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
$110. I'm just south of Lima. I need to verify inventory when back in office. I know I have multiple 4pks of the short stacks. At least one of the 3pk 32" sticks.
 

Jake_C

Junior Member
Also, i would suggest looking at the Muddy Stands as well. That's what I run

Which muddy stand are you running for your mobile sets? I'm starting to look into this a little harder. I'd like to get a set up and practice with it a few times and see if its something I feel could replace my climbers for every day use.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
The stand I have is the Outfitter (aluminum version), doesn't look like they offer it anymore. The Vantage looks like an updated version of that. Also, I would suggest picking up a LW ez hang hook and watching this video. Makes hanging a stand a hell of a lot simpler.

[video=youtube;E3tEF-7H18c]https://youtu.be/E3tEF-7H18c[/video]
 

Jake_C

Junior Member
I've been doing a lot of research about this and I think I'm going to pull the trigger on a few items. For the stand I think I'm going to order a millennium m7 ultra lite and an m100u and for sticks I'm going to go with a 4 pack of lone wolf/XOP and 1 of the short muddy sticks so I can have that double step for hanging the stand like you mentioned. I think this and my climber will cover all the bases. I'll have the m7 for long hikes in and shorter sits and m100u for all day sits in those areas where there isn't a decent climber tree in the area I want to set up in.