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Climbing your way up the tree to find your hunting perch requires a reliable product. This review page presents the best climbing sticks for bow hunting.
If you’re also in the market for a seat up in the tree, make sure to check out our Best Climbing Tree Stand and Best Tripod Deer Stands article!
Best Climbing Sticks
Comparison Table: Best Climbing Sticks in 2021
Award | Climbing Sticks | Specs |
|---|---|---|
Best on the Market |  | Height: 18' Weight: 2.5 lbs per stick Weight Capacity: 350 lbs |
Best for the Money |  | Height: 15' Weight: 2 lbs per stick Weight Capacity: 350 lbs |
Best for Big Guys |  | Height: 18' Weight: 5 lbs per stick Weight Capacity: 300 lbs |
Best Cheap Climbing Sticks |  | Height: 25' Weight: 4.5 lbs per stick Weight Capacity: 300 lbs |
Best Climbing Steps |  | Height: 20' Weight: 1.1 lbs per step Weight Capacity: 300 lbs |
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Quick Links: Best Climbing Tree Stand
- Best on the market: Lone Wolf Climbing Stick
- Best for the money: XOP Short Climbing Sticks
- Best for big guys: Big Dog Tree Steps Strap
- Best cheap sticks: Guide Gear 25′ Full Step Climbing Stick
Best on the Market
| Height | Weight | Weight Capacity | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
|
18' |
2.5 lbs per stick |
350 lbs |
Aluminum |
Pros
- Quick, quiet and easy to use
- Pivoting V-Brackets for different tree sizes
- Lightweight and easy to handle
Cons
- Difficult to get higher than 20 feet
These climbing sticks come one of the best archery accessory companies in the industry – Lone Wolf.
These are super light climbing sticks and really easy to getting them hanging on the tree so you can climb up. These are a fully-package deal that comes with both the sticks and the straps.
What you’re going to really like is the price point. These climbing sticks aren’t close to the highest price on the market, yet these are the best climbing sticks on the market.
What else is a huge advantage with the climbing sticks is the way they are carried. Simply stack them on top of each other and use the straps to tie them together and off you go. Because these sticks are made of aluminum, they’re light as can be. You can’t go wrong with this deal! Check the price here.
What Makes These Sticks Great
- Pivoting V-Brackets adjust to match the natural contour of the tree
- Fits 4″ – 22″ tree diameter (strap extensions available)
- 350-pound weight rating
- Single tube design; Reversible steps
- Stick Length: 32″; Distance between steps: 15″
Who Are These Sticks Best For?
The Lone Wolf climbing sticks are the best pick for hunters on the move, who walk to their hunting spot and need a dependable set of hunting sticks for bow hunting. These lightweight climbing sticks are both easy to carry and easy to attach to a tree. The best part is that they’re the best on the market, but won’t break the bank- it’s about time that happened!
Best for the Money
| Height | Weight | Weight Capacity | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
|
15' |
2 lbs per stick |
350 lbs |
Steel |
Pros
- Arch step technology forms to your boots
- Heat treated steel fast strap buttons for effortless hanging
- No strap needed
- Deep stand-off bracket
- Sticks stack together for easy portability
Cons
- Single-step limits height you can go on tree
The XOP Short Sticks are the best climbing sticks for the money.
Once you get these sticks out of the box, they’ll come stacked up, and that’s also how you’ll port them to your hunting tree. These sticks lock together very nicely. They also detach with a simple quick-lock and unlock mechanism using a bracket to get them apart.
This package includes the buckle and all accessories needed to get you climbing your tree. The straps are a heavy-duty nylon that will make you feel comfortable that it won’t slide. These sticks are both quiet, sturdy and easy to use.
What Makes These Sticks Great
- Arch step technology forms to your boots
- Heat treated steel fast strap buttons for effortless hanging
- Deep stand-off bracket offers more space between your boot and the tree
- There is no strap(s) needed due to lock tight stick stacking system
- Sticks stack and attach neatly to all hang-ons for ultimate portability
Who Are These Sticks Best For?
These XOP Short Sticks are a great option for the hunter who wants the best bang for their buck. These sticks are best for the climber who’s interested in going up between that 15 – 18 foot range.
Best for Big Guys
| Height | Weight | Weight Capacity | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
|
18' |
5 lbs per stick |
300 lbs |
Steel |
Pros
- Ability to attach to any sized tree
- Fold-out steps with safe grips
Cons
- At 5 pounds per stick, these aren't great if you have to lug them around a long ways
These Big Dog tree steps are the best climbing sticks for big guys.
Weighing in at 5 pounds each and coming with a total of four sticks, that means you’ll be packing 20 pounds of weight with these sticks. If the additional weight doesn’t bother you, these might be the best choice for you.
Big Dog sticks are made of steel and will last for years to come. This way, you can treat this purchase as an investment.
Once you hang the stick on the tree, the sticks fold out to make it super easy for your hands and feet to use them to climb up. What’s best is the rigid grips on the fold out make your climbing experience feel much safer.
What Makes These Sticks Great
- These tree steps attach to any tree you strap them into and provide more structure to hold on and step on to, making your climb safer
- Each ladder is secured with one strap per section and can support up to 300-pounds
- Each step can fold out, which has extremely secure grip for your boots
Who Are These Sticks Best For?
If you’re planning on keeping your straps outdoors, and you don’t have to take down the sticks each time you hunt, these Big Dog climbing sticks are probably the best way to go.
Best Cheap Climbing Sticks
| Height | Weight | Weight Capacity | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
|
25' |
4.5 lbs per stick |
300 lbs |
Steel |
Pros
- Able to reach 25 feet high
- Angled steps that make for an easier, safer climb
- Best budget set up
- Easy to carry
Cons
- The paint will chip easily from these sticks
These Guide Gear climbing sticks are the best cheap climbing sticks on the market.
These sticks will get you way up in the tree! The only sticks to get you up 25 feet in the air. These climbing sticks have a great coat on them, which protects them from harsh weather.
These sticks have a great weld to them, and the only assembly is the claw you need to bolt onto the stick. Use the straps to connect the sticks to the tree, and these guys are very easy to use.
What Makes These Sticks Great
- Angled steps that make for an easier, safer climb
- Separates into 5 sections for easy carrying to your favorite hot spot
- Extended tree braces for safe climbing
Who Are These Sticks Best For?
Great for beginners, awesome for the budget, and they get you up in the tree! These climbing sticks are best for the hunter looking save some money on the sticks, but still get where they need to go.
Best Climbing Steps
| Height | Weight | Weight Capacity | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
|
20' |
1.1 lbs per stick |
300 lbs |
Steel |
Pros
- Both strong and lightweight
- No more "clang" against the tree
- Polyester straps, black steel steps
Cons
- Actually, I can't find anything wrong with these
The Stealth steps are one of a kind and are definitely giving traditional climbing sticks a run for their money.
Easy to set up, and no more clanging noise when they knock against the tree. These are completely silent, and that’s where the Stealth part comes into place.
This make for an excellent step for a bow hunter to use to get in the tree quickly. There’s very little set up, and these things are both sturdy, rugged, and dependable.
What Makes These Sticks Great
- Stable self-tensioning design stays tight but won’t damage the tree
- Zero noise when setting up or when the wind blows through them
- Extremely compact and easy to carry
Who Are These Sticks Best For?
If having a compact, lightweight and extremely sturdy way to get up a tree is what you’re looking for, forget the way of the sticks, and check out the steps right here.
People Also Ask:
What are the best climbing sticks?
Buying climbing sticks depends only on a few main factors:
- How much you weigh
- Do you need to carry them with you each time, or can you keep them outside on the tree
- How much can you afford
- How much weight would be too heavy to pack your load with your other hunting supplies?
Based on these answers, here are your best options for getting climbing sticks:
- Best overall climbing sticks: Lone Wolf Climbing Stick
- The Lone Wolf’s are the best for a few reasons. for one, they are the lightest, strong sticks. This means that if you’re a hunter who takes your sticks with you each time you hunt, these would be the ideal set up. Second, the price-to-utility factor on these is awesome. They’re priced fair and will work real well for you.
- Best for the money: If you’re a value buyer, go with the XOP Short Climbing Sticks. The downside with the XOP is that you won’t make it as high on the tree as with the other sticks in this list. If that doesn’t matter to you, the XOP are the best climbing sticks for the money.
- Best for big guys: Climbing sticks are an investment. You should really buy what you can afford and forget about having to take the time to replace or worse yet, take cheap ones back. That being said, they’re also the product that puts you pretty darn high up in the tree, and safety is number one here. If you’re a big guy, don’t try and mess with support that might hold your weight, just get the Big Dog Tree Steps Strap.
- Best cheap sticks: If you’re running on the cheap these days, go ahead and grab the Guide Gear 25′ Full Step Climbing Sticks. These will do their job, and they run at a great price.
- Best climbing steps: Whether you’re a beginner or an avid treestand hunter, you can either imagine or you know how annoying it is when you’re setting up sticks and they’re making a bunch of racket. The Stealth Step Sticks are the best thing in climbing trees since I can remember. Once you get them in your hand in person, you’ll see what I’m talking about. The material is high quality, and if you’re a hunter who walks a while, takes down the sticks each time you hunt, or just don’t want to add much more weight to your pack, the Stealths are the way to go. Plus, their completely silent. Nothing’s going to hear you set up, and therefore, you won’t disturb the surroundings.
How high can you go with climbing sticks
The average height for using climbing sticks is at or just below the 20 foot mark. Of course, if you bought two packages, you could go twice as high, but be careful. The 20 foot range is the recommended height.
Check out the climbing sticks that almost made the cut, but didn't quiet do it
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Best Climbing Sticks
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