Gear Make-Over

[MK-M-GOBL]

Last week I started to give my climbing sticks a make over. I sprayed the whole thing with textured spray paint. I did it in tan & brown using the black stick to camouflage it up a little. I then added some of that grip tape they use on ladder steps for my ladder steps. Not that I ever had any issue with slipping but you just never know.

I also sprayed in that expanding foam into the steps to help keep rain out & dripping rust water on me when handling the sticks. All I’ve got left to do is tape up the steps on 3 sets, touch up the paint on 1 set & put back all the straps back on. Hopefully this weekend will be a good one to set up a couple.

I'll add up a couple more photos of the finished look up against the tree later today For now here's the one painted set next to the other black sticks & the slip tape.

[MK-M-GOBL]

Here’s what at least one set of sticks look set up on a white oak in my yard. I’m not too worried about the black straps but if I were to get picky about it, I could always buy those camo straps. Besides, I need something to give me a heads up where my set up is....getting older sucks

[MK-M-GOBL]

Yeah I hear ya on that At least they won't get away with my stands. If I lose a set I might try drilling a hole in the bottom section & the top section. From there put a lag bolt with a metric hex head & lag them to the tree. That way they have to take out both lags in order to remove any of the sticks. It should work or at least make them work to remove them

[danf]

One thing I've heard someone do is to "fake" bolts that have nuts welded on.

Drill a hole through the sections where they join. Cut off the threads from another bolt and then thread them through a nut to where they just barely stay. Weld this together. Then you have most of the nut to thread onto the bolt that is through the two sections. Makes it look like you carried it into the woods fully assembled, and if anyone wants to take it out they will likely try to take it out fully assembled as well- or have to bring in a sawzall. ;D Works even better for ladder stands!