If you're trying to shave weight off your mobile setup, looking into aiders for saddle hunting is probably the smartest move you can make. It's one of those gear tweaks that seems small at first, but once you figure out how to use them, you'll wonder why you ever lugged six full-sized climbing sticks into the woods. Most of us get into saddle hunting because we want to be lighter, faster, and more versatile. Well, aiders are the secret sauce that actually makes that happen.
Why You Should Care About Aiders
Let's be real: carrying a ton of gear sucks. If you're hiking a mile back into a public land honey hole, every ounce feels like a pound by the time you reach your tree. Aiders allow you to get significantly more height out of fewer sticks. Instead of carrying four or five sticks to get twenty feet up, you can carry two or three—or even just one if you're brave enough to try "one-sticking."
By adding a loop of webbing or a wire step to the bottom of your stick, you're essentially adding another rung to the ladder without adding the weight of a metal pipe. It's an elegant solution to the "I want to be high but I don't want to be tired" problem. Plus, it keeps your pack profile smaller, so you aren't snagging on every briar and branch on the way to the stand.
The Different Styles You'll Run Into
When you start shopping for aiders for saddle hunting, you'll realize there isn't just one "standard" version. People have gotten really creative with these things over the last few years. Generally, you're looking at two main categories: fixed aiders and movable aiders.
Fixed Aiders
A fixed aider is exactly what it sounds like—it stays attached to your climbing stick. Usually, it's a piece of high-strength webbing or a coated cable that you girth hitch or bolt onto the bottom step. The beauty of a fixed aider is simplicity. You set your stick, and the aider is right there waiting for you. You don't have to fiddle with anything or reach into a pouch while you're hanging off the side of a tree.
The downside? They can sometimes get in the way during transport, or if you aren't careful, they can catch on a boot while you're trying to climb down. Most guys prefer the "cable" style for fixed aiders because the cable holds its shape, making it way easier to get your foot into it without looking down.
Movable Aiders
Then you've got the movable or "swinger" aiders. You carry one of these on your saddle or in a pocket. When you set your stick, you hook the aider onto it, climb up, and then pull the aider up with you to use on the next stick. This is the ultimate weight-saving move. You only need one aider for your entire climb.
However, it does require a bit more coordination. You're doing more work while hanging from your lineman's belt, and if you drop it, well, your hunt just got a lot shorter (or your climb down just got a lot scarier).
Materials Matter More Than You Think
You might think any old piece of rope will work, but that's a quick way to have a bad time. Most aiders for saddle hunting are made from either tubular nylon webbing or some form of AmSteel or stiffened cable.
Webbing is the classic choice. It's cheap, incredibly strong, and folds up to almost nothing. The problem with soft webbing is that it likes to hug the tree. When you're fifteen feet up and trying to find the loop with your toe, a floppy piece of webbing that's pressed tight against the bark is a nightmare. This is why many manufacturers include "stiffeners" in the steps to keep the loop open.
Cable aiders are a total game-changer for a lot of hunters. Usually made from aircraft-grade cable with a rubber or plastic coating, these stay in a perfect "U" shape no matter what. You can blindly move your foot and know exactly where the step is. They weigh a tiny bit more, but the ease of use is often worth those few extra grams.
Getting Over the Learning Curve
I'm not going to lie to you—using aiders for the first time feels a little sketchy. There's a certain "swing" factor that you don't get with solid metal steps. When you put your weight into a webbing aider, it wants to pull in toward the tree and maybe shift to the left or right.
The trick is to keep your weight centered and your body close to the trunk. You'll want to practice this at ground level. Seriously, don't let your first time using an aider be at 4:00 AM in the dark while you're sweating through your base layers. Spend an afternoon in the backyard or a local park getting a feel for how your boot fits and how the stick reacts when you put pressure on the loop.
Safety Is Non-Negotiable
This should go without saying, but you need to be attached to the tree 100% of the time. When you use aiders, you're often taking bigger steps than you would on a standard ladder. This means your center of gravity is shifting more, and the potential for a "kick out" is higher.
If your stick isn't set perfectly and you put all your weight into an aider that's pulling away from the tree, that stick can pop off. Always use a lineman's belt, and make sure it's snug. If the stick shifts, the belt is what keeps you from hitting the deck. Also, check your gear regularly. Aiders take a lot of abuse—they're being stepped on, dragged across rough bark, and shoved into packs. Look for fraying or hardware fatigue every single time you head out.
The One-Stick Method
We can't talk about aiders for saddle hunting without mentioning one-sticking. This is the "final boss" of mobile hunting. You use a single short climbing stick with a multi-step aider (usually three steps). You climb the stick, get into your saddle, pull the stick up, reset it higher, and repeat until you're at your desired height.
It sounds tedious, and it takes some practice to get smooth, but it's incredibly light. You can carry your entire "ladder" in one hand. Without a solid aider, one-sticking is basically impossible. Most guys doing this prefer a "daisy chain" style aider, which gives them multiple rungs to work with as they move the stick up the tree.
DIY vs. Buying Off the Shelf
If you're a tinkerer, you might be tempted to make your own. And honestly, it's not hard. A piece of 1-inch tubular webbing and a water knot will get the job done. However, there's something to be said for the professionally made options.
Company-made aiders often feature reinforced loops, specialized attachment points that prevent the aider from slipping off the stick, and materials that are specifically chosen for their lack of stretch. In the grand scheme of hunting gear, aiders are relatively cheap. Spending $30 to $50 on a well-engineered aider is a solid investment in your safety and sanity.
Final Thoughts on the Setup
At the end of the day, adding aiders for saddle hunting to your kit is about efficiency. It allows you to be the guy who can hunt that one crooked tree halfway up a ridge that nobody else can get to because their gear is too heavy or too loud.
It's a bit of a specialized skill, sure. It requires more balance and a little more thought than just climbing a ladder. But the payoff is a pack that's lighter, a climb that's higher, and a hunting experience that's a lot more mobile. Just remember to take it slow, practice low, and always stay clipped in. Once you find the right aider for your style, you'll never want to go back to a standard stick setup again. Happy hunting, and stay safe up there.