Elevate your hunting game with the 5 Best Hunting Climbing Sticks Expert’s Recommend, handpicked for durability, stability, and ease of use. Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or hitting the stand for the first time, these climbing sticks make every ascent safer and more efficient. Discover the gear that real hunters trust to reach new heights and stay comfortable in the field.
1. XOP- X2 Hunting Climbing Steps
Highlight: XOP’s X2 Hunting Climbing Steps deliver rock-solid grip and lightweight convenience, making every climb feel safer and way less of a hassle.
Constructive Review: The distance is perfect for me step to step I’m 5″6 240lbs and I climb with aiders. Able to get about 21″ up.
Weight is a tiny bit heavy but it isn’t bad to pack around.
Very functional, even after taking the straps off it sticks to the trees itself.
The steps are not too far apart, and packs okay. Wished it packed tighter but it works.
Pretty loud being aluminum, just use some hockey tape or silencing tape and you’re good to go. -Michal
Trending Review: Great product, lightweight, extremely sturdy, and stick to the tree once set. Fully trust these sticks to never fail me. Height without aider is around ~15 feet (with a two step aider 20’ no problem). Only complaint would be the buckle style straps, would recommend upgrading to rope mod style straps. -Wyatt
Reassuring Review: I have used these a couple of times now. They are super stable on the tree. The straps that come with these work but I prefer to not have metal and will swap them out with rope mods. Extremely easy to use and set up. I love the design of the steps that make it really easy to add aiders, straps, etc. -Jake
2. Muddy Pro 20-Inch Aluminum Climbing Stick
Highlight: The Muddy Pro 20-Inch Aluminum Climbing Stick stands out for its lightweight build and rock-solid stability that make every climb feel easier and more secure.
Constructive Review: As far as simple and fast climbing sticks, I don’t know that you can get in a tree much faster and easier than you can with these sticks. They are up in 5 minutes. Platform takes another 5-10 and then situating your straps and safety straps another 2. Only weakness will be if your tree is a little crooked. Then you can carry an extra buckle to wrap on the bottom of a stick to keep it from kicking out on you. They bite in really well so not usually an issue. -Robert McCaslin
Trending Review: These things are great for the money. I’m a newer hunter and got into using a tree saddle. These are perfect value for the money. They’re on the heavy side so if you have to walk far you may want to go with something lighter. But for me as an entry point they have been perfect over the past few years. -Brandon Page
Reassuring Review: I’ve hunted out of my DIY saddle setup multiple times and used these to climb the tree. Works great and depending on how tall you are and how far you can reach the next step. I was able to get to 18-20 feet no problem. Could probably make it up to 25 feet by putting a couple screw n steps in the bottom before placing the first stick. Would recommend and definitely buy again! -Andrew Abbott
3. Hawk Traction Climbing Stick
Highlight: The Hawk Traction Climbing Stick delivers steady, slip-resistant footing that makes every climb feel secure and surprisingly effortless.
Constructive Review: I’ve been using the Hawk Helium 30″ climbing sticks for a few weeks now, and I’m really impressed with their performance. The lightweight aluminum construction makes them easy to carry, which is a huge plus for anyone who hikes deep into the woods for a hunt. I appreciate how compact they fold up, allowing for easy transport and storage.
The setup is straightforward, and the traction on the steps provides great stability as I climb. I feel secure when I’m up in my treestand, which is essential for any hunter. The 30″ height is perfect for reaching those higher spots without being cumbersome.
My only minor drawback is that I wish the straps were a bit more robust. While they work fine, I can’t help but feel that sturdier straps would add an extra layer of confidence during setup and takedown.
Overall, these climbing sticks offer excellent value for the price. They’re lightweight, durable, and easy to use, making them a solid choice for anyone looking to elevate their hunting game. I highly recommend them! -Allegan B
Trending Review: I used to have 3-20 inch climbing sticks and with these 3-30inch I lost 4lbs off my back. There is no metal straps to clang together so extremely quiet. The suction cups are a great way to hold the together without the steps clanging together. Can’t wait to see how they hold up throughout the season. I personally do not like the straps. Multiple trees the steps slid down. I haven’t been that nervous since i started saddle hunting. Still love the steps just need better straps. Highly recommend -Rix
Reassuring Review: Very well built and sturdy. I added a rope step to the bottom so I can climb higher with them. They grab to the tree pretty good and I like how the steps are curved outward. They are metal so of course they have some weight to them so these are more of set and leave them for a season vs the aluminum ones which are more portable. Overall amazing sticks. -Chance Z
4. RiteAim Climbing Sticks
Highlight: RiteAim Climbing Sticks: Lightweight, durable support for safe and easy tree climbing.
Constructive Review: During a scouting trip that took place early in the morning in a thick pine stand, I got the chance to put these climbing sticks to the test, and the difference that they made in my ascent was immediately obvious.
I felt a sense of confidence in their grip from the moment I fastened the adjustable straps around the tree trunk; as I began my climb, the non-slip steps held firm even on rough, weathered bark, and I never once worried about losing my footing as I ascended several feet above ground to settle into my hunting position.
I was able to enjoy the experience of hunting. I was under the impression that putting up a tree stand in confined spaces would be a laborious and time-consuming task; yet, the use of these sticks made the operation far more efficient than I had imagined.
A straightforward action was required to unfold each step, and despite the fact that the design allows the pieces to fold together in a compact manner, once they were extended, they demonstrated both stability and ease of alignment. My complete weight was held by the sticks without any visible shifting, and I was able to continue my ascent without any difficulty. This occurred during a particularly difficult climb in which I needed to halt and adjust my gear. -HUY LE
Trending Review: Product was as described on website. Very easy to put together . Haven’t used them yet , hunting season is over so won’t try till next season . Like the interlocking system to keep them together. Could have a strap that attaches to them so you can carry them . Don’t have a backpack that has straps to attach them to . Light weight -Denton
Reassuring Review: The mechanism snapped firmly in place without any slippage or looseness, even after repeatedly collapsing and reassembling in wet and cold circumstances. Once the base was secure, expanding the second part needed just a quarter-turn twist-lock so that it could be completed.
During my ascent, each component joined with the others in a smooth manner, resulting in the formation of a hard ladder that climbed up the bark of an ancient oak tree with consistent spacing between each step. When I tried it with wet rubber-soled boots, the non-slip serrations on the three-inch tread gave a dependable foothold without allowing even the tiniest slippage to occur.
During the course of one morning, I experimented with the arrangement of my climbing straps, which are essential equipment, in order to secure them snugly around the trunk both above and below the sticks. When I pulled on the sticks in a sideways direction, even when they were at their maximum height, the heavy-duty webbing clamped down with the cam-lock buckle with such a high degree of security that they refused to move. During the last phase of attaching my hang-on tree stand, I found that this stability was really necessary. I was able to raise and clip the stand without the assistance of a companion since there was no swaying from my weight when I moved it. -Methew
5. Hawk Helium 20″ Hunting Climbing Sticks
Highlight: The Hawk Helium 20″ climbing sticks deliver a super lightweight, rock-solid grip that makes climbing smoother and safer without slowing you down.
Constructive Review: If you are into climbing trees and waiting on deer then you probably know about these sticks and their performance (and problems). Having said that, they are as advertised. I bought in July of ’22 and they came with the updated suction cups (really friction cups, but whatever) so they go together and come apart easily with no breaking or excessive force needed. They also came with the daisy chain attachment straps.
Some assembly is required to install the stand off and the button, basic hand tool stuff.
I already have a set of Heliums and I have used them all last season, probably 60 days in trees with them. I’ve never bent a step or had one kick out. I use the rope mod on my old set but I am going to use the factory daisy chain on the new sticks to see how I like them. So far, in the backyard test tree, they seem to perform as well as my old set and the daisy chain strap is light and easy to manage. I haven’t added the stealth strips yet, but that’s next; since they are just like my old set I don’t think it will be a problem. -Robert
Trending Review: Purchased these as the original climbing sticks I have are used in a more permanent stand in a great location. So to stay mobile I needed another set of sticks. These are great, they are lighter than my original sticks and so far seem quieter, the strap with definitely be quieter and I believe more efficient with the loop system on it. The part that is much better is that there steps on both sides so when I’m on the top of the stick I can stand on both feet and not just balance on one. -Sunnysweets
Reassuring Review: Well worth the price. Work great. Sturdy. If you don’t want to spend $100+ per stick these are a great option. Only downside is the suction cup system for snapping the sticks together for transporting. They are sturdy and work great for packing them close together. Don’t move or make noise when hiking in. However, they are near impossible to separate after you snap them together. At least when they are new. I’m sure it will get easier over time but I deff recommend rubbing some sort of lubrication on them before snapping them together when they are new. -Shane
Final Words For The 5 Best Hunting Climbing Sticks
Discover the 5 best hunting climbing sticks expertly recommended for safety, stability, and unmatched performance in the wild. Our guide combines real hunter experiences with practical tips to help you choose the perfect stick for every terrain. Elevate your hunting adventures with trusted gear that works as hard as you do.