Looking for the 5 Best Hunting Climbing Sticks in 2025 that real hunters actually trust? This quick expert-backed guide breaks down the safest, quietest, and most reliable climbing sticks for U.S. hunters who want dependable performance 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. 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
5. Guide Gear Quick Tree Climbing Sticks
Highlight: The strap-on design of this tree climbing gear won’t harm the tree, unlike screw-in tree steps.
Constructive Review: When I first purchased these, I was in serious need of sticks, but didn’t have a lot of money to spend either. I was a bit skeptical as to how they would perform, but they are pretty solid and once attached to the tree, they aren’t going anywhere and no sag once standing on.
These sticks were simple to assemble, but my only one argument on these sticks is one of the holes in which you have to slide a bolt through was not allowing me to slide my bolt through and wound up stripping the thread. Easy fix though after purchasing a new bolt and drilling the opening to clean it up so the bolt could slide through.
They are a bit loud when they touch each other, but I will be applying some sort of silencing tape to them; as well as some way to keep them together for transport…the attachment straps don’t do too good of a job keeping them together for transport. -Jessica
Trending Review: These are very nice sticks. I had purchased two of these sets and had a chance to try them out last weekend while setting stands. very easy to set up and “roomy” while climbing. the posts come out a significant distance from the tree allowing for real easy climbing with boots on. also, as wide as these posts are, feels very stable when climbing up them. Currently weigh in at 250lb and i felt safe as can be with these and the guide gear 24X29 hangon stand. trust me, if your looking at getting new stands for this year and will last you a while, these are it.
One thing to note is the grip tape does not stay on as expected before i purchased it. just an FYI incase this was a big selling point for anyone looking.
Reassuring Review: I didn’t rate sturdiness, yet, because I’ve only had them up for a few weeks and they have not gotten that much use. Come hunting season, I will be better able to review how well they stood the test of time and use. -Adam Skornia
They are, to me, one of the easier sticks to hang. Super simply design with the clip on (although I am a little worried about the strength of that clip). I usually will rough estimate the amount of strap I need at the base of the tree, then hang the sticks off my saddle and climb and hang as I go.
I would say that they would not be your mobile hunting stick by any means, they are really heavy compared to other options. I hung them on a permanent spot on some private land. -Steven Platek
Final Words For The 5 Best Hunting Climbing Sticks
Choosing the 5 best hunting climbing sticks in 2025 comes down to trusted performance, real-world stability, and gear that experienced hunters actually rely on in the field. With the expert-recommended picks above, U.S. hunters can head into the season confident, safer, and better equipped for every climb.