Sticks are the piece of a saddle setup you'll feel most on the walk in and hear most on the climb. Price mostly buys you less weight. It doesn't buy you safety by itself: every stick here publishes a weight rating, and that number matters more than the price tag.

I climb on a 4 pack of Hawk Helium aluminum sticks, so that's the mid-tier pick below. The others are researched from the makers' own spec pages, not sticks I've used.

The quick comparison

Tiers here are by price, not a ranking.

XOP X2 Hawk Helium Gen 2 Tethrd One Stick
Tier Budget Mid (what I use) Premium
Weight per stick 26 oz 2.5 lb 1 lb with rope attachment
Step to step / length 17 in step to step 20 in stick 17 in step to step, 18.5 in stick
Step width 10 in 10 in 8.5 in
Weight rating 350 lb 300 lb 300 lb (user plus gear)
Material 6061 and 7075 aluminum Aluminum Grade 9 titanium tube, 6061 aluminum parts
Attachment Cam strap Hawk Button with Helium Rope DynaLoc with 8.5 ft DynaLite rope
Tree size listed 6 to 23 in Not listed Not listed
Approx. price, Oct 10 2026 About $180 (4 pack) About $220 list (4 pack) About $500 (4 pack)
Where to look Amazon Amazon Tethrd

Specs and prices are from each maker's own product page, last verified October 10, 2026. Prices are approximate and change often; retailers frequently sell below list.

Where the numbers disagree: in Outdoor Life's 2026 climbing stick test, a kitchen scale put the X2 at 1 pound 11 ounces per stick (the reviewer notes the cam buckles are heavy) and the One Stick at about 1 pound 1 ounce, both a touch over the maker figures. Expect real-world weights to land a little above the spec sheet.

Budget: XOP X2

The XOP X2 is a double-step aluminum stick. XOP lists 26 ounces per stick, a 10 inch step width, 17 inches step to step, and a 350 pound rating, which is the highest rating in this group.

Why buy it: it is the lowest list price for a full set here and has the highest published rating. Outdoor Life named it Best Budget in its 2026 hands-on test, citing the 5 inch standoff and grippy traction coating. That's one tested review, so treat it as a strong lead rather than a consensus. What you give up: weight adds up across four sticks, and Outdoor Life found the four cam buckles alone weigh 1 pound 12 ounces. XOP lists a lifetime warranty on the metal.

Mid: Hawk Helium Gen 2 (what I climb on)

My sticks are a Hawk Helium 4 pack. On Hawk's current Gen 2 listing, each stick is 20 inches with a 10 inch step, weighs 2.5 pounds, and is rated to 300 pounds. Hawk also lists overmolded tree hooks to limit noise and a nesting system for carrying.

With my full setup I hunt at about 20 to 25 feet. I still added bungee shock cord and Stealth Strips to mine, and I use an aider.

Why buy it: a 20 inch stick with a wide step, and Hawk lists quiet features like overmolded hooks built in. What you give up: they're the heaviest per stick here. Owners have also reported broken stacking buttons on earlier Helium sticks (Guidefitter review, Archery Talk thread). Those are user reports, not a recall, but check yours when they arrive.

Premium: Tethrd One Sticks

Tethrd One Sticks are titanium. Tethrd lists 1 pound per stick including the rope attachment, an 8.5 inch step, 17 inches step to step, and a 300 pound limit for user plus gear.

Why buy it: weight. Four of them weigh 4 pounds total, less than two mid-tier aluminum sticks at 2.5 pounds each. What you give up: a lot of money, and a narrower step than the other two. Outdoor Life gave it a 3 of 5 noise score out of the box and suggests silencing strips.

What going cheap actually risks

  • Weight on your back. The biggest difference across tiers.
  • Noise. Price doesn't predict it. In Outdoor Life's test the budget X2 scored 4 of 5 for noise and the premium One Stick scored 3. Any metal stick benefits from a few dollars of tape.
  • Fit and finish. Teeth, straps, and attachment systems vary. Read reviews and the manual.

Known issues and recalls

Checked against CPSC recalls and maker pages on October 10, 2026. None of the current models above has an open recall that we found, but each brand has had one on an older stick:

  • Tethrd One Stick Gen 2 (2022). CPSC recall: steps could crack and break. It covered a specific serial range, so check the serial on any used One Stick.
  • Hawk raZOR sticks (2015). CPSC recall: folding steps could bend or break. This was the raZOR line, not the Helium.
  • XOP LMO4-SR sticks (2019). CPSC recall: a center step bolt could fail. Not the X2.

If you buy used, look up the model and serial before you climb on it.

Questions hunters ask before buying

  • Will they fit my trees? XOP lists the X2 for trees 6 to 23 inches. Rope attachments like Tethrd's 8.5 foot DynaLite go around bigger trunks; Outdoor Life measured 103.5 inches of rope on the One Stick.
  • Cold weather. Standoff matters with insulated boots. Outdoor Life found the X2's 5 inch standoff comfortable in bulky boots.
  • Cam strap or rope? Outdoor Life sums it up: cam buckles are fast and grip well but add weight and bulk; rope is quieter but takes practice.
  • Weight in the pack. By maker specs, four sticks run about 4 pounds (One Stick), 6.5 pounds (X2), or 10 pounds (Helium Gen 2).

What it should never risk is the rating. Whatever you buy, stay under the maker's weight limit with you and your gear combined, and follow their instructions.

How many sticks do you need?

It depends on how high you want to hunt and whether you use an aider. I run 4 sticks plus an aider and end up at 20 to 25 feet. Fewer sticks plus an aider saves weight; more sticks makes the climb easier.

Climbing stick buying checklist

  • Published weight rating covers you plus all your gear
  • Weight per stick times how many you'll carry
  • Step width your boots are comfortable on
  • Attachment system you can operate with cold hands in the dark
  • Budget for silencing tape and cord
  • Practice the climb low before season

Other good options

This section is researched, not first-hand. These are well-supported alternatives to what's above, with sources.

  • One-stick method. Climb one or two sticks and move them up as you go. Tethrd's One Sticks are made for it. Lighter to carry, slower to climb.
  • Aiders on fewer sticks. An aider adds steps under each stick, so fewer sticks get you as high. The ZIVOXIA climbing stick aider is one option.
  • A lifeline. A Hunter Safety System Lifeline keeps you clipped in the whole way up.

Safety first

This part is researched, not first-hand. The Treestand Manufacturers Association safety guidelines call for a full-body fall-arrest harness every time you leave the ground, including the climb up and down, attached the way the maker says, inspected before every use, and replaced after any fall or past its expiration date. They also recommend practicing at ground level, carrying a way to call for help, and having a plan for getting down after a fall. For saddle hunters, Tethrd's Saddle Hunting 101 guide says the same idea in saddle terms: be connected to the tree from the moment you leave the ground. A lifeline or ropes-up system, like the Hunter Safety System Lifeline, keeps you clipped in from the ground to your hunting height. Tell someone where you'll be and when you'll be back.

FAQ

What are the best climbing sticks on a budget? Of the sticks here, the XOP X2. XOP rates it to 350 pounds, and Outdoor Life named it Best Budget in its 2026 test.

Are expensive climbing sticks worth it? If you walk far or hunt mobile every sit, the weight savings are real. If you hunt close to the truck, a mid-tier set does the job.

Which sticks do you use? A Hawk Helium 4 pack, with bungee cord and Stealth Strips added for noise and a ZIVOXIA aider.

Safety reminder: stay connected to the tree with a lineman's belt from the time you leave the ground, and follow the stick maker's instructions.

Sources