Climbing Sticks · comparison ·Oct 06, 2026

Climbing Stick Weight Comparison: Every XOP Stick, Weighed and Matched to Your Stand

The Weight Chart

XOP climbing sticks range from the 18 oz HYDRO to the 52.8 oz LMO4 per stick. Total set weight tells a different story: a HYDRO setup (two sticks plus two REACTOR aiders) weighs about 2.8 lb and reaches 16 ft, while a four-stick X2 set weighs 6.5 lb for 12 ft, a four-stick RIDE set 6.8 lb for 12 ft, a four-stick X3 set 10.4 lb for 18 ft, and a three-stick LMO4 set 9.9 lb for 12 ft. HYDRO suits saddle and ultralight hang-on hunters. X2 is the all-around pick. RIDE sits between X2 and HYDRO. X3 is for height with a heavier stand. LMO4 is the three-stick, high-capacity option.

Stick	Per stick	Sticks in set	Set weight	Listed height
HYDRO	18 oz	2 + 2 REACTOR aiders (4 oz each)	44 oz (2.8 lb)	16 ft
X2	26 oz	4	104 oz (6.5 lb)	12 ft
RIDE	27.2 oz	4	108.8 oz (6.8 lb)	12 ft
X3	41.6 oz	4	166.4 oz (10.4 lb)	18 ft
LMO4	52.8 oz	3	158.4 oz (9.9 lb)	12 ft

Per-stick weight and set weight are not the same number. That is the whole reason I built the chart on the right side of that image. An LMO4 is nearly three times the weight of a HYDRO per stick, but the real question is what you are carrying on your back and how high it gets you.

Why I Care About This Chart

I spent years behind the counter at Dick's and Bass Pro watching guys buy climbing sticks off a weight number on a tag. Then they would get home, strap four of them to a pack, and realize the stand, the pack and the sticks were all fighting each other. I have been hunting whitetails out of a saddle since I built my first one in 2016 from a sit drag, and the sticks are the part of the system that decides whether I hunt a tree or walk past it.

I talked about this on the Hunting Gear Podcast with Dan Johnson, and I told him the same thing I will tell you here: the X2 is the best all-around stick in the lineup. When my cousin started getting serious about mobile hunting, I told him to step up to the HYDROs once he knew he was committed to carrying everything in. Neither of those is a rule. They are just where the numbers and the woods agreed for me.

If you want the buying-guide version of this, XOP's climbing stick buying guide walks through the season-by-season logic. This post goes stick by stick.

HYDRO: The Ultralight Stick for Saddle and Backcountry Hunters

Why it is in the lineup: HYDRO is the answer to "how do I carry fewer pounds up the tree." At 18 oz per stick, two of them plus two REACTOR aiders weigh about 2.8 lb and reach a listed 16 ft. No other set on the chart gets close to that weight-to-height ratio.

Best use case: Long walk-ins, backcountry public land, and any hunt where you will move after one sit. If you are hunting the kind of ground where pack weight decides whether you go deep or stay near the truck, this is the stick.

Design thinking: The aider system is the idea that makes two sticks work. Instead of stacking four sticks, you build height with the aiders and fewer sticks. The trade-off is a more deliberate climb. Fewer steps means more reaching and more attention, which is why I put it at the top of the list for experienced mobile hunters rather than first-timers.

What it pairs with: XOP's own pairing guidance puts HYDRO with the Fly, the Super Fly Hybrid, the Invader saddle platform, and a saddle setup. That is a lightweight-everything system. If you are hunting from a saddle, read my take on saddle vs hang-on vs climbing stand before you commit.

X2: The All-Around Stick

Why it is in the lineup: X2 is the one stick that does not ask you to give up anything big. At 26 oz per stick and 6.5 lb for a four-stick set, it is light enough to carry all day and simple enough to climb without thinking.

Best use case: Everyday mobile hunting where you want a stick that works on most trees, most seasons, most stands. It is the stick I tell people to start with, which is exactly what I said on the podcast.

Design thinking: The appeal is predictability. A four-stick set gives you regular, comfortable step spacing and a stable climb, which is what you want when you are climbing in the dark with a pack on your back and nerves in your stomach.

What it pairs with: XOP pairs X2 with ION, Air Raid and Vanish stands, which are the heavier, more full-featured hang-ons. If you are already running one of those, you are not counting every ounce, and X2 matches that approach. For the full pairing logic, see XOP's guide to which climbing sticks are right for you, and the one on climbing sticks and hang-on treestands.

RIDE: The Middle Ground

Why it is in the lineup: RIDE sits between X2 and HYDRO. At 27.2 oz per stick it is close to X2 on the scale (about 4.8 oz heavier per four-stick set, according to the product page numbers), so the case for it is design, not weight. It is for the hunter who looks at X2 and HYDRO and wants something that lands between the two on features.

Best use case: Hunters who want a step up from the all-around stick without going to the full ultralight system.

Design thinking: Check the standoff and step details on the product page. Standoff matters more than people think: it is how far the stick holds you off the tree, and it changes how comfortable the climb feels on rough or leaning bark.

What it pairs with: It fits the same middle of the stand lineup, which is the Rubicon and the Fly territory for hang-on hunters. Browse the RIDE product page for the full spec sheet.

X3: The Height Stick

Why it is in the lineup: Some trees demand height. A listed 18 ft is the tallest reach on the chart, and X3 is how XOP gets you there. At 41.6 oz per stick the set is the heaviest four-stick option at 10.4 lb, and that is the honest cost of the height.

Best use case: Mature timber, big straight poplars, and any hunt where you need to get above thick cover or a long sightline to see deer coming.

Design thinking: X3 is built for strength and reach, not for the lightest walk-in. That is a trade I respect. Not every tree is a 12 ft tree, and a stick that does not reach is a stick you never use.

What it pairs with: XOP pairs X3 with the Air Raid and ION as semi-permanent setups. This is not the stick for hanging and moving every sit. It is the stick you leave in the woods and hunt from repeatedly. I covered the logic behind that in mobile doesn't mean ultralight.

LMO4: Three Sticks, Heavy Duty

Why it is in the lineup: LMO4 is the heaviest stick in the lineup at 52.8 oz each, but you need only three of them for a 9.9 lb set. It is built for hunters who want fewer, more substantial sticks instead of a longer chain of lighter ones.

Best use case: Hunters who prefer fewer pieces on the tree and are pairing the sticks with a lightweight stand for height.

Design thinking: The listed safe climbing height on the product page is 12 ft, though XOP's guide blog mentions 18 ft. I would trust the product page spec and check with XOP before planning a tall climb around it. You can see it in the climbing sticks collection.

What it pairs with: A lightweight stand, where the sticks carry the weight and the stand stays small.

How to Pick: Match the Stick to the Stand

The simplest rule I use: add the stand weight to the set weight and ask what you are actually carrying. A saddle with HYDRO is a minimalist system. A heavy hang-on with X3 is a semi-permanent one. Neither is wrong. They are different jobs.

Carrying everything in, moving often: HYDRO.
One stick for most hunts: X2.
Between the two: RIDE.
Getting height in big timber: X3.
Three heavy sticks with a light stand: LMO4.

Once the sticks are chosen, the rest is how you carry them. The Gamma TS frame pack and Guide 10L are designed to integrate with J-hook stick attachments, and my breakdown of Gamma, Guide and Solo Scout compared covers how I load them. The accessories pillar covers the rest of the small stuff that makes a system quiet. And if you want to see where XOP's recent drops fit, the new releases collection is the place to look.

FAQ

Which XOP climbing stick is the lightest? HYDRO, at 18 oz per stick and about 2.8 lb for a two-stick set with two REACTOR aiders.

Which gets you highest? X3, with a listed 18 ft, at 10.4 lb for the four-stick set.

What is the best all-around XOP stick? X2. It balances weight, height and simplicity, and I have called it the best all-around stick since the podcast.

Do I need aiders? Only if you are building height with fewer sticks, as the HYDRO setup does. XOP's post on what aiders do and who needs them explains it.

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