Fascinating!

HJ

If only they were available.

Seems like they've been discontinued everywhere that lists them. Even Grainger lists them (discontinued).

Seems like the product liability would be high.
But could also be off the market for other reasons.

Just aword of caution. In coastal California and on the Channel Islands, T-posts do not last as long as wooden ones. They tend to corrode rapidly, due to the salt laden air, and form devilishly sharp impromptu pungi sticks, great for puncturing truck tires and bodies. I wouldn't risk using this device in my neck of the woods.

Sometimes you can find a big rock or something next to the fence, which you can climb up and then jump from over the fence as shown here by the SAS demo (Tip Number 2 minus the fence).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyIxCs8mCio

Here's one idea to try ...

let's imagine that the barb wire fence is about waist high, and that it's got three strands. Go to the middle section of the fence - equal distance from the fence posts on either side. This is the location where the wire has the most slack in it. Take out a piece of nylon cord from your backpack. Loop it over the top strand of barbed wire, then down under the bottom strand of barbed wire, then back up again. Now pull your cord very tight and tie a knot.

This arrangement causes the top strand to be pulled downwards to the maximum extend (takes out all the slack), and the bottom strand to be pulled up to the maximum extent. Now you've got a choice - gently step over the top strand (since you have more clearance), or get down on the ground and crawl under the bottom strand (also with more clearance).

Pete2

Bestway to cross barbed wire fence?#1-With the landowners permission!#2-See #1!

There is a tool called a fencing tool. It looks like a large pair of pliers that the 'head' (working end) sorta looks like a hammer. Any ranch supply store in an area where they use wood fence posts will have them. Too big/heavy for backpacking distances (and unnecessary). You can pull the staples that hold the wires out of the posts with the tool. Do this to 4-6 posts, lay the wires on the ground. You can now drive over the wires in the middle. Put the wires back up and the staples back in place. Do not do this near a corner or where there are double posts about 5 feet apart with crossbrace wires, if you do, you are effecting wire tension. If you center the dropped wires over a slight rise in the ground, you have to drop wires on fewer posts. In ranch country a lot of ranch utility vehicles carry this tool for repairing fences.
This is HOW you do it. NOT casually. Not without good reason. And typically only to your own fence. What it does is function as a temporary gate. Not quick to open or close, but sometimes a gate is a LONG ways away, and stock or a vehicle need to be moved through-sometimes repeatedly over a short time.

A little knowledge CAN be a dangerous thing...
gimpy

Mostly wooden posts around here.

You won't find them everywhere, but look for a stile, esp where wooden posts are used.

If you do carry some wire cutters, try cutting the barbs off the wire where you intend to cross, then lay some kind of padding over the wire.

People seem to assume that all fences are just to keep people out. It would also be a good idea to be aware of what the property owner is FENCING IN. A bull can run at least 20 mph, a Rottweiler is faster.

Sue

This little gadget looks like a really clever way to spread the wires if it's a t-post fence. I'm not so sure about moving the clip as easily as shown in the video.

http://www.thefencebuddy.com/index.html

I'm going to have to study on fences next time I go hiking on public land.

Ultimately it seems like a sub-optimal thing to be doing with many risks. But knowing how things work is always worth learning.

I spent some time searching the internet for the t-stepper. They are just plain gone!

Ah, this brings back chilhood memories from my grandparents' farm. My advice? All of the above. Carefully. Thoughtfully. Not at a full-tilt run with a ticcked-off bull charging you.