What is the best climbing tree stand to use? Any advice on the topic would be greatly appreciated.
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What is the best climbing tree stand to use? Any advice on the topic would be greatly appreciated.
the best anything is a loaded question IMO
that said, there are features on every climbing stand you have to look at, and then try and pick the one that fit s your needs best
I have owned a few over the yrs and tried a few guys at camps too
my last climber I have is a Lone wolf sit and climb stand
I personally found the factory seat, sucked, I replaced it with a seat from a summit, a MUCH softer seat for all day sits
a simple mod, but an extra costs
the lone wolf seat is lighter, to they can claim a ligher tree stand
next I had the standard climber /seat I found that in COLD weather when I am bundled up, it was a TIGHT in the stand , and why I gather they came out with the WIDE climber option they now have
I have had a few summits, both open and closed climber
I liked the stands, but I fould the Lone wolf to be better to fit more tree's and easier to pack and, after adding soem more foam padding to a few spots, and adding some camo paint to take away the solid Gray finish!
the lone wolf was to me a better stand overall
the Loggy bayou's climber I had was also like the sumit's
nice stands
better seat again than the lone wolf too
and had a shooting like rail on the climber top, great for rifle hunting, but some what in the way on bow hunts, but again came in handy when I switched to an X bow
once this stand was up a tree, I could sit all day and not feel like I sat up a tree all day!
but stand didn't pack as well as either to me!
all the above stand, I added better back pack straps, as all the factry straps SUCKED IMO!
so when picking ouyt a stand, I suggest you look at what they offer and pick the best options you like
a GREAT place to buy a stand if you ask me, is at the Harrisburg Sportsman show, here in harrisburg PA, every Feb
almost every tree stand company on the market is there , and you can try out the stands there before you buy
and when I say every stand maker, I mean even the small no one has heard of companys, trying to make it big
and they all have stands on sale at show prices, and last day of the show they sell demo's CHEAP
won't help you if you need a stand NOW< but something to think about!
last, weight of the stand, I have carried a lot on my back
a 19 lb stand, and a 26 lb stand, all get heavy after a mile or so, and its IMO splitting hairs at that point!
any stand in the 15-25 lb range is NOT a huge deal unless you carry a stand every day and walk for miles
yes every oz helps to be lighter, but ist NOT a huge deal maker or breaker to be honest!
weight of stands is like HP wars of truck makers
more hype than needs be!
I had a summit and liked it a lot but I outgrew it and traded it in for a hub blind. But my dad has a Tree Walker climber he bought at the deer & turkey expo a few years back and I, we, absolutely love it. VERY comfortable, lightweight, very easy to set up and take down, and now they have all kinds of attachments. Would recommend one to anyone.
Thank you both so much for all of the information! It's very helpful! Also, I am a girl, if that matters. I know you mentioned the weight of the stand, which I hadn't even really considered yet. Do you think a climber will be something I can use successfully?
On a side note: I just shot my first deer with a compound bow this evening. Found her at less than 100 yards and it was a double lung shot. It was very exciting!
well being a boy or girl doesn't mean much in climbing stands
its your physical ability of what you can and cannot do, that will allow or not
my buddy's 100 lb girlfriend can carry in and set up and climb my loggy bayou stand and also did my sumit and lone wolf
as long as the hike in wasn't too far
she shoot a compound bow at 45 lbs and has killed several bucks
size of stand, like all things, is about fitting you to the stand
if your tiny, a smaller stand will do, if bigger, a bigger stand will be better
most all stands are weight rated in climber9as well as ladders and loc on's)
most are at about 250 lbs, then they sell bigger ones , some go as high as 350 lbs
and that is with all your gear and you
gear can add up faster than you think too
my pack and climber can be up to 70 lbs at times
thats carrying in most of my clothes, in my pack, to try not to break a sweat walking in Lol
but it all goes up the tree with me
so ?
again, why its nice to be able to try a stand out before buying
but if your in average health, almost all climbers you should be able to climb with, how far can you carry on your back??
depends on how strong your back is LOL
yrs ago, a 4 mile walk in didn't bother me
now I'm lazy
1/2 mile seems far these days1 haha
Oh congrats on the doe
well done
now get that big buck
The weight of the stand is a huge factor when buying a climber. Whether you are walking 100 yards or a couple miles to your tree this will play a big roll. I really like using climbers due to the fact that you can set up in a variety of places. The only downfall I would say with them is you need a fairly straight tree with no lower branches as with a hang on stand and ladder sticks you can climb crooked trees and what not. But to answer your question yes I think you could be very successful using a climber, just make sure you try it out before you go out hunting with it. And as far as your bow kill, congrats and let's see the pics!
I have a cheap (~$200) stand from Dicks (Field and Stream Viper? Climbing Stand)... I got what I paid for. It's noisy, I struggle to find a comfortable position in it, it's loud... but I've shot 7 deer from it in the last 3 years. If you have the money to spare, go get a nice stand! I also think it's a great idea to go to a show where you can try it out first... I wish I had known more about what I was getting into when I bought my first stand... I would have done things differently.
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Although my boys sure like playing on it!
I like my summit bushmaster. At 16 l bs it's tough to beat. Takes som getting used to with the seat section being not enclosed. Congrats on the doe!
I have a tree walker... love it. Lightweight... sturdy...easy to climb... Mesh seat that is very comfortable...