Warren & Sweat Treestands
This may seem like it should belong on the gear forum but since I posted on this forum last month how crappy their climbing stands sold under the Cabela's name were I promised to let everybody know how the fixed position stands that they replaced them with performed.
To refresh everybody's memory I had purchased the Cabela's Elite Extreme climbing stand manufactured by Warren & Sweat and was quite dissatisfied. In contacting Warren and Sweat I discovered that the name had been recently sold and the new manufacturer was not taking responsibility for products manufactured under the Warren & Sweat name prior to their purchase. Eventually they did offer me a discount on a new stand....
I ordered the "Cedar" hang-on stand from their Swamp Series (the larger of the two available). First off I must say that the shipping was very quick, I had the product within three days of placing my order.
WHAT I LIKED: The stand is lightweight at only 14lbs and was easily carried with the backpack straps supplied. The rungs on the platform are extra wide which made it comfortable to stand on. The stand has a platform leveling system which allows you to adjust for a less than straight tree. I found this feature quite useful in a spot where the only decent tree around had a slight bend to it. Probably my favorite feature was the ratcheting strap system in which a large ratchet is actually attached to the stand. I simply hooked the end of the strap on one side, pulled the strap through the ratchet slot and gave the ratchet a few cranks. The ratcheting system gives this stand a rock solid feel!
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The seat! Too small with a pad that is not thick or sturdy enough to soften the feel of sitting opn the edge of an aluminum bar. I was unable to sit for more than a few minutes at a time and after a couple of hours became quite uncomfortable. Additionally I found the platform to be a little narrow. At 20" wide it's not tiny but could be a little wider for better maneuverability.
Overall I think this stand is a decent product and with the addition of a larger seat I would raise my opinion considerably. As it is I would have to say that I would probably buy another stand such as my Gorilla King Kong which has a much roomier platform and a much larger and comfortable seat before I would buy another Warren & Sweat stand. As everybody knows the key to success is being able to stay in your stand as long as possible and the Cedar is just not comfortable enough to sit in for that long.