as we are talking climbing stands,personelly, i dont like them from a safety,noise or movement,postion of tree..


here in pa. you CANT cut a limb off tree, its against law..they arrested hunters this year for that and also for drilling into tree with those hanging hooks to hang your gear on..

hunters are turning in hunters now DO to lack of deer and hunters moving into their territory..

so, you are limited to a straight tree with no limbs..thats not bad in gun season but in archery, not good..

next, we get some years with icy weather..i saw hunters that slid down tree because of ice on bark..oaks are real slippery with rain /ice on them..

with lock on stand and laddder steps, man, you got it covered..i can go up tree in 15 minutes with my ladder steps and lock-on stand..usually takes me 30 minutes because i am fussy on my postion in tree..

i can go right around the limbs and use limbs as cover.. no need to get up 20 ft..12/15 is fine..ladder steps are not heavy, to me anyhow..so, if you like to move, no problem..

after i come down ,if i am not going to be out next day or couple of days, i take the bottom ladder section off,so its not stolen..so far, no problems..

50 years i have been at this from sitting on limb to plywood in trees etc..i have summit climbing stand that i just gave to my cousin for christmas, i did not use it..

my best stands are LADDER standor lock on with LADDER STEPS..dont not use those strap on steps, they are nasty and you will get hurt..if you use them,put rachet straps on them, not ones that come with it..

as you get older,like me, you want comfort/safety and ease of use..climbing stand is not what i want under me..when you are young, hell, i could fall from tree and laugh about it, i did MANY of times..

1 time i thought i could ride a buck thru fields..so, i go in tree,buck, 8 point walked under, i hung from limb and let go.. i landed on buck and grabed his horn and rode him for about 1 step..

man, i did some nutty things when i was 12 years old ..dad had me in woods all time and i have some real funny stories if anyone is interested..