nyone used one of these Gorilla Pro Series Deluxe climbers yet? It has caught my eye. It looks pretty comfy to me...minus the gun rest.
I haven't tried the Pro Series Deluxe, but I just bought a Gorilla Greyback last weekend. I was looking into another Summit when the $150 Gorilla caught my eye. I thought, "Well, even if this thing isn't as 'refined' as a Summit, at least I will save a hundred bucks." So I got the thing home and got it out of the box. First thing I noticed was that it was completely assembled out of the box. Not bad. Then I started looking over the stand in detail and I started noticing all the little intricacies such as the hinged arms, which allow you to climb a much wider or narrower tree. Next I noticed the platform is permanently tethered to the seat. I know some other stands have this feature, but I didn't expect it on a $150 stand. Next I noticed that there are ratchet straps already attached to the back of the seat and platform, and the thing that was really neat is that they have their own little elastic bands to hold them in place during storage or transportation. Finally, I climbed the tree with it and sat in it for four hours. It was as comfortable as any other climber I have ever been in. Wide enough for my fat ass, but narrow enough for its outline not to extend beyond the side of the tree. The only negative I can think of is the weight. 27 pounds. This really isn't an issue for me though because I carry my stands into the woods once, put them on a tree, and leave them.
All that to say, I am very satified with the Gorilla. So satisfied that I will purchase another one and I have recommended it to my cousins.