Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
06-04-2008, 05:47 PM
#1
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The OH-IO
Posts: 7,103
Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
A few of our guys went out of their way to answer my questions / concerns about this stand before I purchased itand asked me to do a review on it once I had a chance to set it up and handle it a bit. So here goes!
The very first thing I did before I swapped the seat out fora Summit seat was weigh the stand to see if their advertised weight matched my scale. According to my scale, the stand weighed 19 pounds rather than the 18 they claim. May be my scale.... May not be? To close to tell.
First impressions.... There was paint finish rubbed raw ina fewplaces straight out of the box... Not excessively bad but ware none-the-less. The factory seat I did not care for at all, very cheap feeling and flimsy. I also did not care for the low back of the seat.... This is where the *Hybrid* part comes into play, I swapped the LW seat out with a new Summit seat. Lone Wolf has updated the seat for 2008 but I have no experience with the new offering.
This shows the stand in the backpack configurationwith the mods I did to it, including a set of Lone Wolf foot rests and the new Summit seat.
Side view with the stand folded down into the pack position. It folds down rather nice. I was actually really surprised how well the stand packed and balanced on my back.... I would give the balance and packability of the stand a10 out of 10!
Front view of the stand attached to the tree including the extra Lone Wolf foot rests. The foot rests are a solid addition and definitely worth the $20 and 5-10 minutes to install them. They will really help relieve pressure on the back of your legs.
A view of the cam buckles and traction belt on the platform. They are both very silent and easy to use, much more so than the set up on my Summit Cobra XLS. My summit does however have more cable length than the Lone Wolf allowing me to climb larger diameter trees... As pictured this climber has it traction belts out to the maximum safety zone.
Here is a close up of the platforms "teeth" section on a Red Oak.
Front view of the climbing portion including the new Summit seat. Looks comfy doesn't it....That's because it is
A view of the climbing portions framing, cam buckle and traction belt. I will say the folding sections of this stand can be a PITA until you get used to it... They like to bind up if you are not careful while folding the sections flat for backpacking or unfolding for use.
Overall impressions... With the mods the stand is very comfortable and still lightweight..... The platform is very silent whichwas one of the selling features for me. The stock back pack straps are acceptable but I will be upgrading once I find the right set of padded straps.
It backpacks and balances like a dream... MUCH better than any climbing stand I have ever used... Really no contest IMO. This may be the stands second best attribute after my comfort mods. Ifa stand isn'tcomfortable it can make for a long day....
Even with my mods the stand still only weighs 20 pounds and that is excellent considering it is now as comfortable as my old Summit but more silent and backpacks much better.
My biggest complaint is the shortness of the traction belt.... It will be a limiting factor to where I can use this stand without buying the XL traction belts.
Overall, out of the box I think it is a good stand..... With some extra money (on top of an expensive stand to start with) a little bit of work and time it is a great stand.... Silent, comfortable and lightweight.
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The very first thing I did before I swapped the seat out fora Summit seat was weigh the stand to see if their advertised weight matched my scale. According to my scale, the stand weighed 19 pounds rather than the 18 they claim. May be my scale.... May not be? To close to tell.
First impressions.... There was paint finish rubbed raw ina fewplaces straight out of the box... Not excessively bad but ware none-the-less. The factory seat I did not care for at all, very cheap feeling and flimsy. I also did not care for the low back of the seat.... This is where the *Hybrid* part comes into play, I swapped the LW seat out with a new Summit seat. Lone Wolf has updated the seat for 2008 but I have no experience with the new offering.
This shows the stand in the backpack configurationwith the mods I did to it, including a set of Lone Wolf foot rests and the new Summit seat.
Side view with the stand folded down into the pack position. It folds down rather nice. I was actually really surprised how well the stand packed and balanced on my back.... I would give the balance and packability of the stand a10 out of 10!
Front view of the stand attached to the tree including the extra Lone Wolf foot rests. The foot rests are a solid addition and definitely worth the $20 and 5-10 minutes to install them. They will really help relieve pressure on the back of your legs.
A view of the cam buckles and traction belt on the platform. They are both very silent and easy to use, much more so than the set up on my Summit Cobra XLS. My summit does however have more cable length than the Lone Wolf allowing me to climb larger diameter trees... As pictured this climber has it traction belts out to the maximum safety zone.
Here is a close up of the platforms "teeth" section on a Red Oak.
Front view of the climbing portion including the new Summit seat. Looks comfy doesn't it....That's because it is
A view of the climbing portions framing, cam buckle and traction belt. I will say the folding sections of this stand can be a PITA until you get used to it... They like to bind up if you are not careful while folding the sections flat for backpacking or unfolding for use.
Overall impressions... With the mods the stand is very comfortable and still lightweight..... The platform is very silent whichwas one of the selling features for me. The stock back pack straps are acceptable but I will be upgrading once I find the right set of padded straps.
It backpacks and balances like a dream... MUCH better than any climbing stand I have ever used... Really no contest IMO. This may be the stands second best attribute after my comfort mods. Ifa stand isn'tcomfortable it can make for a long day....
Even with my mods the stand still only weighs 20 pounds and that is excellent considering it is now as comfortable as my old Summit but more silent and backpacks much better.
My biggest complaint is the shortness of the traction belt.... It will be a limiting factor to where I can use this stand without buying the XL traction belts.
Overall, out of the box I think it is a good stand..... With some extra money (on top of an expensive stand to start with) a little bit of work and time it is a great stand.... Silent, comfortable and lightweight.
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06-04-2008, 06:14 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mont County, Pa
Posts: 7,368
RE: Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
Great review!! You picked the right stand for sure. I agree with everything you said about the stand. I have an older one ('04), I think it weighs18.5 lbs because it doesn't have those foot holds, security straps and cusioned seat, I add my own cushion.
A few points to add. I filed the tree grips on the platform to a better point with a flat file so it really grabs the tree. Also, I added the Wolf Jaws bow bracket to hold myVectrix. If you don't have a split limb bow, get the rubberbow holder grommet.Do youself a favor, and get the longer traction belt as well.Congrats on your new stand.
I agree with everything you said about the stand. I have an older one ('04), I think it weighs18.5 lbs because it doesn't have those foot holds, security straps and cusioned seat, I add my own cushion.A few points to add. I filed the tree grips on the platform to a better point with a flat file so it really grabs the tree. Also, I added the Wolf Jaws bow bracket to hold myVectrix. If you don't have a split limb bow, get the rubberbow holder grommet.Do youself a favor, and get the longer traction belt as well.Congrats on your new stand.
06-04-2008, 07:35 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Indiana (southern)
Posts: 6,146
RE: Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
Good review Scott The summit seatshave always been comfy so why not do what you did to the LW The summit seat looks good on there and appears to fitthe LWgood. Oh my,,,,whats that in the back ground 
a turkey target??? you hate turkey vermon 
yes?? Good tips on yours to early in
The summit seatshave always been comfy so why not do what you did to the LW The summit seat looks good on there and appears to fitthe LWgood. Oh my,,,,whats that in the back ground a turkey target??? you hate turkey vermon yes?? Good tips on yours to early in
06-04-2008, 08:12 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dover, PA USA
Posts: 5,497
RE: Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
OK maybe I missed it?..........just what do you do with that climbing bar when you get to hunting height? Surely you don't sit in the stand with that thing at the back of your legs do you?
06-04-2008, 08:15 PM
#8
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location:
Posts: 13,082
RE: Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
Good review bro, and creative ideas to make it work.
IMO, I'm not finding it cost effective to pay that much for a stand, just to put more money and time into it to make it better. For that kind of money, again, JMO, I shouldn't have to do anything to it to make it comfortable and better. I've personally still not heard enough convincing evidence to change from Summit....
IMO, I'm not finding it cost effective to pay that much for a stand, just to put more money and time into it to make it better. For that kind of money, again, JMO, I shouldn't have to do anything to it to make it comfortable and better. I've personally still not heard enough convincing evidence to change from Summit....
06-04-2008, 08:45 PM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson, Missouri
Posts: 7,051
RE: Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
Awesome, Scott... After having owned both stands, I knew that'd work out for you well. It truly is the best of both worlds combining the strengths of both great companies.
I quickly ordered the XL traction belts for mine. Here's a tip, too: Look at them and see if one is already an XL; I don't know if it was a fluke, but I ordered a pair of them, only to later discover that I already had one on my stand... so now I've got an extra one if I ever need to replace one later.
Moving the arms to collapse them into the backpacking position will get easier with time...
Check out www.graywolfwoolens.com for Jeff's Lone Wolf backpack straps. I grabbed a pair of these for my LW... talk about SUPER comfy; they're made of a real thick neoprene or something like that, and have a nifty feature where you can pull them tight after you shoulder your stand, and then release them quickly as well.
I quickly ordered the XL traction belts for mine. Here's a tip, too: Look at them and see if one is already an XL; I don't know if it was a fluke, but I ordered a pair of them, only to later discover that I already had one on my stand... so now I've got an extra one if I ever need to replace one later.
Moving the arms to collapse them into the backpacking position will get easier with time...
Check out www.graywolfwoolens.com for Jeff's Lone Wolf backpack straps. I grabbed a pair of these for my LW... talk about SUPER comfy; they're made of a real thick neoprene or something like that, and have a nifty feature where you can pull them tight after you shoulder your stand, and then release them quickly as well.
06-04-2008, 08:51 PM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The OH-IO
Posts: 7,103
RE: Lone Wolf Sit and Climb *Hybrid* Review.
Great review!! You picked the right stand for sure. I agree with everything you said about the stand. I have an older one ('04), I think it weighs18.5 lbs because it doesn't have those foot holds, security straps and cusioned seat, I add my own cushion.
A few points to add. I filed the tree grips on the platform to a better point with a flat file so it really grabs the tree. Also, I added the Wolf Jaws bow bracket to hold myVectrix. If you don't have a split limb bow, get the rubberbow holder grommet.Do youself a favor, and get the longer traction belt as well.Congrats on your new stand.
I agree with everything you said about the stand. I have an older one ('04), I think it weighs18.5 lbs because it doesn't have those foot holds, security straps and cusioned seat, I add my own cushion. A few points to add. I filed the tree grips on the platform to a better point with a flat file so it really grabs the tree. Also, I added the Wolf Jaws bow bracket to hold myVectrix. If you don't have a split limb bow, get the rubberbow holder grommet.Do youself a favor, and get the longer traction belt as well.Congrats on your new stand.
ORIGINAL: bloodcreek
Oh my,,,,whats that in the back grounda turkey target??? you hate turkey vermon
Oh my,,,,whats that in the back ground
a turkey target??? you hate turkey vermon
OK maybe I missed it?..........just what do you do with that climbing bar when you get to hunting height? Surely you don't sit in the stand with that thing at the back of your legs do you?
Time will tell if I will remove it or not.
Good review bro, and creative ideas to make it work.
IMO, I'm not finding it cost effective to pay that much for a stand, just to put more money and time into it to make it better. For that kind of money, again, JMO, I shouldn't have to do anything to it to make it comfortable and better. I've personally still not heard enough convincing evidence to change from Summit....
IMO, I'm not finding it cost effective to pay that much for a stand, just to put more money and time into it to make it better. For that kind of money, again, JMO, I shouldn't have to do anything to it to make it comfortable and better. I've personally still not heard enough convincing evidence to change from Summit....
I am not trying to convince anyone to purchase a LW stand, I am only passing my thoughts on hoping that it helps someone else the way a few of the guys here went out of their way helping me in my decision on purchasing this stand.
The stand is spendy no doubt about it..... Still even with my "mods" it is half the price of a new bow setup and I will get plenty of use out of it. Heck I used my Summit Cobra XLS since 2001.