thanks everyone ill have to start looking around.

i have a lone wolf tree climber it is great

Get the LoneWolf, Its very light, strong, easy to set up, and packs up really flat. My Loggy is good, but I don't have a climbing aid for it, so I do the hug the tree thing. My API is ok, but its a little heavier, and the climbing aid/seat gets in my way when I shoot to the side, so I stand. That stinks.

Don't buy cheap. You get what you pay for and you need to pay money to protect your safety and enjoy the hunt. There is nothing worse than being in a stand that you don't trust 100%

I bought a Summit climber maybe 6-7 years ago...I love it! It's durable. It climbs and descends well. I use it probably 20-35 times per season in all sorts of weather from 70 degrees to 10 degrees to snow, to rain, to sleet, etc. It's held up nicely. I take care of it almost as well as by bow, but it will last me another 20 years I suspect!

White...Look at the APIs also...(I think mine are the Grand Slam Magnums) especially if you gun hunt as well...I have 2...and use them for gun season also...They make a bow hunters stand, but I usually just stand during prime time...A couple of things I like about an API...You can remove the pins that go through the chain that goes around the tree, and replace them with long shank locks, so your stand is locked to the tree....And the API has a nice, padded shooting rail that goes on in just a few minutes, so when I'm gun hunting over a field I'm not shooting offhand....

I have a Lone Wolf cimber. It is by far the quietest climber I've ever used.....very light too!

check out the Loggy Bayou Mega Transformer. I paid $205.00 for it and its a great climbing stand. Lightweight, and folds flat for backpacking.

the only thing with me getting a climber im just affraid to get one then not be able to carry my back-pack with it. has this been a problem with anyone?

Put your stand on your back first, then hang your pack on the stand. Unless you have some huge rigid framed pack.

Joe...I had the same problem...backpack overloaded the stand, fanny pack kept sliding down my butt....I resolved the problem by buying a Primos bow vest...I use it during bow and gun season, most of your stuff goes in front, so it balances better,it also works great during muzzleloader season, one pocket for quick loads, one for patches, oil and cleaning alcohol...I also added another small pouch to the stand for the things I wanted close at hand while on stand....After I realized that I could lock the API to the tree I could leave one locked up in the area I planned to hunt, and use my spare in case I decided to hunt a different area...