Rhody Hunter

It only takes 5 or 10 minutes .I always have the tree picked out ahead of time so that small limbs are trimmed back that might be in the way and
also that way i know where and how to set up my stand in the dark .IFnew with the stand practice with it a lot can go wrong so that way you are prepared when your in the field

Arrowmaster

I use a Summit Viper and can get up about 25 ft in Id say 10 minutes...

cataway

what every one has said i have to agree with.what i would like to add is get a climer that uses cable. i have an API and i have gotten stuck more than i like to think about and it quite frustrating to be comeing down and have the chain get hooked on a little bit of stick or bark ,easy to deal with in the light but in the dark it will drive you nuts .
the cable acts like a spring and will all ways take the same bow shape but that chain justs sticks to any thing that will give restiction to it. more that once i have said to my self, self now what are you going to do?

davidmil

Cataway, sounds like you don't change your shrink tubing often enough. When it gets cracked it'll catch. When it's in good shape it doesn't. Any of them can catch on a stick. That's why I carry a saw and knock them off as I climb.

Chuck7

I have 2 .
#1 climber, less than one minute from off my back till up the tree.
only 16 pounds.Problem..it's a sitter only.Don't know the name brand.
#2. I bought because I gained weight and for bow hunting. A Summit Bullet Backpacker, It takes a good long 10 minutes to assemble ...if your fast. Therefore,I leave it chained to the tree. I use a head lamp. Yes, it can be a noisy assembly ...another reason to have it ready to climb in. Comfort...second to none.23 pounds. Great stand once assembled. This stand frustrated me at first. It took me about 8 trys before I got comfortable with it.Now I love it. Worth every penny.

I just watched the equalizer.Looks like a great stand. However ; I like stands that have few gadgets that may break. They are right....in order for me to use my Summit I must start out at a 45 degree angle. That part is a little difficult when your as big as I am. I'm trying to lose weight to prepare for bow hunting this year.[8D]My trees are simple in Florida. They are nearly all long leaf pines with no branches.

nodog

A while.

As far as obstacles go, you'll have to make up your own mind the kind of chances you'll take to get up where you want to be. Learn to adapt, to over come and you'll see what it takes. Decide for yourself if it's a chance worth taking. Just because somebody else say's they can do this or that doesn't mean you have too or can.

Good hunting!

hoyt3

I almost always have my tree pre trimmed. in the am, five, six mins to the top. in the pm, I tend to take my time so not to sweat as bad. seven eight mins.

BowBuilder

Technically you are supposed to harness at the bottom of the tree, and work your way up. This is the correct way to do it.
What I do is wear the harness...but I do not attach to the tree until I get all the way up. I do attach to the tree the very first thing once my stand is positioned.

You do have to be selective on what tree you pick. The straighter and more limb free the better. A tree with a medium lean, or a large 45 in the middle would be dangerous to climb. It something you have to get a feel for, for your particular climber. I've went up trees that were not round, trees with big notty nobs, and trees with a slight lean. But, I've used my stand enough to know what it can and can't do.

Branches are a problem, and I do what most people have already said. In my previously scouted areas, I have already trimmed a few trees. In new areas, I am selective on what tree I go up, and I use a small pocket saw to trim limbs.

As nchawkeye pointed out, the type of tree can be an issue. Trees with thin, tight bark, like a beech,are a No No. Trees with hard bark like some hickories, and some of the red oaks can be a little scary too.