I like lone wolf

Summit Bushmaster.
lightweight , quiet, really comfortable.

I think I may start my quest in searching for a good climber. Sound like Summit. Lone wolf, and equalizer are the top brands to start with.

Is there anything else I should look at?

Oh this will be for bow hunting and some muzzle loader hunting.

Ditto.

I like my summit but have used all and any would be a great stand

I never understood why "packing flat" was important in a climbing stand.

I own a Summit Viper and a Summit Bullet backpacker (that happens to pack flat).

I like them because they're comfortable....and they allow me to satay on stand longer than I would in something less cozy.

The Viper series (and I assume ALL Summit climbers) seats are adjustable. Though I keep mine adjusted hanging lower.....the premise is.....when bowhunting....NOT to let them hang so low in the rail. That would make this statement a moot point.

Setting the seat low is for rifle hunting (although it IS the most comfortable setting).

I sit most all the time while deer hunting....and to my knowledge....I've yet to be busted trying to get to a standing position to shoot.

I had the Summit and liked it very much. Saw the Equalizer at the Harrisburg Outdoor Showlast year and toyed around with the idear of buying it but it was expensive. I decide to take the plunge this summerand after a years use I am totally satisfied. It does everything.

I have a LW sit and climb, and love it. I wouldn'tuse any other stand.

This equalizer has me thinking hard toward it. I have herd of many selling there old stands and buying one of these.

The only think I see that concerns me about is the seat height. I would like it to recline a little more but I am sure I can modify it if I need to. And the tree size could be an issue but I am sure that will work it self out.

Actually the tree size for an Equalizer is not much of an issue. I had one and like a dummy I sold it. Didn't pack quite as well as a Lone Wolf, but the Equalizer is the 2nd quietest climbing stand I ever used and the leveling feature did indeed work as advertised......great feature.

The Loggy Bayou Stalker in the pic is a very comfy and solid stand as well but the climbing aid sucks. Its still noisey and somewhat hard to use. If they could do something to make the climbing aid easier to use and quiet, it would be a better climber.

I still vote Lone Wolf as my favorite climbing stand because though its not quite as comfy as a Summit or a couple of others, the overall construction, weight, packing, quietness, and quality is just too good IMO. The one big thing they could change is the back bar or brace. It needs to be angled or curved instead of being straight making it much easier to start up a tree when you angle it to compensate for the tree getting narrower toward the top. At the botton of a tree the brace doesn't allow you to enough of an angle to start climbing. Are you listening LW?