What's the best Climbing Treestand???
 

I am in the market for a Climber and just wondering if anyone had any ideas on what the best one to get is???

Thats like asking whats the best bow.

It all boils down to what your ass is comfortable in within your budget. All we can do is make recommendations. That being said, checkout Lonewolf and summit.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

I happen to be very happy after retuning my lone wolf to buy the Summit Open Shot!!!

Summit....

Sorry to hijack, but what didn't you like about the LW? Have you had the Summit in the field yet? How is the quick draw connect system for ease and noise?

love the summit viper, haven't ever used the lonewolf but i don't know if i could like one anybetter than the viper

I've used several brand of climbers over the years, and I would choose the Lone Wolf over any other I've personally tried. Great stands. High dollar, but worth the extra money IMO.

If you're looking for maximum versatility, you might want to consider a lightweight hang-on with a set of steps as well? You can get up "less than straight" trees better with such a setup.

I bought the LW Alpha and sticks for just such reasons. There have been times I skipped a good looking spot because I couldn't find a "climbable" tree. With the hang-on+sticks, that's less of an issue.

Summit Viper!! Lightweight, COMFORTABLE, easy to use, stable

I never got past 5 feet before the latches holding the belt "unpopped"! A little bark rash to the face - OUCH! I even tried tying the latches closed and it was marginal. So I was damned to pay top dollar and not feel safe, so I returned it.

Maybe it was a rare lemon, maybe it was operator error??? All I know is when when Adrea' invites me to hunt some of those magnificent WI bucks and shows me how to use his stand, then I might consider buying one again.:s3:

I do think the Summit is the most comfortable stand and staying put without fidgeting is a major plus when in the woods for hours on end.

I've got a Summit and been very happy with it. I'm always looking for new ways to quiet it down, but it is not overly loud. I'm just anal. It can't be beat for comfort.

Im sold on the Equalizer tree stands. You can level them at any height. I have read a lot of great things about these stands on various sites. They arent cheap though.


https://www.equalizertreestands.com/index.php

summit
 

i like summit stands.3 that most like are summit,lw and treewalker.........

If there was an absolute best
 

you can be sure it is the most expensive. Some, to be really happy, only need to look at the price.

For me, the question doesn't apply. I've used the same climbing stand, with individual improvements, for the past fifteen years.

I've been hunting with my LW S&C for 8 years now, and love it. The only issue has been worn out bushings on the climbing/sitting bar. I have to order new ones. Other than that it has worked flawlessly. I wouldn't use anything else.

Started with a Loggy then Tree lounge then bought a Viper and lastly a Lone wolf. Over a 15 yr. or so period. Tree lounge is an all day stand that can't be beat for comfort but it is costly, heavy and noisy to put up. Viper is nice but still a little bulky for me. It is comfortable and I feel safer with the rail around the seat. A little tough to sit and draw. The Lone Wolf is nice with the back pack option and moves through the woods on your back nicely. The only disadvantage I can speak to is that the seat is not that big or padded all that well. Nice 3 or 4 hr. stand. My old Loggy is my sentimental favorite as it is the lightest and the seat is quite comfortable but not as high tech as the others. The deer don't seem to care as I have killed them with all four. Would not want to forget the stands I sat in in Alberta bear hunting all day. They were very nice. Don't know the name but they had mesh seats like a lounge chair that fold down and were very comfy.

I too own a Summit Viper treestand and next to my bow it's the best investment I think I have ever made when coming to my hunting equipment. The Summit is extremely easy to use and is very reliable as well as very safe. Once you start hunting out of a climbing treestand you'll never go back to hunting on the ground.

very good, go to head of class.summit beats the LW hands down on comfort.the LW is to close to tree to get comfortable.some are using the SUMMIT SURROUND SEAT on LW and it helps.SUMMIT is built so its farther away from tree so you can LEAN back it seat.THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME AT 56 YRS OLD, comfort..............................

LW packs best of stands,real nice. belts on LW gets stuck on rough bark in dark .summits dont pack as good as LW.
rail in front of summit is not problem for me as i NEVER shoot down on buck,i let buck get 20 yds out then behind shoulder.i like rail on all my stands and with the SUMMIT 180 max i can face tree to hide,i dont have to turn around to shoot my bow.

both stands are quiet.i filled my summit channel with foam,i just did not like open ends to echo noise out but it was not noisy, just i am picky on things ,so i foamed it...............

i tried VIPER and it was to small for me.. I LIKE LOTS OF ROOM IN A TREE WHEN I DRESS WITH HEAVY CLOTHES ON...i am 6/1 210 pds.the SUMMIT 180 MAX has wider top frame.thats nice with heavy clothes.


DID YOU KNOW THAT SUMMIT WILL BUILT YOU A STAND TO YOUR LIKEING?
yes, they will put like a 180 top on viper bottom or viper top on a titan bottom..thats neat. having viper top on big titan bottom .

i heard you have to call them to do this.like you could take the open shot top and put it on titan bottom...............

sweat ..................................

If $ are not a concern - consider an equalizer! I've owned a lot of tree stands from the Baker widow maker to several Summits. Being able to level the stand at 25'+ height sure is nice with the equalizer!
-fsh

Gorilla!!!

Summit, only problem with em is you tend to fall asleep in them.

Summit Bushmaster
 

My Summit Bushmaster climbs awesome and it is fairly light. Very good climber.:cool2:

Summit razor!

best stand,i dont think so.
 

we all have our favorites.i like summits for many reasons i will list.
1.been in business a longtime and still has a big following.
2. price is cheaper than most
3.good service
4.comfort

now i will list a few that i feel are leading right now.
LONE WOLF, TREEWALKER,TIMBERTALL,EQUALIZER,SUMMIT.

all have things we like and dont.here is my opinion on what i want in stand.
i dont want to pay over $300 for stand, my summit 180 max cost me $286 .
i want company that will be here in future.

COMFORT is no.1 with me even tho stand could be bulky or 3 pds heavier than another stand.SEAT must be a seat that hangs on sling strap,not a netting type seat. seat must be far enough away from tree so i can lean back on SEAT not on the tree.i cant lean against tree all day, 4 hrs is max against a tree.

room on platform is big with me.i am 6/1 210 .i cant sit in a lock-on at all ,so climber is what i like.summit from what i understand will let you change different platforms to fit different tops ,thats neat.pick a top you like and match it to say a TITAN platform.you have to order from them to do this.

thats about it .all stands are good climbing a tree.

I myself am 6'3" and weigh 300 lbs and the Viper has plenty of room for me. I think the Goliath is over-exagerated when it comes to adding alot more room. Still both great stands.

SWEET....................NOT SWEAT

how you fit in VIPER at your size is beyond me.actually if you look at summit 180 max picture on their site ,look at how feet of that kid HANGS over edge.that kid is 6/1 205 pds.
platform is BIGGER than VIPER............same size as goliath...

THIS IS WHY THIS YEAR FOR 2010 THE 180 MAX HAS THE TITAN PLATFORM........
at your size with hunting clothes on in winter you have to be tight on seat section and also on platform.
as long as you are happy, thats great but there is no way i could fit in VIPER in winter with my hunting clothes on.

i am skinny too at 6/1 210..........take care sproul

I got the Equalizer Treestand for X-Mas in 08 and Bowhunted with it in 2009 and I am Very Impressed with it.
That Leveling feature is the bomb;) I can now climb trees that were off limits before do to them being larger at the bottom and narrowing severly as I climb. I can also get the stand over some of those big knots on trees now by cranking the stand in the down position to get over those big knots and then once over them relevel the stand again.And once you cinch down the cinch straps the stand is rock solid. I decided not to use the sling seat with mine cause I had one before and I tend to nod off if I am to comfy:p
My husband tried my Equalizer Stand and liked it so much he sold his LW Sit & Climb and bought an Equalizer Treestand.

I found it could use one improvement IMO to the bow holder;
When you are at your desired hunting height and you leave the seat in the climbing position so you can bowhunt in the standing position standing next to the tree the bow holder mounts on the front of the stand and when I put my bow in the bow holder the seat cusion gets in the way of getting the bow out of the holder with a effortless movement, I have to tip the bow horizontally and rock it back and forth to get the bow out of the holder.
* I think that if they made the bow holder arm longer so the bow would sit up higher above the seat cusion it might solve this problem of the Bow Bottom Cam hitting the seat cusion.

love my Summit.

Lady Forge just described exactly why I dig the Equalizer!

If there were the best of the best
 

and it was best by far, you'd only have to check the expensive price to find out what they were.

Fortunately for the average hunter and fisherman there is more than one product to satisfy most needs.

I am too, interested in the equalizer, the only thing that bugs me is the leveling handles look kinda small &flimsy, and i dont like how it protrudes out from the side of the stand like that. it also, is over 20lbs I think. I would like a lighter stand, thats self leveling. I was looking at timbertalls too, theyre only 12-14lbs!!! and I like the leveling system better than the EQlizer, but the TTall doesnt seem to be made as solid as the EQ. still deciding, light & better design VS higher quality? IDK.

D&B, the handles are'nt flimsy at all. I've had mine for years and it gets beat up pretty good, both in the woods and in the back of my truck.
Never worried about them breaking or anything.
I've never tried a Timbertall, and 14 pounds does sound nice.
But I'll tell ya, I would have no problem jumping up and down in the EQ, it's rock solid!

with MOLLE straps/waist belt a climbing stand over 20 pds is not a problem.so i really dont look at weight of stand unless it would get over 25 pds.

what i look at is COMFORT and rail on front around me.that bIG summit titan PLATFORM TO ME IS WAY I WOULD GO NO MATTER WHAT SIZE YOU ARE.

but if you are not using my MOLLE STRAP IDEA,i can see where a lighter stand is nice...................

X2 GREAT STAND!!!!! Had one for 5 years !! No problems and its a all day sit stand. The level system is Top notch!!!!

Hatchet Jack