RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

Here's my 2 cents:

Ladder stands - Basically your stuck at 15' - buy an extra extension to get to 18' to 20 and ok....your high enough. But then you're even less mobile and pretty hard to set-up by yourself. Put them up, chain and lock on and leave in key spots you hunt year after year.


Climiber - if you have trees you can use, great! You only need one! You really can't leave it in the tree...you have to come down. Lone wolf and Summit models with an open front are both great!

Hang on Stands - On private property stick up and chain and lock on a few. There are many well made ones for $49 to $69. Riversedge Bigfoot is a great example, preseason sales usually $54 to $59 and you have a very solid, wide, and comfortable. These stands are fairly heavy and you really don't want to carry them around much.

Premium Hang on stands - These are your hang-ons made of aluminum or super quick mounting and have leveling features. You really only need one! My favorite is the Chippewa Wedgeloc. Its mounts to a tree in seconds and is ROCK SOLID! You can also level it in seconds if your tree isn't perfectly straight.(and of coarse they never are) www.chippewawedgeloc.com

Suggestions

1 Lone Wolf Climber
1 Chippewa Wedgeloc
How ever many cheaper hang-ons you need.
Ladders - only if you get over 18' and will leave it in the area for a few years.

Isn't hunting great.......theres always something to buy!

good Luck!

Premium Hang on Stands - these are more e

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

Butch,

I have a Summit Viper I purchased last year. It was an upgrade for me from an earlier model Summit. I love this stand and can't say enough good things about it. Since we are not far from each other I would be glad to meet you somewhere and let you take it for a test drive. BTW, tell Mike Smith I said Hi. :D

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

Ha ha ha.... I was just out in the shop and told Mike Smith about your post. He might stop by my cubicle and check out the posts on this site.

Cool! [8D]

Butch A.

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

For my money, the API stands are the quietest, safest, and most comfortable stands on the market.

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

Nothing beats a climber IMOP. I love the portability factor. I have a couple chain on stands and have'nt used them since I bought a climber. Mine is an API bowhunter series. It is very open, you climb facing the tree and use upper body to climb. It took a little getting used to.

You seem to be on edge from your hair raising experience. Perhaps you would feel more secure with a bar accross the front, stand up sit down model? I've had a few slip ups but it was my own fault due to not wearing a safty belt. I almost fell over backwards! They come with a belt or harness for that very reason!

Ladder stands are not my idea of fun. Chain ons do have there place though. Esp for that perfect spot where the trees are too big or crooked to climb.

Summit seems to be king right now, although pricey, you'll have peace of mind when thirty feet up the tree.

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

I love my loggy at 30'+

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

Well here's my 2 cents,

I have an old loggy climber and I mean old (25 yrs) I love it, lightweight but you need to carry a ratchet strip with you.

Cadalic climber- you can face the tree or turn around to hunt. I like it to gun hunt. Weighs
a ton

Treelounge- great stand to set all day. I leave it in the woods where I hunt, too heavy
to carry around. Sleeps great too.

Summit Viper- don't know yet it's new. Got it for a deal $165.00

I like lock on stands if you can leave them in a honey hole. Quite to get up and down.

My advice is to keep your eyes open and you can get stands from people that want two up grade their stands for a steal $$$$. (I've got 10-12 stands and only bought one new one)

Good luck on your hunt

Boldplate

RE: Treestands again... (what's best, pros, cons, etc...)
 

I went with a climber (Summits Goliath X4) and i must say i've laid my old ladder/hangon to rest, the thing about that old ladder hang on it was just to darn heavy to pack through the woods it was if i felt like a giant boom crane walking through the woods with that ladder over my shoulders and then the idea of carrying that platform with the other hand then once you got to your location it would be time to strap that ol' ladder to the tree then climb to the top of that ladder and now become some sort of trapeze artist to try and hoist up and attach your platform. No, no more of that for me, Summit solved all that for me, go with a climber dewd.