Hello
I have a lone wolf climber. I love the stand, but it really gives me a work out to get in the tree. (cause I'm an old fart) I have the hand climber and I'm sweating like crazy by the time I get up the tree, because of pulling myself up.
Heres my question, is the sit-n-climb version of a climbing tree stand that much easier than the type I have.
For $130 I can buy the top sit-n-climb portion for my lone wolf and was wondering if it will be that much less phsyically demanding.

Dan

I have both Treelounges and Gunslingers which are the sit and climb type. They are much easier to climb with. I have a bad hip and it doesn't phase me to climb with one of these stands.I would either buy the attachment you're talking about or invest in a different climber where you sit and climb.There is no strain on your body using this method.Using your legs to climb is allot easier in my opinion

Ruger Redhawk

I dont see how you guys use the hand climbers. I dont see how you get down from a tree in them.

I have a River's Edge hand climber and love it. The model I have has longer arms so you can use your forearms to help get up and down the tree. I also have a River's Edge Sit and Stand. I do admit it is more work with the arm climber, but for bow season, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I like the open area in front of me to hold my bow and adjust for the shot. For gun season I prefer the sit & stand because of the shooting rail.

I've used an Ol' Man climber and a Summit Viper climber.

The Ol' Man, I guess, can be used as both sit and climb or hand climb. It seems to make more sense to use it hand climb - the sit and climb position never felt right to me, but it was the first time I'd used a climber.

The Summit Viper is designed to sit and climb, but can also be used to hand climb.

After trying both (on the summit), I decided the sit and climb method, once you get used to it, is much more efficient and secure, although you can't take as large of "steps". And it doesn't take more than a minute to get used to it.

That might be exactly why it feels more secure and efficient. Kind of like riding a bike up a hill - if you're patient and spin in a lower gear, it's more efficient. If you try to push a higher gear, you might think it's going faster, but the cost is more muscles and energy needed. In the end, going slow and easy gets you up the tree quieter, less sweaty and breathing easy.

If I ever use that Ol' Man climber again, I'll definitely try to use it in the sit and climb method to see if it works better for that one too.

Shoot boys,
Back in the day all we had were homemade climbers, you step up onto what you would call the foot piece and strap your feet to it, get a big 'ol bear hug on the tree and up you go! No hand climber, just your arms.
I carried a 4" wide strip of 3/4 plwood about 20" long to lay across the upper brace of the climber to sit on. Yes sireee boys, them was the good 'ol days!

PS
I use the API Shooting Star model now. It is a sit and climb, works great, sit all day in it!

I still do it this way with my loggy bayou. I have a climber for it but it's easier this way. Granted I just got out of the Marine Corps so I'm in pretty good shape.

Anyways, Loggy Bayou has a climbing accessory that is much like a hand climber but has a canvas basket to sit on if you wish. Found a couple on Ebay pretty cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...112547682&rd=1

I used to own a LW Sit & Climb. It is definately much easier to climb with than a hand climber. However, I found the stand to be too small and uncomfortable for my frame.

sit and climb is far better and safer imo