climber stands

[stevejedlenski]

now that the snow is melting i am starting to think about getting back in the woods and patterning that trophy buck. im in need of a good climbing stand because the land im planning on hunting is not a place i want to leave a stand overnight. so, im lookin for anyone that has a good stand that they like bowhunting out of. i need something cheap and practicle. i have looked at the ameristep hitman climber and so far thats my choice. if anyone knows anything about them or reccomends another one that would be great. remember price is an issue so no lone wolf stands for me...

[mathews4ever]

Have you look into a treesaddle? I was skeptical at first, but after last season I have sold all my other stands and now I hunt solely out of a treesaddle. New they are about $200, but if you look around you can find them cheaper. I bought mine on ebay, brand new for $140.

Weighs 2lbs and secures you to the tree from the ground up.
http://www.trophylineusa.com/

Shoot me a PM if you have any questions or want help looking for a deal on one.

[Mayfly]

Mathews4ever -


What are your thoughts on this tree saddle. Oddly enough this is the first I have heard of it!

[mathews4ever]

I think that it is the single greatest way to hunt form an elevated position. As girly as it sounds, I am terrified of heights(or at least the impact). With my tree saddle it doesn't bother me at all to climb to 20+ feet in a tree. the best advantage of a tree saddle over a climber is with a tree saddle I can climb trees with branches and trees that are not straight. I have set mine up in some pretty odd places and it worked great. You can also hook a tree sadlle up in trees as small as about 3-4" in dia.(try that with a climber, or any stand for that matter). As long as the tree is strong enough to hold you the saddle will work. It allows you to hunt the deer and not the trees.

[Joe]

Impressive. I've seen these before but I never really gave them much attention. After watching the instructional video and seeing just how easy the tree saddle is to use I am seriously considering one.

[dakids]

Do they make them for kids and do you think that they are safe for kids?

[schwinger]

I am also pretty interested in this. I do have a question for anyone that has used it though. How well does it work when all bundeled up for rifle season? My bow hunting has been none existant for quite a few years. I would think this would be ideal for bowhunting but maybe not so much for rifle season.

[schwinger]

Sorry your thread is getting kind of highjacked here Steve. I have a climber that I bought at dicks a couple years ago and it was cheap $150 bucks or something. I will find the name and post it later. It is nice if you know exaclty where you are going to hunt. If you are hiking around looking for a place it is horrible. Way to heavy. Once set up I really like it though. It is comfortable and has a lot of room. I'll get back to you on the name if you like.

[Joe]

I have used my dad's climber and it was very comfortable much more comfortable than any hang on stand I've sat in, but the weight was an issue. He bought his at Wally World some years back so I'm not sure of the brand. He says the same thing. He likes the comfort, but not lugging it around. I would think that tree saddle would be the ticket for staying portable and scouting new areas.

[beeker]

not sure of the name of my climber but it uses a snowmobile belt instead of a chain or cable to go around the tree.. makes for a somewhat quiet attachment and grips the tree really well.. next time i'm in the crawl space I'll check the name. also have you thought about those climbing sticks? they're cheap and easy to put up and take down

[kenhuntin]

I love my summit python. The cables make climbing a breeze. It is extremely quiet,packs well and is rock solid with no shifting. Check Summit out before you buy. Then buy a summit. Jigglestick also uses a summit.

[Pegg]

I also have a summit. They are a great tree stand climber. I have the big boy one (Summit Goliath SS Treestand ) extra wide. I am not a big guy but I like the extra room. Very easy to use. I do both rifle and bow hunt out of mine.

[mathews4ever]

Do they make them for kids and do you think that they are safe for kids?

i don't believe they do, but the small size would probably work. It is the safest option for youngsters

I am also pretty interested in this. I do have a question for anyone that has used it though. How well does it work when all bundeled up for rifle season? My bow hunting has been none existant for quite a few years. I would think this would be ideal for bowhunting but maybe not so much for rifle season.

I don't have any issue with mine when I am bundled up.

Sorry about the threadjacking Steve. It wasn't my intent.

[sconihunter]

I just purchased a tree saddle.. I haven't tried it out yet, but I think it will take some practice....

[Mayfly]

I'm surprised you guys like the summit climbers. I borrowed one from a guy at work and I don't like it at all. The notching system they use to adjust and that cable are horrible in my opinion. Light weight? Yes. Easy to carry? Yes. Climbing was ok, but it slipped alot. They is no tread or gripping with that cable. Went in a pine tree and wouldn't work. Had to cut notches in the tree just so it would stay up.

[stevejedlenski]

thanks for all the feedback. i was wondering with that tree saddle if sitting for long periods of time get to be a problem? thats one of the problems with climbers that i have found with the cable system and even any climber is that loose bark trees can be very dangerous. i dont want one with a chain and never used one with the "snowmobile belt" type before.

biggest factors are weight and noise. im young so comfort and ability to climb easily arent so much of a factor yet. i want something where i can truck way back without killing myself and climb without making much noise.

[mbeavy]

I also have a summit. They are a great tree stand climber. I have the big boy one (Summit Goliath SS Treestand ) extra wide. I am not a big guy but I like the extra room. Very easy to use. I do both rifle and bow hunt out of mine.

I also have used a climber, but found it almost impossible to shoot my bow from inside of it. It's great for rifle hunting and I enjoy being able to climb any tree with it, but because of the rail that's attached to the seat section, you can't shoot from a sitting position, much less standing as the rail interferes with the bottom of your bow. Any suggestions as how to overcome this would be welcome, otherwise I'm opting for the tree saddle, it looks awesome

[kgauker7]

just went out and bought a used climber the other day idk what brand it is but i set it up at the archery range and practiced and found it very easy to shoot from i never had any problem with the rail from a standing position the down side is it is heavier steel frame but i'll make do...i mean afterall they say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger right?

[kenhuntin]

I'm surprised you guys like the summit climbers. I borrowed one from a guy at work and I don't like it at all. The notching system they use to adjust and that cable are horrible in my opinion. Light weight? Yes. Easy to carry? Yes. Climbing was ok, but it slipped alot. They is no tread or gripping with that cable. Went in a pine tree and wouldn't work. Had to cut notches in the tree just so it would stay up.

I wish I saw this earlier You are really taking a risk if you use any stand on a tree with loose bark like that. I am glad nothing happened.

[stevejedlenski]

i finally gave in and went with a lone wolf. only because i found a new/used one that i got a great deal on because the guy fell out and wont be using climbers anymore. with that poly belt i dont think it can be beat. ive only used it a couple times but will hunt for the first time this weekend. incredibly light stable, packs down to nothing with ease...
it doesn't compare to any other stand in my mind. only problem is the big price tag

[jigglestick]

glad to hear you got a good climber.
now that you have a top of the line model, invest some of the saved money into a hunter safety system.
at the very least, make sure you get and use a safety harness.
get used to putting it on at home so you do it right.
also, my advice is to practice climbing at home on a suitable tree. it should be second nature by the time you hit the woods.

Mayfly,
I love my summit Goliath.
I have the most difficulty on aspen trees, but climb them often as they are very common here and grow about as straight as anything.
large pines work well, but my favorite are ash trees. they are about perfect as far as bark texture and straightness go.
not always in the best locations though.

[stevejedlenski]

yes i have purchased a harness, i dont ever want to be stuck at the bottom of a tree. especially because im hunting alone this year on a large tract of state land and my wife really dosnt know where i will be. but i am putting a map together so at least if i dont show up she can give it to the rescue party!

the biggest problems i found while looking for the stands is the systems they use for the cable. the biggest being that most use a pin system that is impossible to use in low light. this limits you to basicly lone wolf, summit, and ameristep. all seem to have a good system that is easy to use. then you have to decide on weight/size because youll be carrying it every hunt.

figure out what the pros and cons are for each stand and then make your decision.