Your favorite tree stands

I think we go over this every year but with new models coming out every year what are your favorite tree stands. my go to tree stands are the new tribe evolution saddle, Lonewolf hand climber, and Lonewolf alpha and sticks. With these three stands I can get in about any tree known to man. Also with the right cushion they are plenty of comfort for 5 to 6 hour sits.

My go to stand still remains the Muddy Hunter with rapid rails.

Interesting choice, do you leave it in the woods or is that a mobile set up?

I've got the Lone Wolf hand climber. Just keep replacing the climbing belts every few years. For those long hikes onto public land, I swear by the thing. Slim profile doesn't catch brush and branches, and it is very light weight.

Parkersdad wrote:Interesting choice, do you leave it in the woods or is that a mobile set up?

It's a mobile setup. But if I happen to find a hot area, I will sometimes leave it up for a few days.

Slow blow that was My stand of choice for most of the year. It is very light and easy to carry deep in the woods. I may use my Alpha and sticks more this year. We will see. I am going to practice with it.

I have two stands My go this this year will be the XOP Powerhouse XL sit and climb rigged out with Third Hand Archerys Stabilizer Straps and bowholder, Molle II shoulder straps and kidney belt and my back up will be my Summit Openshot.

Lots of people like the third hand stuff, me myself I think it's too heavy. Enjoy your stand

Parkersdad wrote: Lots of people like the third hand stuff, me myself I think it's too heavy. Enjoy your stand

To heavy?? whats another 2 pounds on your 15 pound hand climber for your bow to be safe. While your pulling your bow up to place it in your lone wolf holder im hunting. My bow climbs with me in my bowholder with my arrows in a quiver holder on the other side of the stand and my pack on my back. When i leave the ground so does all my gear. The stabilizer straps are not heavy at all but they are almost a necessity it locks the stand down so well it does not budge, if you need to lean out away from the stand you can lean on the lap bar in any direction to shoot, (if you have a stand with a bar).

My whole set up weighs 34 pound, thats with Molle straps, a 21 pound stand third hand bow holder, factory seat and a 2700 cubic inch Alp pursuit backpack full of my gear. It does not feel 34 pounds. It feels 20 because the way the stand packs. Third hand products are awesome, i have used similar products and they are far inferior to them. In NY you can screw bowholders into the tree so having the bow holder no matter the weight is essential for a safe and secure bow. Not only that but with his products it minimizes the time i have to set up, and the time i have to pack my stand.

I'm not starting an argument I am just giving my opinion. Don't know what kind of land you hunt but I hunt big mountains and every pound matters. I carry about 20 to 21 pounds total and that is it.

Parkersdad wrote: I'm not starting an argument I am just giving my opinion. Don't know what kind of land you hunt but I hunt big mountains and every pound matters. I carry about 20 to 21 pounds total and that is it.

Im not one to argue, I state my opinions, they are mine and you have yours, if we both take a little knowledge of eachothers away from a convo then we both gained something.

I hunt large hilly state forests (4000+ acres) also, but the way the land is laid there is a road about every mile or 2 so in most of my spots if you walk .5 mile your about half way to another road, If you walk any further you may as well have parked on the other road and walked in from there.

I have a summit openshot if i need it for a longer hike. But if people cant walk a half mile or 3/4 a mile with 30 pounds on their back packed properly then that makes me wonder what they would do when they have to drag a deer out. I can go lighter i needed by getting rid of some gear in my bag and i agree lighter is way more enjoyable hiking, coming from a guy that used a steel 50 pound climber for 2 seasons. But at some point you shedding weight sacrifices other comforts of a stand. A sling or hammock seat will always be more comfortable than a handclimber seat also using a hand climber take a lot more physical ability and work to climb with. I learned this when i got my XOP and compared it to my summit. Another thing to consider is the way the LWs and XOP stands pack it makes them feel much lighter.

I have debated getting rid of my Open Shot and buying a LW or XOP hand climber for the long walks. So far i have not hunted out of my XOP but i have climbed with it. So we will see this hunting season how everything stacks up.

I would sell the summit and by the Lonewolf hand climber. That is what I have. The other reason I don't have the third hand archery bow holder is I just flat out do not like the holder. I do not like how it mounts to a Lonewolf and I do not like how it sticks out so far. I like the bow holder that tree Walker makes. It is plastic and light and it will screw on and off your stand in about two seconds to put in your pocket for the long walk. Enjoy the season if it ever gets here

I hunt steep ridges and drainages behind my house in Shawnee National Forest. Almost all the time I go way back in where I've never seen another person.

I'm old with lots of serious health problems so I leave my stands back in there all the time in different areas so I can just pick them up on way in to where I'm going to hunt that day.

I've got 3 Summits..open front with short side rails, rail all the way around and Open Shot. Equalizer, API Shoot'n Star, Lone Wolf Hand climber I cut most of the top section out of, and XOP Hand climber.

I either use the Lone Wolf or XOP..haven't used any of the others in over 3 yrs.

My favorite loc on is my Limit made by Loc On. Got several other back in there, but they are fairly heavy for me even though they are lightweight.

Parkersdad wrote: I would sell the summit and by the Lonewolf hand climber. That is what I have. The other reason I don't have the third hand archery bow holder is I just flat out do not like the holder. I do not like how it mounts to a Lonewolf and I do not like how it sticks out so far.   I like the bow holder that tree Walker makes. It is plastic and light and it will screw on and off your stand in about two seconds to put in your pocket for the long walk. Enjoy the season if it ever gets here

Yeah i have been thinking about selling it but hard to find a local buyer. My only issue with the Tree Walker is its plastic, plastic breaks. im not sure if i would trust a plastic holder with my expensive bow in it. To each their own though. October is coming.

Parkersdad...that Tree Walker Bow Holder looks like what I've been looking for to use on my Lone Wolf Hand Climber and XOP Hand Climber. Says easy on and off with no tools and lightweight..I go a long ways up and down steep terrain and weight matters to me a lot.

Do you know if it will work with well with recurves?

hoyt wrote:Parkersdad...that Tree Walker Bow Holder looks like what I've been looking for to use on my Lone Wolf Hand Climber and XOP Hand Climber. Says easy on and off with no tools and lightweight..I go a long ways up and down steep terrain and weight matters to me a lot.

Do you know if it will work with well with recurves?

What are you counting Ounces? Plastic breaks, if you slip walking on that steep terrain your navigating and you hit the bowholder on something hard it can break or crack then when you set your bow in it, it may break the remain portion sending your bow to the ground. Not a chance i would take.

I have a summit bushmaster climber it weighs 16 pounds that's my go to stand I have a couple big game hang ons to for places with no climbable trees

Treetop wrote:

hoyt wrote:Parkersdad...that Tree Walker Bow Holder looks like what I've been looking for to use on my Lone Wolf Hand Climber and XOP Hand Climber. Says easy on and off with no tools and lightweight..I go a long ways up and down steep terrain and weight matters to me a lot.

Do you know if it will work with well with recurves?

What are you counting Ounces? Plastic breaks, if you slip walking on that steep terrain your navigating and you hit the bowholder on something hard it can break or crack then when you set your bow in it, it may break the remain portion sending your bow to the ground. Not a chance i would take.

The site says it installs easy without tools, so I'd just carry it in an out in backpack and install at tree. I just haven't found anyone that used it with recurves to get an answer if they liked it or not.

I did talk to one guy that uses it with compounds and really likes it...he carries it in and out in backpack and installs at tree.

I wish recurves would work on the bottom platform of lone wolf like compounds do...I'd rather have the bow in front of me at easy reach.

7lb loc-on limit from the late 80s an foot loopin muddy sticks, i also have 2 woodpecker drills an i used to climb with hooks, but i dont do that nonsense anymore. still use my ol mans alot to iffan i aint gotta totem far:)

oh man I love them old Loc-on's! I have 3 of the Lems. I'm not using stands this year but when I have in the past my favorite pack-in is a 7lb Lem and 3 aluminum Rapid Rails. The entire thing is probably only about 11 pounds and easy to set up. The Rapid Rails are awesome too.