A better tree setup

[Novashooter]

Cool. That's what safety harnesses are for. Are you aware of the breaking strength and holding strength of a large lag bolt? I am because I looked it up. I will trust it over a Chinese made strap any day.

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Please just move along. I'm just trying to get a stand in a tree. I don't intend on trusting my life to any one thing, be it lag bolt, ratchet strap, or harness. If I don't trust any one thing, I won't even get in it. I've seen way too many daredevils hurt from too much trust.

 

[Novashooter]

A couple thoughts/questions from another tall guy.

1. Tree stands that are effective at carrying around and putting in almost any tree, are not as comfortable.
2. You don't *just* sit all day. You stand and shake the aches out when it gets bad
3. How are you climbing your trees?
4. The XOP Vanish EVO has a large platform for your feet, but their seat cushion isn't so great. I'm going to try the newer upgraded one this season

Lastly, if you learn to "one stick" Climb, you can go anywhere, and hunt any tree much more easily. Bonus points for rappelling down at the end of the hunt! You're a ground hunter as well, so let me show you my run and gun setup.

Requires:
1x Kifaru/SG/Exo frame
1x XOP Vanish evolution tree stand
1x Hawk Helium climbing stick with a two step rope aider
1x rock climbing harness, an assortment of carabiners, a linemans belt and rappel rope that doubles as a tether
1x Guide lid, or similar

This setup can be used at ground level as a stool for hunting out of blinds, but can climb a tree in 10 minutes safely. It's not feather light, but it's light enough to cover 5-7 miles while scouting, and then you just setup before primetime. Now I don't feel the need to sit for six hours in a tree if there's no deer movement. I just get down and keep going. If a ground sit is better, I just setup. If I find the perfect tree, I'm hunting in 10-15 minutes

EDIT: I can't find a photo of it collapsed down atm, but it's literally one buckle and the stand goes from flat against the frame, to a seat. Not pictures is the rock climbing harness I'm wearing, with two dump pouches that hold all my safety ropes, and my figure 8 for rappelling.
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Thank you, this is exactly the kind of first hand experience I was looking for from someone like me.

1. It does seem this is an unfortunate truth. I'm willing to sacrifice the "effective to carry around" part. I've got no problems carrying a 30 pound stand.

2. While true, if I have to stand up every 30 minutes, then what is the point anyway? If I'm going to be making that much movement and noise I'm better off on the ground.

3. I'm using tree sticks that hook together to form a ladder. A quick google search shows the closest thing I can find is the Millenium double step treestand climbing stick. Mine are slightly different, but similar.

I've looked into one stick climbing, but that's beyond what I have now. That's going to need a proper climbing harness of some kind. Where I would try that is if I tried saddle hunting. With my current safety harness which is barely more than a safety rope, I would never try that.

To be clear, I do wear safety gear. It's just a cheap hunting harness that is supposedly rated to 300 pounds. It's nowhere near as good a quality as the harness I wear at work, so that's why I say "supposedly". I have tried it close to the ground, and it didn't break. I have no intensions of trusting my life to it for climbing.

 

[Macintosh]

If the biggest stand on the market is barely passable, it sounds like you are looking for a unicorn that probably doesnt exist. I’m not quite as tall as you, but I am 6’3” and I have trouble sitting…and I have not had the problems you have had with several of the stands mentioned, and actually use some of the smaller stands available. I think it’s just a matter of personal comfort, it sounds like you want a bit more comfort than the average bear. Given that, I actually think some sort of saddle set up would be much more comfortable for you than a stand because it allows standing and I think works better on a wonky tree, but if you aren’t willing to invest some $, time and effort in it to optimize it for yourself, you are probably just better off hunting from the ground, which it seems like isn’t that out of the ordinary for you anyway. Just seems like if some of the above stuff isnt going to work, that youre fighting the inevitable.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

I'm 6'2, again not as tall.

I'd look at spending some money and go into the saddle game. You can sell it pretty quickly if you don't like it. I just got the new Tethrd Lockdown and really like it so far. Was using the original Mantis and was happy with it as well. You'll have to fine tune saddle hunting to make it comfortable., but it can be done. I lean a lot, will sit some and have been comfortable. Gotta look around really good before you switch from sitting to standing, but overall I won't go back.

I've even climbed up in some of our permanent two man stands and used my platform on the backside of said tree to just saddle hunt out of the stand location. Works great for me.

 

[Novashooter]

Well of course the tree stands are barely passable. I'm bigger than average, and tree stands are supposed to be portable. Passable is good enough for me. There's at least 3 stands I'm looking into that may work for me. The big 2 that I'm looking at is the Woodsey Too Grey Ghost, and the Millenium M150. I'm not against the M100 either if it's cheaper.

I'm just not convinced a normal saddle is going to be comfortable enough to stay out there. They look great for going in somewhere deep and sitting 2-3 hours, but they do not look like the kind of thing you want to sit in most of a day. I'm still looking for reports on the JX3 hybrid on sitting 6 hours or more in them.

 

[bigbuckbuster]

You should look at a JX3 hybrid saddle. Basically like sitting in a lawnchair. I don’t own one but sounds like it might be a good fit for you.


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[Pickettpuncher]

Having a footrest will help alleviate many of the aches. Summit makes a very comfortable seat, but the millennium style seats are comfy as well.

 

[Novashooter]

You should look at a JX3 hybrid saddle. Basically like sitting in a lawnchair. I don’t own one but sounds like it might be a good fit for you.


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It's the #1 on my list if I went the saddle route. Unless I can find one to try first, the price is pretty steep. Maybe in the future, but I think I'd buy the Woodsey too before I got this.

 

[Honyock]

To me, the seat is the key. If you're not comfortable you're not going to stay still. Light and comfortable is like finding a unicorn. As I have gotten older, comfort has moved to the top of the list and I have moved towards the Millenium type seats with a back rest. I've done my share of all day sits on small, steel frame hang on stands in the sleet and rain and will leave that for someone younger. I have several Hawk hang on stands (Helium Kickback and Cruzr) that I use for bow hunting and for me they are pretty comfortable. For all day rifle sits, a 1.5 ladder stand is the ticket for me. Cabela's has the Big Game Hunter HD 1.5 ladder stands on sale for $120 and for the money, it's a good, comfortable stand. I picked up three more on the sale. They can be a pain in the ass to assemble but nothing some cold pop won't fix.

 

[Novashooter]

To me, the seat is the key. If you're not comfortable you're not going to stay still. Light and comfortable is like finding a unicorn. As I have gotten older, comfort has moved to the top of the list and I have moved towards the Millenium type seats with a back rest. I've done my share of all day sits on small, steel frame hang on stands in the sleet and rain and will leave that for someone younger. I have several Hawk hang on stands (Helium Kickback and Cruzr) that I use for bow hunting and for me they are pretty comfortable. For all day rifle sits, a 1.5 ladder stand is the ticket for me. Cabela's has the Big Game Hunter HD 1.5 ladder stands on sale for $120 and for the money, it's a good, comfortable stand. I picked up three more on the sale. They can be a pain in the ass to assemble but nothing some cold pop won't fix.

That's about how I feel, but I'm not even old. I'm just willing to sweat a little more to carry a more comfortable stand. Carrying weight is easy for me. Sitting long periods in discomfort are not.

For the bear season I picked up a Rivers Edge 2 man ladder stand that was on sale. I thought about the 1.5 man since they were dirt cheap like $110, but if I'm hauling something like this out, I want to at least have the option of having two people. It would be pretty tight for two grown men in it, but I could definitely take kids out in this. Unfortunately the ladder is pretty flimsy, and I ended up bending the bottom run right away. I'm probably just going to cut that last foot off, and weld some plates on the bottom. They dig into the dirt without anything on there.

I'm still thinking about what I'll get for a more portable option, but I have plenty of time to think about it. Ideally I'd like to at least handle a JX3 seat before choosing.

 

[Mtns2hunt]

I see you have discounted Summit mainly due to the Chinese construction. I purchased my Climbers 10 and 20 years ago and have found them trusty and stable with all the leg room you could possibly need.

My climbers were made in the US. I am sure the Chinese are made to the same specs. So you should try one. Your patriotism is appreciated but if you are serious about a comfortable and easy climber to use try a Summit. I frequently sit all day in mine. Get cramped just stand up. Simple. Hope you find what you're looking for.

 

[Novashooter]

I see you have discounted Summit mainly due to the Chinese construction. I purchased my Climbers 10 and 20 years ago and have found them trusty and stable with all the leg room you could possibly need.

My climbers were made in the US. I am sure the Chinese are made to the same specs. So you should try one. Your patriotism is appreciated but if you are serious about a comfortable and easy climber to use try a Summit. I frequently sit all day in mine. Get cramped just stand up. Simple. Hope you find what you're looking for.

That's not really the case. Cougar Claw is the same price, as good, probably better, USA made. Summit simply does not make sense right now

I'm not interested in either anymore. Ended up spending way too much money feeding racoons (failed bear baiting). I'm leaning to buying the woodsey too stand, and may try the JX3 in the future for a light option.

 

[Mtns2hunt]

That's not really the case. Cougar Claw is the same price, as good, probably better, USA made. Summit simply does not make sense right now

I'm not interested in either anymore. Ended up spending way too much money feeding racoons (failed bear baiting). I'm leaning to buying the woodsey too stand, and may try the JX3 in the future for a light option.

Well I hope you find what you're looking for and I can't comment to much on the other brands because I have been using the Summit for at least 20+ years. But I am curious about the Woodsey too stand so looked it up on Texas Direct for 449.. Did not realize it was a hang on. Our types of hunting are much different as I need mobility. Good hunting!

 

[Novashooter]

Well I hope you find what you're looking for and I can't comment to much on the other brands because I have been using the Summit for at least 20+ years. But I am curious about the Woodsey too stand so looked it up on Texas Direct for 449.. Did not realize it was a hang on. Our types of hunting are much different as I need mobility. Good hunting!

Climbers being used to climb are out of the question. I would never find a tree I could use it on, they do not exist here. The only reason I was even considering them was to use as a hang on, they look more comfortable than most hang on stands, that is until I saw the Millennium m150.

The way I see it, if I'm going through the trouble of pre-hanging a stand, it may as well be a comfortable one.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Look at the Tethrd Lockdown Saddle. I ordered the extra large version and it's practically hanging off of me all tightened down snug. I think you'd find it comfortable and would definitely fit you. My BiL is 6"4, pushing 300 lbs and it also fit him well. Again, if you don't like it, you can get your money back pretty easily.

I have done all day sits in the original Mantis comfortably, and with what I've experienced with the Lockdown thus far, I might be falling asleep in it. It's that comfortable.