Best Treestands

[Forestryguy]

With seasons right around the corner I have been thinking about treestands. What do you all think are the best stands that are available, light weight for public ground and permanent hang-on. I am not to interested in climbers, I like to be able to pick trees based on location and not if they are straight or not.

If you could create the perfect stand, what would it be like? Thanks in advance.

 

[Droptine]

Lone wolf for me. I don't like looking for a perfect tree either. Wolfs will go in a crooked tree and u can make it comfortable. Some say seat is uncomfortable but I like it, a platform that isn't level is uncomfortable to me!

 

[tommymo]

Lone wolf, best change I have made to my hunting system

 

[LostArra]

I've got a hodge podge of different stands out right now. 15 total. Some cheapo, some pricey. (I only bow hunt)
Once they are in the tree they all work fine in fact I like hunting out of a couple of cheapos maybe the best because of the seat-platform-cable design but this is personal preference.

If I was strictly on public ground and moving my location a lot I would put the Lone Wolf and the Chippewa Wedge Loc at the top of the list for easy set up. Neither is perfect but for set up they are top shelf. One I have not tried yet is the XOP hang-on. Newer company started by original Lone Wolf owner and use a similar hanging system.

(If you are doing any all-day sits and need a good nap the Millenium hang on has the absolute best seat but for me the design is not the best for shooting my bow. I always stand to shoot and spend most of my time standing.)

 

[Jeff Martin]

I am always surprised when I see the love for Lone Wolf stands. Yes, they are easy to hang but they are so uncomfortable. Many stands out there that are more comfortable (Like a Millennium) and killing deer is a waiting game. I also had 2 LWs break on me (The leveling piece on the seat is plastic). They may have changed that on the new ones, not sure.

Anyhow, we all have our preferences and that is just my take. Gorilla makes a comfortable stand as well.

 

[LostArra]

I am always surprised when I see the love for Lone Wolf stands. Yes, they are easy to hang but they are so uncomfortable. Many stands out there that are more comfortable (Like a Millennium) and killing deer is a waiting game. I also had 2 LWs break on me (The leveling piece on the seat is plastic). They may have changed that on the new ones, not sure.

Anyhow, we all have our preferences and that is just my take. Gorilla makes a comfortable stand as well.

Agree on the LW seat comfort (I also don't like the platform cables positioning). The XOP may be addressing that issue but with the same ease of hanging.
I've got a few Gorillas I bought on clearance that I really like but unfortunately Gorilla is no longer in the treestand business.

I think the "best" treestand depends on your priorities because they all have trade-offs and we all have different butt comfort tolerances.
I've got a Leverage ladder stand tucked up in a big cedar that is probably one of my best setups but I don't want to haul it thru the woods on public ground.
The Millenium does have a comfortable seat but to go from sitting to standing requires a lot more movement to get that lounger folded up than a small flip up seat.
I can sit on just about anything even for all-day middle of the rut hunts but I want a small platform so I can hang the stand between multiple tree trunks. This might not be important for elk but our deer are so skittish it's important to keep some cover even when drawing your bow.

 

[mathews8pt]

This is my setup for public ground. Lone wolf alpha and 5 muddy sticks. Love it. I use a duplex frame to haul it around comfortably. It's mid 30s for weight with camera, arm and some clothes tied on. I can sit all day in a lone wolf, no problem, although there is probably more comfortable options.

I loved gorilla stands when they still made them. Still have 3 or 4 and then I use 20' stack on sticks for permanent sets. My wife is more comfortable on those setups then my lonewolf/muddy combo.


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[WoodBow]

I run cheapo hang ons from Academy or sportsmans guide for about $40. Id rather be able to afford multiple stands than one really nice one. If one gets stolen, oh well. Sure there are more comfortable stands but i have a small butt and they dont bother me. Deer seem to die just as dead.

 

[woods89]

Probably a different direction than you want to go, but you might research the New Tribe Aero Hunter system if you do any hang and hunt public land hunting. I've had mine two years and killed four deer out of it and I won't be setting foot on a standard hang on again. Let's you shoot almost 360 degrees, offers great concealment, and hangs in almost any tree you can get the rope around.

 

[Pittstate23]

I really like the hawk kickback and millennium models that have the folding seat for all day hunts. I love sitting all day and its much easier for me to do so when I'm comfortable. Theres lots of other great stands out there too.

 

[nirvanafan]

We moved from homemade hang on stands (Dad was a metalworker) to ladder stands. The ladder stands are easier to get in and out of, and that's a plus for the older hunters in our group. We usually pay between $50 and $80 for them. Once they get set up, we rarely move them.

 

[alexanderg23]

Lone Wolf for me. Millennium are another favorite, beat LW on comfort, but for go anywhere and quiet, I like LW.

 

[mikkel318]

I have a Trophy Line TreeSaddle that I absolutely love. I use it with 4 Lone Wolf Sticks and I can set up in almost any tree. I learned to use it with the Eberhart's book and I have made a few modifications. It's quiet lightweight and I find it comfortable for long sits because I can actually doze off without feeling like I am going to fall out.

 

[xziang]

Agree for lonewolf if you are packing in and out on a daily basis. If you plan to leave the stand buy some cheap Menards/Wallyworld hand on stands to leave for the season. Then just get some lone wolf sticks or such to get into the stand and carry those in each time.

 

[Forestryguy]

Right now I am running a Lone Wolf and sticks. I am probably going to set the sticks for a setup on the private I can hunt and carry in the stand. I am looking at going with the XOP climbing sticks. They seem to let you get more of your foot onto the step and they lock together or transport.

After looking around I like the way the new Millennium light weight stand looks, not sure if it would get into a crooked tree though. I also found innovative treestands, Innovative Treestands, Inc. Developing Versatile, Dependable, Better Treestand Products, I think I am going to get one to try out. I found a guy that was selling one for pretty cheap. You can adjust the stand a whole lot for some really crooked trees. I am not sure how quite it will be setting up since there are a few pins to pull to adjust everything.

 

[Forestryguy]

My main reason for bringing this up, is that I am just tired of having so many stands sitting out and rusting in the woods. Plus, I do not like to leave stands up on public and have others hunt them.

 

[elkyinzer]

Based on what you're saying about mobility and concern about other hunters using your stands, I wouldn't totally write off a climber as a tool in the arsenal, but that's just my opinion. You'd be surprised some of the trees I can get up with a folding saw and a little upper body strength, they definitely don't need to be telephone pole straight.

 

[Sodbuster]

I run ladder stands and some homemade tower stands around my house. In other spots I buy inexpensive climbing stands when they are on sale then use light weight climbing sticks to set and level them.The climbers are much more comfortable then hang ons and I can swap the seats out if I need to. If the location is in human traffic area I just drop the sticks and stash them.

 

[jspradley]

Probably a different direction than you want to go, but you might research the New Tribe Aero Hunter system if you do any hang and hunt public land hunting. I've had mine two years and killed four deer out of it and I won't be setting foot on a standard hang on again. Let's you shoot almost 360 degrees, offers great concealment, and hangs in almost any tree you can get the rope around.

I'm looking to take the plunge into my first tree stand this year and I'm definitely following this thread!!

I was eyeing those aero hunters today, are they comfortable for sitting for hours? Have you used one for bow hunting or rifle only?

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[Sodbuster]

jspradley

I'm looking to take the plunge into my first tree stand this year and I'm definitely following this thread!!

I was eyeing those aero hunters today, are they comfortable for sitting for hours? Have you used one for bow hunting or rifle only?

Another reason for the inexpensive climbing stands combined with sticks.Swap out the seat with a Hazmore drop in and any stand is all day comfortable.