Climbing Treestands

[XRoss93]

This’ll be my first year hunting with my bow and I’m trying to be as mobile as possible. In the past I’ve only ever hunted with my rifle out of a deer blind but this year I’m wanting to do a tree stand. What’s the general consensus on which climbing tree stand to go with?


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[arrowsender]

If you truly want to be mobile look into climbing sticks paired with a light weight hang on stand or saddle. It'll open up more opportunities to you. With a climber you are always looking for a good tree for your climber instead of the best tree for the spot.

 

[Ac338]

I also prefer a hang on with sticks. I run an xop vanish evolution and an xop air raid and love the setup. If your dead set on a climber the lonewolf hand climber is nice but I sold it due to the versatility of the hang on. Once you get the hang of it its a fast way to get up most trees.

 

[XRoss93]

If you truly want to be mobile look into climbing sticks paired with a light weight hang on stand or saddle. It'll open up more opportunities to you. With a climber you are always looking for a good tree for your climber instead of the best tree for the spot.

I think you make a really good point about the saddle. I guess big thing is I don't understand them or the high cost from companies like tethyrd

 

[XRoss93]

I also prefer a hang on with sticks. I run an xop vanish evolution and an xop air raid and love the setup. If your dead set on a climber the lonewolf hand climber is nice but I sold it due to the versatility of the hang on. Once you get the hang of it its a fast way to get up most trees.

Thank you for bringing up XOP, before this I had never heard of them, but now I'm interested in their climber

 

[Mountain_Life]

If you are hunting hardwood forests, a climber will work on most of the trees so it is a good option. If you are hunting tree lines or other transitional terrain, a hang on is a good option. As far as saddles, they are a very popular option lately but i don't like hanging from a tree by my underwear for more than an hour or maybe 2. If you are gonna sit for more than that, saddles become uncomfortable for me.

 

[XRoss93]

I agree completely, and that's just what I don't understand about the saddle. Some of the climber's I've looked at just look extremely comfortable if I'm going to be up in the tree for several hours.

 

[Drenalin]

For climbers, Summit Viper is the most comfortable I've tried. Lone Wolf hand climber was the lightest and packed the best. My favorite all around was a Lone Wolf Sit & Climb with a Hazmore seat in place of the factory seat. Best combination of packability and comfort, IMO. A climber is probably the lowest barrier to entry, they are easy if you have the right trees for it.

As others have said, a lightweight stand and sticks is the most versatile option. The guys at Lone Wolf have started a new company, Novix, with significantly lower prices than Lone Wolf. I'd check them out. Do some research on other companies like XOP and Lone Wolf Custom Gear...there are some horror stories out there, but some folks love them. You might keep an eye on Camofire for Hawk Helium sticks and Hawk or Muddy stands too as a lower cost option to get into this. But again, for what Novix stuff is priced at and what it is, I'd just start there.

 

[Bmoore]

I’ve had a climber for as long as I’ve hunted. Always old stand left to me by others. Never bought one and honestly never will. They are just not easy to setup. And in all the places I hunt I’m always looking for the tree it will work in.
I had one instance where a twig the size of my pinky was on the back side of a tree 15 feet up. Passed by it un the way up because it was growing that direction. On the way down I got stuck on it and couldn’t for life of me get the strap off that thing. It took me 30 minutes in total before I passed it. Took a few minutes to diagnose the issue and because of its location I had to rotate the stand around the tree so I could get at it with my pocket knife. But it took forever to cut through it because It was green and springy. Just had to keep working at it. Just one of many instances where little things are too much hassle. Had the bottom fall out from under me more than once. Luckily I’ve always had a rope tied between the top and bottom so I could get it back.
There’s a reason a lot of guys are switching to hang ins and saddles. Climbers had their hay day when they came out I’m sure. But there’s just so much better systems now. I wouldn’t waste a dime on a climber. Unfortunaly I’m still gonna be sitting in a 25 lb climber this year because it’s a loaner from my father in law and I can’t afford to upgrade this year. But when I do finally get my own system, it’s not gonna be a climber. I’ve just had too much experience with them to ever wanna waste money on them.
Just my opinion, climbers are better than nothing but worse than just about every other stand type you could buy.
Good luck with whatever you choose, just wanted to share my opinion so you have something to consider.

 

[Billy Goat]

Biggest thing is going to be having trees to use a climber in. Understand that with a climber you need a tree with no branches for 20' up the trunk if not higher. That's hard to come by in my area.

It can be hard to beat the comfort of a climber. I use to use a saddle some, I went to lightweight treestands. I never found a saddle to be that comfort, haven't messed with any of the newer systems. Have a lone wolf saddle system and an old trophyline tree saddle. The trophyline I refer to as my diaper. It's pretty big and heavy. Sticks and stands have been the best for me. Works on a tree with or without limbs.

If you still want a climber for where you hunt, which could be the right choice don't know the area. I'd look at one with an open top platform and a hanging sling seat. Lone wolf and xop both make one, don't know how comfortable the seat is, the line wolf climber with a fold down seat I don't find to be that comfortable. Summit makes a climber that is very comfortable, and reasonable on weight, just has a rail around it. Takes some practice to get used to a rail and a bow, but works great with a muzzleloader or a rifle.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Never had an issue finding a tree to climb with my climber. Might end up being 27 yards off a trail not 20, but so be it.
That being said, for run and gun, LW Assault climber. Light to pack in, quiet to hook up and climb. Not the most comfortable, but for 4-6 hours, not bad. For a all day sit, Summit Viper with a Hazmor seat. A little heavier and not as easy to hook up, but sure is comfortable to sit in.
Not sure what states you’re hunting in, but that will effect what type of trees you can climb. Better trees in Illinois and Indiana than in Mississippi. Carry a small saw to trim limbs and always wear a safety harness from the ground up.

 

[goodorbit]

Last season I bought a Summit Viper, and could not be happier. Getting off the ground changed the whitetail game for me. That stand is very stable and comfortable enough to nap in.
Yes, you are limited to the "right " trees, but here in the New England Hardwoods, there is always one that will work. I keep a small folding saw in the bag with the safety harness, so it always goes up with me.
This year I will be adding a real backpack harness to it to make packing it in more comfortable.
Good luck!

 

[WCB]

If you are just starting to hunt out of trees get a good light weight set of sticks and a light hang on stand. Opens up your options. I have a climber and haven't touched it in 10 years. As long as the tree isn't leaning too bad I can put my hang on in any tree...even pine trees. Frustrating with a climber finding great sign and no tree to climb.

I hunt several states and can tell you 100% there are places that there are zero trees to get a climber in and many times they have been the best spots. If I had a climber only I would have been screwed or gone old school and stood on a limb.

IMO...forget the harness for now

 

[N2TRKYS]

I’ve hunted using climbers and lockons with screw in steps and sticks for years. Without question, I prefer the climber over the lockon. I’ve never had any issues with finding trees to hang them on.

 

[XRoss93]

From reading the previous post, it seems that the consensus is pretty mixed between going with a climber or not. As of right now, I don't which tree I would be using to climb up in and what type of growth/branches it has.

A little background on the area is that it's in East Texas on a friends land. That said, the hangon with the climbing sticks does sound like it would be the most versatile option.

Most importantly though, and maybe this is something I need to test out, but I've never been up in a treestand. So I might just need to buy a system, and see what I like/don't like and figure which works best for me.

 

[Billy Goat]

Trees for climbers need to be like power poles, not too big not too small. Some areas it's not a problem, other areas they don't exist. East Texas, I think you would be better served by sticks and a lock on.

Make sure you get a good safety harness and at least have a lineman's belt on once your feet leave the ground

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

If East Texas is anything like the Dakotas good luck finding a straight/limbless tree.

 

[XRoss93]

Trees for climbers need to be like power poles, not too big not too small. Some areas it's not a problem, other areas they don't exist. East Texas, I think you would be better served by sticks and a lock on.

Make sure you get a good safety harness and at least have a lineman's belt on once your feet leave the ground

Billy Goat, thank you for your input. Prior to this, I really never gave a thought to the types of trees. Do you have a recommendation on the harness and linemans belt?

 

[Vtbowhunter3]

Hands down the best climber for me has been the lone wolf hand climber.


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[Billy Goat]

Billy Goat, thank you for your input. Prior to this, I really never gave a thought to the types of trees. Do you have a recommendation on the harness and linemans belt?

silentslide.com

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www.silentslide.com

This is what I have been using for several years now. It doesn't work quite as well for a lineman's belt, but will do the same thing. I prefer it to a full harness while in a treestand. I don't like dealing with a tether above my head, this product can swivel around your waist. If you fall the tether is really short so the impact of the fall should be a lot less severe, I also use it to lean out from a stand with. Might not be for you but it's what I have settled on. Probably not the easiest thing to use up and down a tree, but it works and I think it's a lot better in the stand than other options I have tried.