What's a Good Mobile Tree Stand Setup?

NDGuy

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I have always bought the cheapest stands I could find since I am mostly hunting over heavy trails/bait. I have decided I want to buy a setup for going deep into areas and do more of a run and gun approach. What do most of you use for your mobile stand setup? Been looking at Lone Wolf but there has to be some less expensive options for a lightweight/climbing stand + sticks.
 
Lone wolf/xop is really heads and tails above all other commercial stuff. Beast sticks are also really nice.

There are plenty of other stands/sticks that are as light as lone wolf/xop but they don’t have the functionality.

There is a reason lone wolf stands and sticks have gone unchanged for so long. They flat out work better than anything else.

The new Lone Wolf Custom Gear (separate entity from lone wolf) is another adaptation of the already awesome lone wolf set up.

Anything you get will need to be covered in stealth strips/hockey tape. You’ll need to work at figuring out what’s best for you as far as set up process. It’ll take some time to get used to but you will eventually be almost as fast as a climber. I wouldn’t buy a set up in the middle of the season. You’ll need time to actually practice with it.


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I use a used lone wolf and the new Hawk Helium climbing sticks. The sticks you can get for $99.99 at most stores, the lone wolf I got I found on Craigslist and jumped on it right away, it's the original sand cast that weighs in at 9.5#'s. I got it for $100, you just have to keep an eye out and be ready to jump on one right away.
 
Lone Wolf, XOP and some of the older Muddy stands are really heads and tails above their competitors. I personally like Muddy sticks with the rope cam system, but guys will mod Lone Wolf and others to do the same. All that said, I'd take a hard look into tree saddles as well. Thethrd makes a slick system that seems like the ultimate run & gun setup. As big as a fan of a mobile hang on/stick combo I am, I'm going to look pretty hard into a saddle before next season.
 
As big as a fan of a mobile hang on/stick combo I am, I'm going to look pretty hard into a saddle before next season.
I honestly can't take those seriously, it just looks ridiculous idk why I can't get passed it lol
 
You will be hardpressd to find a more functional stand then a chippaewa wedgelok, inwould take it over a lone wolf or anything else out there at this point, I also have an XOP, muddy and millennium
 
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I have used a Hawk stand- solid stand, lightweight and comfortable.

I have used the hawk helium sticks and the XOP sticks. I preferred the hawk sticks. They are lighter and don’t alternate steps like the XOP. With this said, both are solid choices


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There are less expensive options. For years, I used a small Aluminum Gorilla brand hang-on stand and carried 5 or 6 of the nylon strap-on steps. That's all I needed to get at least 12-14' up and usually not even that many steps since I would use good tree branches as steps whenever possible.

The whole setup weighed right at 15 lbs. Stand was 8 lbs. and the steps and bag were 7 lbs.

I bought some LW sticks (3) a few years ago, but frankly I'm not a huge fan of them. They don't seem as safe and stable to me as other sticks I've used, and they are not as versatile as the individual strap-on steps that I can put individually wherever I want.

I've reached the point where I'm probably not going to be climbing trees that much anymore, but if I were to do the last 25 years over again, I'd go back to my little aluminum Gorilla stand and those steps. I killed a lot of critters on public land using those.
 
I’ve been running a lone wolf alpha and sticks this year and really like the set up. If I was to change anything, I may go with the hawk helium sticks but the LW stick have worked great for me so far.


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Man, you gotta go the tree saddle route. I thought they looked goofy too. So light weight and can get into any tree. Concealment is great

I have a Tethrd mantis and predator platform with Hawk Helium sticks. With a 5-step aider, I can get about 20 fit up. Since you can virtually get in any tree with a saddle, I've found myself only going up around 15 feet with good cover.
 
I have an older lone wolf and the lone wolf sticks. No complaints. I have a cord on the bottom of my stick to add an extra step at ground level giving me a couple more feet to play with at the top of the tree.

I have a lone wolf climber as well but in SE MN you can get pretty hard pressed to find the right tree in state land.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. Seems like much is the same with the other posts on here.

Stand: Lone Wolf or XOP
Sticks: Lone Wolf, Hawk Helium, or Muddy Sticks
Saddle: Tethrd
 
I have a Tethrd mantis and predator platform with Hawk Helium sticks. With a 5-step aider, I can get about 20 fit up. Since you can virtually get in any tree with a saddle, I've found myself only going up around 15 feet with good cover.
Doesn't hunting with a saddle just kill your back?
 
Lone wolf stand, muddy/big game 20 inch sticks with rope cam lock.

Best way ive found. Been doing it 7 years now. So nice if your hunting area and wind changes. Just take down and move. Takes all of 10 min once you have a system
 
No the saddle does not hurt my back. You can buy a separate strap to attach to the bridge for upper back support. I don't use one. Most of your body weight is centered on your hips/waist. I periodically adjust the tether length so that I'm leaning more straight vs. bent at the knees. I generally am a leaner, so prefer to have a shorter tether length. Lots of small things you can do to make the most comfortable for YOU. Not a one size fits all type deal.
 
I got my tethrd saddle last Jan. And this is my first full season using it,so far liking it.for the money the hawk helium sticks are hard to beat.still boucing back and forth between a ring of steps and the predator platform.
 
I actually use my lone wolf sticks and stand more often than my climber. Many places here in central Wi it’s hard to find good climbing trees. The lone Wolf is so simple and fast
 
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