XOP, Novix, and Lone Wolf Treestands

[archp625]

I started hunting deer when I was 11 years old with a bow. I was not successful for many years because I was all on my own. My dad didn't hunt. In high school I ramped up my archery hunting and took it to a new level in college. I then fell in love with waterfowl hunting and haven't really tree stand hunted in a long time. When I did I used a Summit Openshot Climber. Now I am looking forward to getting out in the woods again and have been shooting my bow everyday. What tree stand and sticks is everyone using now? Seems like climbers are not a thing anymore. Also saddle hunting seems like a big thing but that seems wild to me. Lets discuss.

 

[Bigboone1988]

I would go with novix over XOP. Novix is made in USA and was formerly lone wolf before lone wolf custom gear came for the lone wolf name.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

I have a few LW hand climbers I leave on trees during hunting season on a private lease - still my favorite stands but climbers are on the outside looking in these days and arent as versatile as a hang on with sticks. I have LW assault (smaller platform more like the novix helo) and Novix Echo (similar to the older LW Alpha with the bigger platform) hang ons I use for mobile sets. I did the lightweight setups, and a season with a saddle, and ultimately I like stands with bigger platforms so the LW Assault gets used the least. Saddle hunting, just not my thing. The novix echo (just saw they sell a hunt ready system with sticks on their website) would be the stand Id go with if starting from scratch.

A lot factors here, but Ill deal with the added weight to have a roomy platform. A heck of a lot of personal preference though. Might take some buying and selling to get what works best for you, but yeah, Id start with the Novix Echo / 4 stick ready to hunt package.

The LWCG 2.0 is the bees knees in bigger platform hang ons, but also roughly twice the cost of the Novix Echo that I have no complaints about. Maybe one day.

 

[KnuckleChild]

When I mobile hunted a lot I used a Lone Wolf Alpha 2 (which looks like is now the Novix Echo). I liked it a lot, I may have gone with the Assault in hindsight (Novix Helo it looks like now) just for a little smaller size.
I have a saddle and platform now that I use when mobile which would have been even better on the public land I hunted, but most of my whitetail hunting is on leased land where the stands stay up year round.
Some folks still use climbers, with some repetition I got to where the lock on was just as fast for me and didn’t see any advantage to the climber.

 

[three5x5s]

I like the Echo, but I'm 5 ft 4"130 pounds. Echo w/4 of the mini stix with 16" cable adiers is a good set up. Good discussion on the Novix Echo here. https://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/novix-tree-stand.38844/

 

[Jkwright]

Novix raised their prices $100 from where they were a year ago. I know inputs and wages have gone up but not 40%. Kind rubbed me the wrong way. I almost bought a Helo last year and was thinking about it for this year but for $340 I'd pony up another $160 and buy a LWCG .5

 

[three5x5s]

Got mine at the beginning for $204. I agree. For me the .5 is worth the 160 more.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Novix raised their prices $100 from where they were a year ago. I know inputs and wages have gone up but not 40%. Kind rubbed me the wrong way. I almost bought a Helo last year and was thinking about it for this year but for $340 I'd pony up another $160 and buy a LWCG .5

Yeah, that is true. I bought my echo last summer at the lower price, but I did have to rattle can my platform and seat a flat green because it had a damn near reflective shine out of the box, but did come out pretty nice, but did add a step from box to tree. My LW hand climbers and Assault had a dull finish - not sure what happened with their manufacturing process as they were the ones who made the LW stuff I have before the name change to Novix. This year theyve added a coating to take the shine off, so Im sure thats part of the added cost along with inflation.

I could maybe swing a LWCG 1.0 as far as platform size, but id deal with the weight/cost to have the bigger 2.0 platform. I just cant justify double the cost of the Echo that I thought was just about perfect last season. If my preference was a light and small platform, I would probably go for the LWCG .5 as well.

 

[TN2shot07]

I bought a Helo last season and never had an issue. The only changes I’ve made are upgrading the seat and rigging an insert for my sticks. I use it with a set of the beat gear sticks, best I’ve used by far. I do wish they packed a little better.

I do agree after the price increases I’d be looking close at lwcg or a beast stand

 

[WCB]

I have a couple the Lone Wolf Alpha and the LW sticks (4) no complaints at all from them for my more mobile setups. I also have like 4 sets of (4) of I believe Big Game sticks (steps kind of shaped like a horse shoe) that I use for my "permanent" setups. big steps and stand out from the tree further. as easy as climbing a ladder and accommodates bigger boots for late season.

Climbers aren't bad if you have a tree prepped or hunt areas with straight trees and no branches. Even then There are times I had to be 10-15 yards further than I wanted to from a trail because of the tree situation when a hand one would have worked anyways.

As far as saddles...nope

 

[Presto]

Depends on where you live. If you have a lot of straight trees without limbs, a lone wolf hand climber is about the quickest and easiest to use. With alot of limbs I use my lone wolf alpha 2 with sticks. Have debated on getting a LW assault 2 since it’s a bit smaller. The new LWCG stuff is nice but I don’t have it in me to spend 800$ on a stand and sticks right now.

 

[JimGa]

I have the .5 and use it as a hybrid saddle platform or as a normal hang on. I'm 5'-10", 175 lbs and it works for me. I'd maybe buy the .75 if it had been around but no complaints. The single step mini sticks really make a sleek profile as a package.

 

[Roosterstraw]

Are you hunting public land or private? Do you plan on mobile hunting or hanging several sets pre-season? If you’re hanging sets pre-season I would recommend millennium stands. I have yet to find a stand as comfortable as the m100. If you’re going mobile and only plan on buying one stand I would look at novix, ooal, lwcg, elevate, xop, beast gear. I currently run the beast stand and sticks. The beast sticks are the best on the market imo, the stand would be the best if they would redesign the antler bracket….that thing will pop on hard bark trees any time you shift your weight. It’s super annoying and can ruin a hunt. If I were to buy another mobile stand it would be the lwcg .75 with a mesh seat.

 

[KnuckleChild]

If you’re hanging sets pre-season I would recommend millennium stands.

The academy gamewinner brand knockoffs are also very comfortable and cost less. They just weigh a ton and are a mf to hang. I think they make a easy mount block deal like millennium for them now though.

 

[archp625]

To answer a couple questions. This set up will be for public land hunting where I would want to set it up and take it down each hunt. I am in Northwest Missouri. We do have some straight trees but most are not. In the past I used a climber but was limited to hunt certain trees. My thought with the sticks and stand is I can hunt any tree now.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

To answer a couple questions. This set up will be for public land hunting where I would want to set it up and take it down each hunt. I am in Northwest Missouri. We do have some straight trees but most are not. In the past I used a climber but was limited to hunt certain trees. My thought with the sticks and stand is I can hunt any tree now.

In that case, I’d go Novix Helo and 4 Novix Mini double sticks with 16” or 18” cable aiders - get the ones from eastern woods outdoors, he sends the extended bolt you’d need. That’s my lightest weight set up, but with the lone wolf assault they don’t make anymore.

You could def go lighter than that, or a saddle but that set up is as much comfort/safety I personally want to give up. How you figure out what works for you is part of the process. I’d start with the helo and work your way lighter from there or maybe you’ll prefer a bigger platform, but the helo seems to be a good middle ground. I tend to use every setup I have more and they are heavier (Novix echo with 4 regular single steps, 2 lone wolf hand climbers and even still use an ol man).

 

[*zap*]

My LW alpha hand climber is very nice.

For a hang on I think I will stick to my xop silver....which is a LW alpha platform. I do have a assault one which has a little bigger platform than the last assault produced. But I think I will sell it this year and stick with the silver and alpha hand climber.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Those novix is like my original lone work. I'd use that for run and gun. Those m100 are like a lounge chair! Put your harness on

 

[archp625]

Those novix is like my original lone work. I'd use that for run and gun. Those m100 are like a lounge chair! Put your harness on

I found a lone wolf stand for pretty cheap. $175. IM thinking I will pick that up and some novix steps. Man we still need to get together.

 

[Macintosh]

Have a handful of the stands mentioned as well as a saddle, and have tried some of the high-$ stands along with the trendy tree-climbing methods like single-stick, drt, srt, etc. They all have their place, but I have come back to using either hang-on stand or saddle depending on location and exact setup, and using 2-step sticks to climb 99% of the time. Novix stands are slightly different sizes than lone wolf. Helo is smaller than either the current assault or the xop small stand (vanish I think?). I have a helo and really like it—i can handle the weight of a bigger stand, but the bulk while thrashing through thick stuff makes a big difference to me (and a few pounds less doesnt hurt if you're carrying it for miles), so I prefer my helo over the assault or the vanish due to size while carrying. I got a set of 2-step sticks specifically so I can rig them horizontally and low on my back, which I have found snags a lot less. I do a lot of 3-hour sits, so if I sat all day I might choose differently. I agree with the above comment that a helo and a set of the novix 2-step double steps are probably the best bang for the buck out there in a smaller mobile tree stand setup. Beast sticks everyone loves, they are just a little more $ than novix last I checked. I ended up With a set of the timber ninja carbon sticks, which I really like but are $$$$$ and definitely not where Id put my $ on a first set of sticks. Just beware that many of the 2-step sticks are just as heavy as the 3-steps, but wont get you as high without an aider.
Only other thing to note is that the way your sticks stack—straight stack versus an offset stack where the next stick stacks a little higher than the last—will to a degree determine your options for carrying them. I like to carry my sticks horizontal, which to me necessitates 2-step sticks that stack straight up without an offset.