Stand reccomendation

[tecum-tha]

I think the "I only can afford one" approach is flawed.
As an example: I can buy one lone wolf hand climber for around $350 or I can buy:
one hang on treestand from Menards for about $60 (bigger comfortable model opposed to the $30 small hang on) and 4 climbing sticks for $15 a piece which makes $120 total. They also had a climbing treestand which looked decent and was $189 normally but $129 on closeout. Added up to $249. Now they had a 18 ft ladder stand that was a little flimsy but light for $50 a piece.
I bought two of them and to make them even better and more stable, just cut 2-3 ft off the lowest ladder section to get  16 or 15ft ladder stands.
I am right now at the same price as I am  with buying a lone wolf climber. I love my lone wolf climber, my lone wolf hang on, 3 double bull blinds and ladder stands but more stands buy you more versatility.
Example: Place the ladder stands permanently and also the hang on stand if you wish and leave your climber in reserve. If you hunt from your ladder stands/ fixed position stand, often you will see a deer pattern developing close to the ladder stands but not close enough to shoot. The deer may know that there is a ladder stand or they use the trail over which you set up at different times when there is no hunting possible.
But if you see deer from your ladder stands, then you can surprise them when the weather is right with taking your climber and set up where they come along at the weather/wind pattern you observed them coming out.
Ladder stands are great and easy to hunt out of and they are also great scouting stands....

[stonewall]

Summit open shot is light. But if you have wide shoulders like mine they are a awkward . But I took a piece of anchor rope and tied it from the seat rails and made a sit and climb out of it.

[KyRidgeRunner]

I've had the vipor.  Not sure I ever sat in it without falling to sleep.   That being said I sold the vipor when I started using mostly trad gear because I couldn't get the rail low enough to suit me.  I've never had luck trying to carry a hang on and ladder sticks.  I'm far to clumsy and loud to be doing a setup like that before a hunt.  For those reasons I voted the cobra.

[lt-m-grow]

Given your description, I didn't vote for any of them.

The real answer is lone wolf (as others have said).

I own two stands, a lone wolf climber and the summit climber.  Love them both.   The summit is for all day sits and the lone wolf is for everything else.

Summit is a more comfortable and the lone wolf is much much easier to haul around.

[Orion]

I'm kind of partial to the Lone Wolf as well.  I also use it for all day sits, a lot of them.

[lt-m-grow]

Originally posted by Orion:
I'm kind of partial to the Lone Wolf as well.  I also use it for all day sits, a lot of them.

oooh I agree  that the lone wolf is comfortable too...but can you sleep in a lone wolf? :-)

It isn't that I try to sleep, but on a long cold Nov. day it can be kinda nice to catch a few winks in the afternoon sun when things are slow.  No worries (for me) doing that in a summit, would not think of it in a lone wolf.

[Gordon Jabben]

Lone wolf X7

[Kyle Lancaster]

I voted for neither of your choices. I had the Summit viper. It's pretty bulky to carry around. if you're really going to be mobile, then my first choice is a Lone wolf climber (folds flat and I can hang a pack on it). Second choice is a Lone Wolf alpha with sticks.

Check this post...

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=079834#000000

Good Luck,
Kyle

[Gdpolk]

Thanks to all for the valued input.  I've got a new stand on the way to test and become proficient with before next fall.