Climber or lock-on ? What do you use?

[wislnwings]

I use both but since I often hunt public land I tend to grab the climber more often.

[DarrinG]

I'm also a sticks/hang on stand hunter. Just fits the trees in my hunting areas better, plus I can choose trees with limbs for cover and get up in the midst of some limbs.

[Gdpolk]

I vote to have one of both. If you can only have one it'll depend on how and where you hunt. I picked up both of mine off season lightly used for over half off so my total investment in two stands are about the same as one stand at retail. Having two gives me options for versatility or convenience. It also gives me a backup in case of repairs or for a friend/family member to join me occasionally.  Storing one of each takes less space than storing a single ladder stand and opens up a lot more options for a mobile hunter.

Climbers: quicker, easier, lighter to pack in/out. I prefer them if I know where I'm going has a straight tree without limbs right where I want to be.

Hang on: MUCH more versatile for not that much more weight. Allows access to crooked trees and trees with limbs. This is my go to when I'm hunting new places, may be more mobile, and/or am going into an area where the trees aren't all super straight.

I prefer my climber for the ease and convenience but to be honest I use my hang on more because it's more versatile and just a bit better of a design for wilderness access.

[matt steed]

Thank you guys for all the advice. I am keeping the Treewalker and going to be on the look out for a lock on and sticks.

I can see that both will be handy.

[Gdpolk]

Originally posted by matt steed:
Thank you guys for all the advice. I am keeping the Treewalker and going to be on the look out for a lock on and sticks.

I can see that both will be handy.

Good call.  Lone Wolf's in my opinion make the best bases, frames, straps on climbers, and climbing sticks.  I believe them to be a bit overpriced for what they are BUT they are very well built and nice stands.  Summit seems to have the best comfort.  I like a small, fast, and light Lone Wolf hang on with HuntComfort seat and a big ole cozy Summit for my climber.

[DanielB89]

Originally posted by matt steed:
Thanks. I am going to look at some lock-on' s.  The Lone Wolf is good, but I am only good in it for about 2 hours. The seat is my problem not the platform. The Treewalker will be my go to climber.

Thanks for all the information.

If I may, let me recommend a few things to look for in a lock on.  

1. WEIGHT (obvious).  Having just finished this search, I think there are good stands out there under #14.  XOP is what I chose.  Hawk also makes  light stand.  So does X stand.  

2. COMFORT. You have already mentioned this in a complaint against the LW.  I agree with that.  XOP has a softer seat than the standard LW, but, with it being a sold seat(non sling or hanging seat), it will still be uncomfortable at times.  I have a Millennium M100u, M7 Microlite, and jsut recently got rid of a M60u.  The 100u is by far the most comforable, with the 60u being second and the m7 being last, but still more comfortable than most due to the seat not being a solid piece of something.  What you're sitting on gives when you're sitting on it.  

*small yet huge complaint, it doesn't have any adjust-ability with the seat position or the platform.  This doesn't matter if you sit on a straight tree, but then again, if were sitting on perfect trees, I would prefer my LW sit and climb.  

Also, I am not the largest fan of the Millennium receiver that you mount and then slide your tree on them.  I do find it slightly cumbersome hanging the bracket, then hanging the stand, but that's just personal preference.  


Packability is also huge.  The M100U is great due to the huge platform, but it can also be a little cumbersome to carry(again, my opinion).

[South MS Bowhunter]

Another opinion from someone who's used both the Lone Wolf hand climber and Alpha hang on.

I'm an older guy, 56, still in good shape, but I fine the hang on to be more cumbersome these days.  Perhaps due to age and endurance the task of hanging it is more than I want these days.

I much prefer the ease of the climber, faster and less fatigue, and less sweat here in the South.

I'm also moving more and more to a ground hunter, probably 50/50 now and still fining success.