Any Climbing Treestand Users?

[J-dog]

I use a lone wolf climber, love it and it is safe as long as you are safe. Give it a go think you will like it.

J

[Bowguy67]

 Like I said earlier a Lone Wolf is no question better if you ask me. I think the stand you’re looking at is a BIG mistake. No one is considering climbing w it. The open shot is gonna require some core strength. Not insane core strength but a little.
In a Lone wold sit and climb you can SIT and CLIMB.
My opinion is besides the point, only stating it again because I feel very strongly you are making the wrong decision. I hope I’m wrong.
All that being said Darrin’s post about practice is dead on. Until you gain famalirity w it, you may hate any climber. That only lasts one or two sessions. Practice packing, unpacking. Practice climbing, descending. Practice putting on a harness, where to position belt on tree and fall rescue.
Set up your stand the way you like, for instance personally I use a haul line permanently tied to stand. Another thing that’s a pia is the backpack straps on any stand, they like to fall down on your arms it seems like. A “breast strap” is a strap I cinch together the two back pack straps in front of me to prevent the riding down. That being said a headlamp that straps to your head may help at first as well as practicing outside in the dark.
You also need to think about hanging bow and a way to prevent your arrow from falling when bumped.
Last but not least Tell someone where you’ll be and leave your phone ACCESSIBLE!!

[DarrinG]

Thanks to Fisherick and The Rifleman (Lucas McCain!) for their great mod ideas!

After reading this thread and their mods, I went out this evening with my Open Shot to a poplar tree in our yard. I fixed an old web safety belt to the braces on the top seat section. I adjusted it to where it was comfortable while sitting and my legs were at the right height to still get a decent range of motion to be able to lift the platform up a decent amount. After a couple minor length adjustments, I was zipping up and down the tree while sitting just like a sit-n-climb with little effort. I found I couldn't get quite the longer strokes/distances making ground as when just using my forearms on the seat and lifting with my abs/legs, but not by a lot....and it was MUCH easier. Once height is reached, the sling climbing seat was no hindrance right where it hangs, didn't bother me at all. What a great modification! Thanks again guys!! 

[sneakybow]

Army surplus stores

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but anyone care to share their source for molle shoulder/lumbar straps that work with the Open Shot?
Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Wannabe1]

Nice Darrin, thank you for posting pics of your modification! Looks simple enough.

[DarrinG]

Since the last posts on this thread I've had a chance to actually now hunt from my new Open Shot SD. I can report and I am quite happy with the stand. SUPER comfortable! I added the Third Hand Straps to it and wow...it was already stable but with the straps its even more-so. They add virtually no weight and they double as straps to bind the sections together when packing in-out.

My ONLY concern is...the padded seat. Under the sewn-on camo fabric on the bottom there seems to be some sort of vinyl covering maybe for waterproofing? When seated and I twist, it squeaks. Squeaks as in like someone twisting on a vinyl covered chair. After careful inspection, it's not the stand making ANY noise, its the padded seat on the bottom side. When I twist any at all while seated, it's noticeable noisy. No doubt that's where its coming from. The pad is sewn on to the seat bar so it don't fall off and loose it while hiking in. Anyone else experienced this? What was your remedy? I hate to cut the nice thick pad off the seat bar but I may have to and replace it with something else.

In any event, report from me is this was a great purchase. Stand climbs great, very stable (and SUPER stable with the Third Hand straps), as light in weight for a climbing stand as you'll find (in the top few) and very, very comfortable.

[varmint101]

I've hunted out of a summit viper xls for I believe 15 years now.  Killed quite a few critters out of it with my bow.  Very comfortable.  Longest bow I've used out of it is a 64" longbow.  It works.  2 things no matter the climber. MAKE SURE YOU TIE THEM TOGETHER!  Will or should come with a rope that attaches the upper portion to the bottom portion.  Make certain you tie them together where if the bottom falls you can reach it.  I was messing around with the bottom connection while seated one November morning and knocked it loose by accident.  Good grief that was a horrifying 5 minutes getting it back attached.  At least I had my harness.  Other thing is have a nice handsaw to take out a branch or two quickly if you need to so you can get higher.  A crappy saw will flat wear you out before you get up LOL.

[10essee]

I think if weight and safety are your main concerns you should look into a saddle system. A Quido’s web is a solid seat saddle system that combined with a climbing method should keep you under 15-16# with the benefits of being able to hunt virtually any tree in the woods. You’re always attached to the tree with safety rope/tree tether and lineman's belt up and down.

[joel0711]

Just getting into saddle hunting this year. Received a mantis couple of days ago. Will take a little practice but at 8 lbs including 5 lb climber/platform I think it's the way to go. Very limited use but so far it feels comfortable and gives 360 degrees shooting.

[hitman]

When I use a climbing stand it is an API grand slam magnum. It is a sit down and stand up ,very easy to use. The bar on the top part can get in the way on shots underneath you but you can maneuver it.

[KodaChuck]

If the tree you select is angled away slightly by just a few degrees.....way easier to go with a climber. Conversely, if you are going up a tree and it is slightly angled towards your body ....way harder to go up. A sit and climb strap may not work so well if you are a big guy. Just not a lot of room for your knees and you might be limited on distance gained per move. I have owned both Lone Wolf and Summit and give the nod to Lone Wolf. I'm in my 60's and find that by resting my upper body weight on the seat (arms and elbows)  it allows me to pull the bottom section up easily with my feet. In my view, the Lone Wolf belts that go around the tree and related locking system beat the Summit system.  Only failure in my climbing experience that covers nearly 40 years of climbing was a broken weld on a Summit at 13 feet up....not what you want to hear...the aluminum ping in the dark. For an all day sit ....and with anything else except a traditional bow, the Summit is more comfortable. Most of my hunts are short 3 hour sits .....the Lone Wolf packs down better than any stand I've used.....and the retention system that connects the top section to the bottom is slick and when tightened after the ascent, make the Lone Wolf stand quiet and very secure.

[pavan]

I had an original Baker, but not the hand climber.  I used a rope gizmo around the tree as a climber.  I also had a Sabor, one day when I went into town for lunch someone stole the seat.  The seat of the Sabor was dangerous and a bit unpredictable.  My son went to the Lone Wolf climber, it you do things exactly as the directions given in the video, they are safe and quite easy to use.  I think everyone that hunts public land should use them.  Too many people tend to not take out their tree stands.  The game warden has a storage bin full of them, the ones he took out this summer long past the removal date of one week after the season closes.   Not a climber in the bunch. 

[swampbow2]

  Lone Wolf unless you are a really large person in which case they won't be very comfortable for a long sit. Lone Wolf has the quickest, most quiet attachment system by far and folds flat hugging your back for easy hiking through the brushy stuff.

[Friend]

While I have been restricted to the ground since 2008, I had harvested many deer, including a nice 6 x 6, from climbers.

Summits have been my climber of choice as they provided excellent security
There are several other great candidates available.today.

I have hunted with and without the guard rail.  My last couple of Summits had the guard rail. I strongly prefer the guard rail.

[Mr. fingers]

Dont know if its been mentioned but tether the two sections together when using you don’t want to have you platform sliding down the tree while your sittig in or hanging onto the seat for dear life trying to figure how to get down or retrieve your platform. Happened to me a few times