Shopping for a new climber ...

[TX FLY CASTER]

Anyone have ant suggestions for a new climber?

[Mike Mongelli]

Lone Wolf.

[babs]

Lone wolf or summit with open front design, summit for comfort and lone wolf for ease of packing flat.

[Bowguy67]

I use a lone wolf too but summit is another good one.
Lone wolf is quieter, packs flatter.  Summit is more comfortable.

[Will H]

Yep, what they said ^^^

[bluemoonrising]

LW--for big guys--like me

[J. Cook]

It depends on what you want - the Summit is MUCH more comfortable and MUCH cheaper.  The LW is easier to pack and is lighter to carry.  The LW sit and climb is nice - I personally thought the hand climber to be very uncomfortable to climb with though.  

The arm rests on the Summit can get in the way with shots to the side.  The Summit does bite the tree really well though.

Overall - they both have their merits, but for me, I chose the Summit and saved $200 over the LW.  The LW line in my opinion is ridulously over priced.

[Gdpolk]

For bowhunting I like the open designs better. For rifle use I like the sit and climbs better.

Summit stands are significantly more comfortable to me making them the better choice for long sits.  I know if I'm not comfortable I start to move and wiggle a lot. Plus it's just not as enjoyable to be out there when you get a little uncomfortable.

Lone wolf stands are more quiet, lighter, pack smaller, and I really prefer their strap adjustments because they are more quiet and more precisely adjustable. They are ideal for when pack weight and bulk matter or for going into places where you don't know what trees you have because they are more adjustable.  I like their platform and frames the best but Summit has the best seats.  While I like the LW stands I think their retail cost is a bit artificially high for what you get, especially when you consider they aren't super comfortable. They are extremely well made however and with some modifications can be made even better and more comfortable.

In an ideal world you could have both a lone wolf and summit.  If cash is limited you might could shop at the end of the season for like new, used stands. I'm into my LW and Summit for just about the cost of admission of a new Lone Wolf by buying them at half off after someone else tried them out for 2-5 hunts one season and decided to ditch the climbers.

[Josh H]

I, like many others, own both now. Open Shot Summit and lone wolf hand climber.

Summit is more comfortable without a doubt, but weighs more--and is much more cumbersome getting in and out of the woods.

Lone Wolf folds flat, and is much lighter, though harder for me to climb with without the additional length of the rails.

I'm hunting exclusively out of the LW for this season--but I bought a new seat for it (Fat Boy) and hopefully it will do the deed.

BTW, I bought the LW used online for less than the new open shot so it can be done.

Good luck with choice--you really can't go wrong.
Josh

[dbd870]

Summit or Lone Wolf seem to be the 2 favorites on about every board I see this question asked.

[darin putman]

I have owned lone wolf sit and climb, and the hand climber also. Also owned and used a few of the summit stands and will not knock any of them as they all seem to get the job done, I still own a open shot but use my tree walker tree stand most now. Would recommend anyone looking for a stand to check treewalker out. I loaned mine to a friend looking for a stand and after using got him one also. There are several videos and reviews of them on line. Although not as easy to access as summit and lone wolf they seem to be a great stand.

[DanielB89]

no reason not to buy an XOP.  They're are made by the exact same guy that LW is made from, except at a much cheaper price.  I know this is due to the parts being imported and not all being made in America.  

For me, that really isn't that big of a deal.  But to some that is a deal breaker.

The XOP Strike force is probably my next stand.

[gvdocholiday]

I bowhunt out of my LW hand climber and *** hunt out of my summit sit and climb.  I can sit from dark to dark in my summit, which is what I usually due for ***.  

My bow hunts at most last 5-6hrs, averaging about 4hrs.  I do thoroughly prefer climbing with the LW...it's lighter, the platform seems to bite onto my boots tighter for better control, it's much quieter, and seems more stable.  But it ain't got squat for comfort.  I wish the seat platform was just 2" longer so I could somewhat lean back a bit, but you get what you get.

[tracker12]

Im buying Lone Wolf not a copy by XOP.  I'm not supporting a company that steals another design.

[Gen273]

I really like my Treewalker, very comfortable and stable!

[ptaylortx]

I've got an X-Stand sit and climb model headed this way but its delayed in Houston due to Harvey. It seemed the best choice for me. Light weight and an option for an open front. I'll give a review once it finally gets here.

[Mr. fingers]

Originally posted by tracker12:
Im buying Lone Wolf not a copy by XOP.  I'm not supporting a company that steals another design.

They didn't steal it!!  The creator and original owner of Lone Wolf Andrea D Aquisto. Sold Lome Wolf a few,years back. Then later started XOP that his son now operates with the same designs (his).

[mississippidude]

I choose comfort over anything, summit it is.

[DanielB89]

Originally posted by tracker12:
Im buying Lone Wolf not a copy by XOP.  I'm not supporting a company that steals another design.

They're made by the exact same owner. He sold LW and not makes XOP's.  So is that technically a copy?

[RIVERWOLF]

Really have found nothing "for me" that is more stable , bowhunter "Longbow" friendly than my Lone Wolf hand climber ....

I've hunted and killed a few critters from a few different portables , and tried several different climbers ....The Lone Wolf always has me feeling safe and secure on one of the most stable platforms on the market .....