ladder stand fiasco

[dick sable]

Been feeling a little older every month, particularly after taking the hanging stands down last winter. So, even though I never liked the looks of them, I thought I'd give a ladder stand a try. I called Loggy Bayou 'round mid July to ask a few questions about their bowhunter stand and was told I could just go ahead and order it from them, which I did.  
Later that day Loggy Bayou called and told me they were out of stock but expected a truck in any time. First flag!  Several weeks later I called to check status of the stands and was informed that it could be "any week now".  
I assumed Loggy Boyou was the manufacturer of the stands and was a bit surprised to be informed that they were manufactured by a Mr. (White - or I can't remember) in China!!  Today, I called to again check the status and was told that the stands were "in the States" and a truck could come in "any day".  Suffice to say, I promply cancelled my order and will have to go ahead, arthritis or not, and hang my stands.  So, unless my thinking is wrong, "Loggy Bayou" is nothing more or less than a logo - - which theoretically could have been bought by anyone - - not necessarily by "hunters for hunters", etc., etc.! The news today reported that the head of the company that shipped the lead tainted toys from China to the US hung himself, which apparently is not uncommon for disgraced officials!  Good hunting to all!

[cajuntec]

I recently decided to try some ladder stands, and after looking and pricing several of them, I settled on a extremely nice little stand for only $80 a pop at Bass Pro Shops.  They are normally a bit more, but the had them on sale for their hunting show.  The "Big Game" Rifleman is what I bought, and suprisingly, the "Rifleman" was the most secure feeling, and protective, ladder stand for the "Archer" - which is what I bought them for - archery season.  The shooting rail isn't real high, and the platform allows you to go all the way out to it comfortably, resting your upper thigh / lower hip (I'm 5'8") on the rail, so you have nice support to lean forward or side to side when you draw and shoot.  Just a suggestion if you want to still check out ladder stands.  I passed on the Remington stands, API, and Summits (and Summit is usually my brand of choice for climbers).
All the best,
Glenn

[hormoan]

Welcome to free trade with China.


                Brent
You think the ladder stand is bad you ain't seen nothing yet.
   Still some good USA made product, but becoming scarce.

PS not meant to be political, just the truth.

[bbassi]

they all need to make them in China so they can produce them cheep enough to afford the liability insurance and trial lawyers necessary to defend themselves every time some fool does something stupid, and then decides it's his ticket to early retirement...

{{{{sigh....isn't America great? }}}}}}

[cajuntec]

bbassi,
Sad... but so true.
All the best,
Glenn

[heydeerman]

Anyone seen the new Lone Wolf ladder stand? Looks snazzy but man is it expensive.

[Artur]

The trouble with "out-sourcing" to China -- or wherever -- is that if (a lot of times it's "when") they get the order FUBAR-d up, it takes that much longer to get the correct order; when the product goes on "back-order" for months at a time, customers begin to go elsewhere. And the company that "out-sources" their product ends up eating **all** of the shipping costs, **both** times. Where are the supposed "savings" in manufacturing costs?

But, since I usually can't afford to pay even that "paltry" amount of $80 for a stand (or any other non-specialty item), I opt to make my own, using "scrap" materials I find laying around. Like Ben Franklin is supposed to have said: "A penny saved is a penny earned".

[Biggie Hoffman]

When we (2XL Productions) were selling the Climax stand, it was made in NC. The owner said the insurance was $45 per stand.
He decided to outsource these to China as well simply to remain competetive.

[Problem Child]

I'm almost sure AMERIstep products are "Made in China" too. That's just wrong.

[dorris]

Its wrong and pretty dang pitiful .   :(

[jeff / sc]

Are you really ready to risk your life on a tree stand made in China??  Wonder where the safety harness is made, humm.

[strick9]

I have three ladder stands coming to a local vendor today and out of curiousity called the maker, yep from china, even though I asked them earlier, and got a different answer,, they are assembled here but components made in china... Rivers Edge... kinda uneasy bout that...

[MI_Bowhunter]

Its pretty sad that in a lot of cases, "Made in America" really means "Assembled in America" or "Headquartered in America but made and assembled in {insert country name here}"
[/political rant]

Out of curiosity I checked the box on the stand I bought this year.  Sure enough, it was made in China as well.

[manyletters]

Hey guys...so much of our stuff is made in China or Mexico...it is the state of the world we live in..if we want it at a lower price, unfortunately, we have to outsource it to another country. For example, just about every carbon arrow is made in either Mexico or China. Very few are made in the USA...  :(

[heydeerman]

When you buy a Harley you get Made in USA....NOT.  I work for a supplier for HD and for the most part alot of the parts are shipped from Japan and assembled here. A HD has just as many Jap parts as a Honda.

[Jason Lester]

I work for a manufacturing company. Unfortunatly the reality of things are that if you do not oursouce overseas at least some parts you'll not be able to compete with the compitition that does outsource. We have some parts we got this year (we've been trying not to outsource overseas) that were 10 cents on the dolar or less. When you are talking 10,000 parts per year 90 cents savings on each adds up. As for these parts we got they are every bit as good as what we'd been using (trust me we tried to find fault with them) And the reality is that without doing this the company couldn't compete with the prices of competitors who do everything overseas. Still the majority is made and assembled here in the USA. Actually in OH and KY mostly.

It doesn't supprize me that many treestands are made overseas. Many compounds probably are as well. Also where are aluminium and carbon arrows made. How about plastic knocks and field points.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Thank Bill Clinton for NAFTA

[cajunbowhntr]

it does'nt give me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing my ass is on the line 30 feet up to semething a guy making $1 a day made.Especially in light of all the recalls on chinese products.


CB

[cajuntec]

Well, lets evaluate that, my fellow cajun brother.       :D       (I mean you no offense with this reply - just pointing out a few things - please don't take it the wrong way - just voicing my opinion too)  

I don't know many ladder stands (in fact, I haven't come across a single one yet), that is 30 feet tall.  I don't even see a reason to get 30 feet up into a tree.  Heck, that's 10 yards up.       :eek:       Most of the time, I'm about 15 feet up, and I have a friend that has taken many more deer than me from a height of 10-12 feet.

What is really funny about that statement you made, is that hunters build their own stuff all the time - from all kinds of materials that really aren't sold as ladder stands by commercial vendors.  Last year, I hunted from a homemade ladder stand, that used a wooden pallet, attached to a tree 15 feet up, braced with 2x4's, ladder made of 2x4's for sides and 2x2's for steps.  It was kind of sturdy... but how safe is that really when compared to something made of metal, designed for that specific purpose.

There is really no reason to fear something made by another country, no matter what the factory workers salary is.  You also have to realize that working hours are not the same as we have here in the US, and that healthcare and other benefits are totally different in overseas areas - so the "salary" will not be the same as what you and I are accustomed to.  We are one of the few countries in the world that still have a 40 hour work-week (and most people I know work a lot more than a 40 hour work-week).  

We also hear of recalls of Chinese made products... but there are tons of products that get recalled every day made in other countries as well - including our very own.  If a country produces the majority of the products we use, then it stands to reason that their recalls will also be proportionate to the amount of product they produce.

I know of a place locally that I can buy the best built ladder stands I've ever had the pleasure of being in.  I personally hunted out of one for a whole season.  I lugged that monster into the woods at the beginning of the season - piece by piece - 4 pieces - top, and 3 ladder sections.  it was heavy as heck - THICK tubing - but very sturdy.  Two of the 5 foot ladder sections weighed almost as much as my entire new stands.  The top piece was a two-man carry, and we had to stop for several breaks.  Nice sturdy rail all the way around - it was a wonderfully built piece of equipment.  But it better be.... they cost my buddy $485 each to have them made.      :eek:    

The ones I just purchased are nowhere as sturdy as my buddies stands.  However, at 60lbs total, I can carry it in with two trips at the most - or if I throw it on my game cart - one trip (my buddies stands were way too heavy for my game cart if all the pieces were on there - it would still be two trips).  Even though they aren't as sturdy as my buddies stands, they feel safer than that homemade stand I hunted in last year.

I've seen people get into uproars over buying products that are made overseas.  If I were to "buy American" all the time - I probably wouldn't own much.  For one - the majority of products are made overseas.  Secondly - I probably couldn't afford as much.

It's easy to blame others - Thank Clinton.... - but in all essence, you cannot put the blame on just one person, or a group of people.  The vast majority of Americans are to blame for our own demise.  We demand "bigger, better, faster, cheaper" all the time, and then we sit back and complain when it doesn't have an American flag and the words "Made in America" on it.  Well, you can't have it all - the companies have to make a profit to stay in business.  Would you, if you were an employee of that American company, be willing to work for that $1 an hour in order to enable the rest of the population to "buy American" at an affordable price?

Not trying to start an arguement here - just wanted to give you some food for thought.  

I hate that I cannot "buy American" on everything I purchase, but at the same time, I am guilty of wanting the "bigger, better, faster, cheaper" just as much as anyone else.... and no, I'm not willing to work for a $1 an hour to enable everyone else to get it as well... so I'm just as guilty as anyone else.  So I guess I will just have to accept the fact that my treestand, safety harness, arrows, nocks, field points, targets, etc... will have "Made in China" written somewhere on them.

All the best,
Glenn

[Artur]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Thank Bill Clinton for NAFTA

Thank all the CEO's who decide that the Almighty Dollar is more important than the folks who do the work.............

Not archery related, but it fits: Northwest Airlines just got done going through bankruptcy proceedings -- and then gave Doug Steenland a huge bonus. Welcome the U.S.A, Land of the Greed. "Outsourcing" was going on a long time before NAFTA -- all in the name of a bigger profit margin.

I'll buy something made, not just assembled, here in the U.S.A. before "settling" for something from China. If I could find something actually made here, that is.