best climber for traditional shooters

[Tony Z]

The Lone Wolf climber is light and quiet while climbing. Flipping the seat can be a pain because it wants to slide down when you do so. Also If there are any knots or curves in the tree the band  tends to hang up. If all you climb are tulips or ashe trees its great. But if your choice of trees is less than perfect its not a great stand. Just my opinion. I would try one out before you decide. TonyZ.

[JMG]

I use a Summit Bushmaster and Summit Open Shot. Both stands are quiet, stable, sturdy and very comfortable. But the one thing I have to watch out for at times is watching out for is my lower limb hitting my seat frame at the time of my shot. I use a Cat-quiver so at first I found it very difficult to pack in my bow, stand and Cat-quiver, but with some minor modifications I can mount my Cat-quiver directly to my stand.

[r-man]

keep your seat secions on or below the knees, I have no problems with summit, besure your tied tight to the tree though.

[dbd870]

I've been thinking about that for next season; I can use my compound out of my Viper just fine but was concerned about it with a 58" recurve. I was thinking about picking up a Summit Cobra, anyone have any experience with one?

[DawgDoc]

Lone Wolf hand climber without a doubt! Takes a little practice and not a comfort queen but rock solid, quiet, light, and nothing to break. The sit and climb will work too but I've missed a deer because hitting the bottom limb on the armrests. If you get a lone wolf try it out in the yard before you take it hunting - lessons learned the hard way:)

[Paul Shirek]

Lone Wolf or Loggy Bayou but the Loggy is more work... Lone wolf is easier and quieter but a bit heavier. It is the quietest without question...

[Mr. fingers]

Lone wolf hand climber been using it for 11 years. Light folds flat its,the only stand I've ever,used that is quiet when the temp is well  below 0  no creeking or popping very solid. And very fast to set up . I use a gameplan leech pack with it very nice combo.
As far as the seat sliding down the tree you just use the bungee that comes with it that hols the two sections together when packing. It has a hook between the two end hooks that you simply hook to the back of the seat strap then hook the two ends around the tree. Simple

[Lineman72]

R-man
I also have a summit viper with the rail. I have tried lowering or keeping the seat section low in fear of hitting my lower limb. So I doing this I'm presuming that you stand the whole time?
Thanks

[Roverrich]

I got an Ole Man Drone, expensive, but super comfy and adjustable. You can adjust the tilt of the seat and platform once you are at height. Best of all, I can shoot in almost any direction except backwards and the platform is really large adding to the secure feeling.

[Kingsnake]

If you REALLY wanna' be traditional about it, go find an old Baker stand....Climb up a tree without figuring out a way to attach the hand climber to the platform...Then enjoy the pucker when the platform clatters to the ground when you inadvertently shift too much of your weight to the seat instead of the platform!     :eek:  

OK....so this happened when I had a wheelie in my hands, but 1987 was definitely a "learning year" for me.      

Kingsnake

[Claym]

I'm a big fan of the summit openshot. As others have said, very light and comfortable for long sits. A little easier on the wallet as well.

[dnovo]

I have the Summit bushmaster. I think it is the early version of the openshot. The only trouble I have shooting a 64 or 66" longbow is to the left behind me. I have to watch bottom limb. Course it doesn't bother me to step out and stand on the front edge to get more clearance if I need it. Very comfortable. I will say I prefer a hang on stand to any climber.

[overbo]

Lone Wolf hand climber is the most trad or any bow friendly climber.I've added extra padding to the seat.Makes a huge difference in comfort.Bought mine 15+ years ago when they first started using the auto transmission belts to secure the stand.

The LW hand climber dose require more strength to use than the sit and climb so there are some tradeoffs to get the function and weight reduction.

[xtrema312]

Lone Wolf hand climber with a bungee to hold the seat to the tree when flipped up.  I am over 50 fat and bald and can use it with minimal problems. I wish the seat was wider because I have broad shoulders so I have a hard time tucking my arms in to get on the pad with my forearms, but that is my only gripe.

[njloco]

I like my Original Old Man climber, with the composite bottom, and net seat, very comfortable not heavy and easy to set up from the ground or rearrange in the tree.

Only I don't hardly use it, I know this doesn't apply, but I use a Loc-On lite and two climbing sticks. This way I can stalk and if I find a good ambush site, it takes me no time to get up a tree.

[Bill Frederick]

I too use (for 10+ years) and like the Lone Wolf hand climber.  My biggest complaint (besides the price) is it isn't the most comfortable for an all day hunt so am keeping an eye out for a Summit Open Shot to try and compare.

Babs made a comment about it being awkward to use with large feet.  I had the same problem with winter boots until I discovered that it worked much better sticking my feet under the angled side brackets NOT the toe bar.  I do this now even with smaller warm weather foot wear because the angled bracker holds my feet much more securely in place.  It now much easier to pull up the platform quietly and without any worry of your feet slipping out of place.  Try it.

Bill

[buckeye_hunter]

I only use the top part of my climber to climb. When I get to my desired height, it sits at my feet. I like leaning against the tree as the deer don't seem to see you as easily.

[Hatrick]

Lone Wolf hand climber for probaly the last 10 years. As said above, bungee cord the seat strap to the tree so you can flip the seat against the tree without it falling. Best stand I've ever used. Flat to carry, fairly light, easy to climb.

[Tajue17]

I'm usually the 1st one who digs on LW so here it goes,,,,I've hated my LW hand climber for years and posted my opinions many times on how harder it is to climb and decent, getting stuck on knots in trees, the seat flipping up and falling down to the platform, and I wished the platform straps (Larger Strap option) would go all the way thru the bars because they bottom out at a certain point and your lower stand will be very slanted if the tree is smaller than a normal sized small tree other climbers would work on..

with all that being said though I think I'm getting used to this stand and starting to like it,, instead of both arms being on the seat and kissing bark my new correct climbing technique is left arm on the seat and right arm around the tree, when I'm at height I now tighten the 2 nylon straps on each side of the seat which keeps it pulled tight down towards the platform - then before descending I have knots tied in the ends of the straps in the same place so when I lengthen back  for descending in the dark the knots in the nylon straps  act as stops so the straps don't pull all the way out of the clips,                                       for tree knots I need to just do a more deeper hook once I "realize" I'm getting caught on something,

and finally with the straps I still wish they went all the way thru the platform sides like they do on the seat section but I just stick to a bigger minimum size tree or I know this is dangerous but I'll Lay across the seat and reach down and pull the platform strap behind the tree higher up the trunk then step back down on the platform and it raises the platform more than normal.

so my all time favorite stand was a steel Ole Man multi-vision with the foot bar rest but it was heavy at 26lbs,, for lightness, compactness when packing in, the quietest stand to set up I ever encountered, the stand with the least amount of obstructions for shooting and of course the easiest stand to set up in the dark it has to be this LW hand climber.

[ishiwannabe]

Has anyone used the new Summit Specialist? I am a huge Summit fan (and not so much for LW)and currently have a Bushmaster. I have found that by leaning out, I have no issues shooting from thi stand. Comfort is top notch. I have been looking for a new stand though and at the moment I think it would be the Specialist...