Do you use climbing stands ?

[skychief]

I wonder how many of us use climbers instead of hang on stands.

Do you find it hard shooting out of your climber?

What's your favorite make/model?

[RAU]

I hunt from a climber 90% of the time.I've been using the lone wolf hand climber for the past  couple years and it's about perfect. Expensive but worth it. Quiet, light and compact and will fit on nearly any tree I pick

[jt85]

I also use the lone wolf hand climber and it is just right for bow hunting.

[Cwilder]

I hunt from a climber 100% of the time. Two federal places I hunt it's a rule you must hunt 10' off the ground and all stands must be removed daily. I use the summit viper with a hazmore seat. I also use a loggy with a hand climber

[Rob W.]

Not anymore but did for years. A Loggy stalker was my favorite. Locks to the tree when you get in place and no rail.

[TooManyHobbies]

Summit Viper. Recurve, yes. Longbow, no.

[Biggamefish]

Summit open shot.  It is light weight and wide open for you to shoot out of.  If I didn't go with this treestand I would be using a lone wolf.

[59Alaskan]

Summit open shot.  No restrictions in shooting, and light.  I use the climber and hang-ons though, but rarely at the same time LOL - although using the hand climber to hang your stands in early season is really an easy way to go for that work.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

API grand Slam and Lone Wolf Hand Climber. Both have great application. I hunt them when I am not on the ground.

[tippit]

Lone Wolf Hand Climber 90% of the time.

[dbd870]

I do a mix but probably use my Summit Viper more than one of the ladder stands. Like I posted in another thread; that 52" KMag was MUCH nicer shooting out of it that a longer bow.

[mike hall]

I don't always use a climber, but when I do, it's LW

  :D    

[ChuckC]

I have one but hardly use it.  Where I live and hunt, a climber really has no advantage over a decent hang on, and in fact the opposite is mainly true.  Trees in the right spots tend to have branches here.

That said, I am tending more and more to hunt from the ground as I age.
ChuckC

[ron w]

Not any more, but when I did it was a Lone Wolf Hand model. Light, well made, and almost silent.

[warden415]

I have. A LW hand climber and a summit. Like ChuckC I find most of the trees I choose are better suited for a hang on. I like trees with a few lower branches and forks for better cover. While tge LW is a great stand , I often feel like I am literally a bump on a log and stand out too much when I'm on a straight tree.
I am also quicker and more quiet getting into a hang on

[Scott E]

When it comes to climbers you definitely get what you pay for. I've bought a few of the cheapos and wow did they stink.

[DanielB89]

for 3 years now I have only used climber.  From my experience, you can shoot any bow you want from a climber, but there are factors that you will have to take into account while deciding how high/low to hunt.  

1. Bow length
With a long bow you will have to stay much lower to the ground to allow for your typical 15 yd and in shots.  (don't ask me how i know this..    )

2. the rail size
What I mean by this is, I have a "el cheapo" stand that I have killed all of my deer out of.  It can be bought and shipped to your door for under $80.  It weight 1/2 a ton, but i'm young and it keeps me in shape!   .  This stands rails are short than my knees while sitting down(the rail would literally be on my knees if the seat didn't drop below the railing some).  With this rail being so short, it allow me to have better options for shooting without having to remember to lean out into the rail(wear a harness people!) while shooting.  

But i have hunted out of a summit viper before and the rail was way bigger than what I am used to.  No way for me to shoot my 66" longbow out of it.  

With all that being said, this year I acquired a lock on to try out, so I am going to use it all season.  

I hope this helped, sorry for the long post.

[Blessed One]

I have the lone wolf hand climber with the sit and climb top as well and it has been great. This year I switched to a hawk helium sticks and the helium XL lock on. The lock on is only 12 pounds but feels lighter, and the sticks and lock on together weight the same as the lone wolf sit and climb. As I practiced I was amazed how fast I could get set up using a line mans belt on my safety harness, and now I can hunt almost any tree I want with no cutting. The same company that made the gorilla lock ons make the hawk lock ons and I found the gorillas to be the most comfortable lock on I have hunted out of that does not restrict shooting with trad gear. The sticks and stand together are still cheaper than the lone wolf I have, and with 4 sticks I can get 20ft easily.

  http://hawkhunting.myshopify.com/collections/climbing-sticks/products/helium-3pk-climbing-stick  


  http://hawkhunting.myshopify.com/collections/hang-on-stands/products/helium-xl-hang-on  


This is the video I copied and it worked great although I am not as flexible as this young man so my gaps between sticks are not as wide, and I use another strap in addition to my linesman's belt so after the stand is hung at no time am I disconnected from the tree.

   https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z-fQeTZ_kpM&list=PL-K4opKajLD2zB_q80PwWMRDhO-H9zFQi  

It's a great alternative and I am excited about using them this year

[RLA]

I'll be trying a new climber this year. I've been practicing with it and really like it. Shooting from it is really no different than my fixed stands, no rail in the way.
It's easy to climb with and very comfortable to sit in.
It's a Cougar claw sport with the fold away sit rail. I added some of the third hand stabilizer straps and I think it's the perfect climber. It also has a neat leveling feature.
I'll still be in my trusty Chippewa wedge-loc stands a lot I'm sure, but it's going to be interesting to see what gets used more this season.

[Sam McMichael]

I used to use them a little, but I just never liked them. I prefer a basic ladder or a ground brush blind. My bad back just does not care for climbing trees.