Looking to buy a climbing treestand. Advice?

[SeaRun1]

Hey all,

I have been using hanging stands this year but have a new area to hunt.  A climber would be perfect for positioning on some rub lines.

Does anyone have experience that they could pass along on what I am looking for in a climbing treestand?  I would appreciate any thoughts or advice.

SR1

[Nice Racks]

I have a Summit and love it. What ever you get, I highly recommend one with a "saddle" style seat rather than a padded seat. They (to me at least) are much more comfortable.

[steeliedrew]

I have a Summit and love it. What ever you get, I highly recommend one with a "saddle" style seat rather than a padded seat. They (to me at least) are much more comfortable.

I too have A summit.  I believe its the Elite SD and has the saddle seat. only weighs 14lbs too.  I tow it in to my spot on a bike trailer.

[sakoshooter]

I have a Summit climber also but really don't have any experience with any other brand. It's an older Viper with the hang down padded seat and back rest but it's comfortable. Actually nothing's comfortable after a couple hours in the stand, LOL.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Summit ...Seems most agree 

[Turner89]

I have 2 summits, one with a bar rest in font, and one without. I recommend one with the bar rest. It's easier to be quite while climbing, and keeps you in the stand when you fall asleep.

[coyotecrazy]

My summit is nice but I do wish it had a larger platform. I bow hunt and stand up on it often. It is a nice stand though.

[dupedc]

I went through the process this summer checking out and researching the different types and brands. I ended up with a Summit Viper SD and couldn't be happier with it.

[mulehunter]

I have Summit  Love it.  Good Luck.

[Skyvalhunter]

  Backpacker model

[sakoshooter]

Explain the padded seat vs saddle seat please.

[Little Fish]

I am a little bit of a rookie with tree stands, but I bought one for elk season this year just in case the elk were in a particular area I was hunting. I ended up buying a welded aluminum stand from Walmart for $140. I believe it is made by Ameristep. At any rate is works great....at least in my back yard and seems to be very well built. I personally think it is a probably a good way to go for my first climber and I can upgrade later as necessary.

PS There are several videos out there that will get you started on how to use a climbing stand.

[KFhunter]

someone mentioned backpacker model,  I got a summit with backpack straps - they suck

I really like the stand though but don't expect to want to pack that thing on your shoulders for more than a 100 yards or so, but then it'd just be easier to carry it 


I use a shelf freighter backpack to carry in the climber if I'm going in any distance,  much nicer to strap it to that.

[Machias]

Lone Wolf and Summit are the best IMHO

[Florida_Native]

Sorry to buck the trend but my  is to stick with a non climber. The climbers are pretty noisy and you always have to climb them down. I would suggest getting a good traditional stand and some good pegs. I've seen the kind that screw in and seem to do so pretty quickly. The attraction for me here is quiet and the ability to leave the stand or move it at will. I'd sacrifice the extra few minutes to have more options and stealth.

[huntnnw]

Sorry to buck the trend but my  is to stick with a non climber. The climbers are pretty noisy and you always have to climb them down. I would suggest getting a good traditional stand and some good pegs. I've seen the kind that screw in and seem to do so pretty quickly. The attraction for me here is quiet and the ability to leave the stand or move it at will. I'd sacrifice the extra few minutes to have more options and stealth.

  Ill never own a climber ever

[Turner89]

Sorry to buck the trend but my  is to stick with a non climber. The climbers are pretty noisy and you always have to climb them down. I would suggest getting a good traditional stand and some good pegs. I've seen the kind that screw in and seem to do so pretty quickly. The attraction for me here is quiet and the ability to leave the stand or move it at will. I'd sacrifice the extra few minutes to have more options and stealth.

  Ill never own a climber ever

 
They both have pros, and cons. I prefer the climber. If possible I try to climb white fir, and cedar. They have softer bark that is quitter. Also the white fir has less limbs, and has a more consistent diameter.   

[Stickers]

I have both a climbing and a hang on. I'd rather be in my climber every time. Summit is top notch. Get a sit and climb version. The bar won't effect short ATA bows at all. It gives you the ability to hang more stuff in reach (rut time) and gives you the peace of mind to catch a few ZZZZZ on a long set. Always wear your harness, all the time!

[Special T]

Ive owned several different climbers. I have 2 summit vipers of different vintages(both have front bar), an Steel collapsable rivers edge climber, and an API bowhunter climber, my cousin has has had the same as me but his API was the grand slam (one with the front bar). I have a couple of homemade platforms  for hangons and have one set of stor bought sticks and one homemade.

By far the quietest and easiest to transport, setup and adjust was the summit viper. It takes a little work to get the system down and a couple of extra cince straps and some pipeinsulation over the front bar to quiet things down and make more comfortable but by far the best.

Climbers are great on public land or on other areas where you dont want your stand getting stolen. I have a couple of areas that i take my climber in the off season and find trees and trim lanes. "Finding the right tree" is the down side to climbers because you have to hunt for a tree. U either have to hunt for the right tree and/or go pre/post season and do some trimming... I like ot do mine post season, you can see more on the west side (im a bow hunter).

I use my ladder stands on private property in areas that shouldnt get any other hunters. they are WAY easier/quieter to sneak into in the morning than any climber. They are hard and dangerious to set up IMO, and you dont have to trim as many branches or hunt for the right tree as much.

Finding the right method to pack your climber and your daypack is the key to liking hunting from them. the summit viper is comphy and easy to sit for long periods in. Ive piced up mine for $150 used and there was one on here recently for that price... some people dont like them (tree stands) i think its because they havnt quite figured it out how to hunt from them.

All the other climbers were noisy, and or harder to adjust than the summit. I actually thought the chain on the API would be easier to use, but it was much harder to adjust in the tree than my Viper. I left my API in Kansas with my buddy for the next time i head down that way hunting. The cheek $70 steel rivers edge was noisy as hell packing and sitting. I have used it when i founda spot that i wanted to sit in the morning and just left it attached to the tree and wasnt worried about it getting leggs. it never did.

[SeaRun1]

Thanks for all of the replies.  I bought a Summit Viper SD and tricked it out a bit.  I like everything about it except the fact that I spend about $100 to make it perfect.  Loved hunting in it and it only took three days to get my first archery blacktail.

Thanks again to the guys that replied.

SR1

[Special T]