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Climbing stands disadvantage?

Iglow

Iglow

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How much do you think climbing stands hamper your chances to get shots when bowhunting? I mean finding a right climbable tree more often than not?
Also just overall, easier to pack than a saddle and sticks and less fuss and noise than dragging in a ladder?
 
I love my summits. I've never killed outta the same tree twice on public. I'm mobile and look for the freshest sign to set up on. Finding a tree that works is part of the challenge. Practice, practice, practice packing it together and unpacking it. And attaching it to the tree. Figuring out the right amount of tilt to have at the bottom takes experience. Do it now so you're not fumbling around in the dark. I think that's where a lot of guys get frustrated. The more you practice with it, the more you'll get out of it.

Also, get yourself a quality one. Some of the entry level ones or budget ones just aren't worth it.

Practice.
 
I always put my climbing stands up before the hunt and chained and locked,lots of trouble and noise putting up in the dark!I strictly hunt in ladders now!
 
I have used a summit viper SD a long time it is the aluminum one. Weighs 19 pounds I also replaced the straps with military straps and kidney belt. I don't even feel it on my back. You can get the summit open shot SD and it weighs even less. And the comfort is by far the best with a summit. But I also never used a saddle. Last year I bought some hawk helium sticks and a millennium m7 stand. I was trying to lighten things up even more and didn't need straight tree's. Well that didn't work as this system feels even heavier. I'll still use them for certain situations though. But for all day sits I'll take the summit over anything anybody has to offer. I've done all day sits no problem with the climber. But I like having both just to have all situations covered.
 
I've hunted outta climbers more than any other and practically lived in one for the first 25 years of hunting but there were times, actually a lot of times, I wished I coulda hunt some trees in thickets and other places. That saddle caught my eye and I thought " that's it, that's the answer " but in practice the sticks and platform are about double the weight of my Summit openshot (10lbs) and it's a lot more involved getting up in a tree. If there was an easier way up and still be mobile it'd be the thing.
 
killingtime 41 said:
I have used a summit viper SD a long time it is the aluminum one. Weighs 19 pounds I also replaced the straps with military straps and kidney belt. I don't even feel it on my back. You can get the summit open shot SD and it weighs even less. And the comfort is by far the best with a summit. But I also never used a saddle. Last year I bought some hawk helium sticks and a millennium m7 stand. I was trying to lighten things up even more and didn't need straight tree's. Well that didn't work as this system feels even heavier. I'll still use them for certain situations though. But for all day sits I'll take the summit over anything anybody has to offer. I've done all day sits no problem with the climber. But I like having both just to have all situations covered.
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X2! This closely mirrors my setup as well.

I had a LW assault 2 but I recently picked up a beast stand and with the beast sticks it's really light. I like my mobile lock ons and sticks during bow season. It's important to be able to climb the right tree when bow hunting, and I can climb any tree with that setup. Also I can easily shoot 360 with my bow and won't have a top rail to contend with.

I have killed deer bow hunting out of my climber but I end up keeping the top portion really low and standing still against the tree, the mobile lock on is usually a better bet at finding good spot to blend in with. Also if it's thick and nasty, or I am unsure of what I'm going into I will bring the mobile lock on.

I'm faster and usually quieter climbing with my summit viper. I can also climb higher and rotate around the tree to keep sun off me in my summit much easier. During gun season I rarely need exact trees so I use my summit more during gun.
 
Iglow said:
I've hunted outta climbers more than any other and practically lived in one for the first 25 years of hunting but there were times, actually a lot of times, I wished I coulda hunt some trees in thickets and other places. That saddle caught my eye and I thought " that's it, that's the answer " but in practice the sticks and platform are about double the weight of my Summit openshot (10lbs) and it's a lot more involved getting up in a tree. If there was an easier way up and still be mobile it'd be the thing.
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Thats why i dont use sticks or platforms, i found for me one sticking us the easiest and lightest way to go, with seven pounds i can climb any tree growing anywhere.
 
im with knightrider. i one stick and the top of my one stick is also my platform so when i hike in ive got bow in one hand and stick in the other. when i get to the tree i don't even take my pack off i just attach the stick and my tether, connect my haul line to the bow and start climbing pack n all. i used 4 different climbers over the years and find the saddle setup much simpler, quieter and now the only weight on my back hiking in is a pack full of creature comforts i would never have hauled in when i used the climbers. all a matter of personal preference. i know plenty of guys in the saddle community who are going back to climbers. for now i much prefer the saddle.
 
I just can't fathom a saddle being comfortable. My Summit Viper I can stay as long as I want to stay . I've slept many hours in my stand and when you get older you'll need those naps 😁 . Yes there are times you can't find a tree but rarely. I've even shot deer on my way to an evening stand with my Summit on my back .
 
Iglow said:
Knightrider, Uncle Loue,
Is that 1 stick thing an older guy could do or is it a young man's game?

Edit…Nevermind, just watched a vid on one stick, I'm too old for that.
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It really is easy, no energy expended what so ever, takes very little to no effort
 
Hamper? I don't think so. I rely on my climber a lot and have killed lots of deer over lots of years with a bow from a climber.

That said I don't use a climber for every hunt. I only use it in big timber where trees grow tall and straight. Sometimes I'm 40ft up just to be eye level with the ridge top. In situations like that a climber is invaluable.

But in low wetlands and creek bottoms a climber is all but useless because of low branching crooked trees. For that I use a hang-on and sticks. Can't get very high but I don't need to. The height I can get is appropriate for the habitat I'm hunting, same way as climber in big timber.

I've never tried a saddle and probably never will. But I would like to try the one stick and rappel method with my hang-on. Would be nice to only carry one stick. But I'll never quit using my climber in big timber hill country. Always going to be a two stand type hunter.
 
I don't ever want to be without a climber as long as I'm able to use one. For me and the way I hunt, the advantages far outweigh any disadvantages.

That said, I do have a lot of hang-ons and ladders in place on the farm, but I still use my climber quite a bit to keep the deer guessing. Bowhunting on public, it's all that I use.
 
My hunting buddy got a jx3 and hunted it last year. Said it's really comfortable. It's also over 500 dollars. It also has some weight to it think with his sticks he got from jx3. Think it's still 20 pounds he said. I'd like to have one just not gonna pay over 500 for it. Has anyone but me ever thought about just using the bottom of your summit stand with a rock climbing harness and tether to go up the tree and use your bottom platform to stand on. I have not tried it but just thinking out loud.
 

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