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mobile tree stand

Ski said:
Man you can go broke quick trying all the different mobile methods. I've not tried many because of that reason, so I stick with old tried & true. I'm 6'2 x 240lbs and use an old Lone Wolf Alpha with four sticks, and an aluminum Summit Viper climber. Between the two I can hunt pretty much anywhere on a whim. I wouldn't dare argue there aren't better options because I'm sure there probably are, but I'm not going to remortgage my house to find it. My stuff is old from a time when there weren't many options yet and it's still pretty darn good so surely at this point there ought to be lots of great options on the market. I don't know if you could go wrong.

I moved my stand every day for almost a week, sometimes twice per day as I closed in on this buck feeding on white oak acorns. When I finally got on him I was hanging about 12ft up in a tree that was barely big enough for the straps to tighten, but it was a really bushy hickory so it gave my 6'2 x 240lb self some cover. I saw countless deer very close to me and never got busted once.

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I second this response. You really need both. A mobile lock on and sticks like listed above and a reliable climber. I'm smaller and lighter at 5'6 and 155 so I feel comfortable in a smaller platform. I have a LW assault 2 and just now found a lightly used beast stand and beast sticks. They are very light and sturdy.

Both stands have their place. For thick nasty unhuntable trees I can climb anything with my beast setup. For hardwoods after leaf drop when i'm gun hunting I'm faster and can get higher with my summit. I use a hazmore mesh seat and a waist strap on my summit for farther hikes.

I'm on public and I'm bringing a stand in and out with me every trip and I won't hesitate to move even as little as 50-60 yards to get into a spot where I can kill. I am constantly telling myself to "get into the game."

If you are seeing glimpses of deer and just hoping one comes closer, you are putting too much into luck instead of making your own luck imo. I have always done better making adjustments every few hours. I'd find another tree that I need to be in wait till wind picks up and sneak into the new spot.
 

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quackaholic said:
If you have the time and a few spare parts lying around, the Millennium Microlite can be made into a not only light but comfortable option. I used Lone Wolf Versa buttons and a v bracket from an old set of sticks to do mine. Pair it with a set of XOP sticks and it's quick and quiet. Plus it all packs well. Grant it, I rarely use a stand unless i am on a hunt such as a draw, because i just cant.View attachment 243404
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This!

Get a Millennium M7 and pair it with XOP X2 sticks. Make the mods as stated and you'll have a combo that's awesome for around $100 less than the price of a LWCG or Beast stand by itself.

Here is a video I made of my M7 mods (shows Hawk sticks but I've since switched to XOP X2):
 
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Biden Smokes Mid said:
A saddle set up is the single best piece of hunting gear ive purchased. Carrying my Summit climber all over public land sucked.
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Man I'm the complete opposite, I'm not a saddle guy at all, I've tried 3 different ones but it's just not for me. I've carried my 14lb summit open shot climber all over this state, Public and private lands and have killed a ton of deer out of it with a bow. I can set it up in the dark very quietly and be completely set up at hunting height(20-25ft) in less than 10 minutes.

I will say there are areas where a climber is not the best option but very rarely do I run into those situations, mostly in Midwest states that I have that issue but occasionly I do around here. When I do I have a set of tethrd one sticks and a lone wolf .5 hang on. It's a sweet light weight set up and I can get in just about about any tree with it but it's still not as simple and user friendly as my open shot in my opinion.
 
i've got the API bowhunter climbing stand, and bought the upgrade chain set when they came out. it weighs in at almost 18 lb. closer to 25 lb. after i attach water bottle, pouch with rope, knife, snacks.
 
My Viper SD aluminum weighs 17 pounds. I replaced the big padded seat with a mesh seat to shave weight.

I'm 66. Been at it for over 40 years in many states almost all public and all Southern. There has literally been a climbing tree behind every climbing tree,

BUT...on the occasion when I am not hunting near a thicket, instead IN A THICKET where there are little trees, I use a few sticks and a Millinium stand the is very light, maybe 9 pounds.

Also the Millinium stand uses buckles so leaving these little buckles on various trees scattered about on your favorite spots makes things much quicker!

I do not like saddles and sticks because they are generally too slow. I have never met any one who can pack into a tree and get up to 18 or so feet, shot ready and settled, (commonly higher than that in winter), faster/ quieter/safer than me and my climber.

If I were still young, I'd probably be all over the saddle thing, but when I was young, I wasn't a saddle hunter and the saddle thing was around then too. It's been around for decades, Social media has made it "En Vogue" !
 
I have found my LWCG .5 to be my favorite go to stand system of all time. I carry 4 17" compact sticks with 17" aiders but often find myself only 2 sticks high. I'm a smaller guy @ 5'7" and 185lb so the frame of the stand and seat height fit me well. I always use my saddle for my safety harness even in my lock on. While I have a managed to acquire virtually every Hunting system known to man lol, saddles , platforms, ROS, lock ons, climbers, sticks and climbing spurs they all pretty much collect dust now since going to my .5. There is no set up I can't get into and I could go up or down the tree completely blindfolded in the pitch black and never miss a beat.
 
I'm 53 and weight 260 lbs. Not in the greatest shape. With that said, I saddle hunt. Currently I either one-stick climb or 2 tether climb. My entire saddle setup, including everything I need to get up the tree and hunt from that tree, weighs about 12 lbs on the high side depending on the method I choose.

I use the Custom Gear Modifications Cobra saddle. Great guy, vet, who lives and works out of Knoxville. Great thing is you can talk to him directly and even go by the shop if you're in the area. For me as a bigger guy, the Cobra is awesome and very comfortable.

I started out with a Summit Viper and honestly you couldn't pay me enough to lug that aluminum beast through the woods anymore. In addition I despised the fiddle factor to get it unpacked and on the tree. Way too easy to make noise. It was comfortable, if I wanted to take a nap but I'm there to hunt and the saddle setup works great for me. If you're interested in saddle hunting, ask around, you'll like find someone in your area that can show you how it works and then you can decide for yourself. There is a learning curve to it, and that's where I find most people who say "it wasn't for me" have missed it, they didn't take the time to truly get it dialed in.
 
Gravey said:
I've got a cruzer XC saddle, tehtrd skeletor sticks and a platform of which I forget which one. Bought them about 3 years ago and still haven't used them except a couple times in the yard. Plan to do so this year if all goes as planned.
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This is close to my setup except I modified one of the skeletor sticks and put a harken cam cleat and a 1/4in Amsteel rope mod which makes one sticking so Much easier than with the 1/8inch thin amsteel figure 8 cleat that comes with them. I also added a 3 step 1" webbing aider and to me is a lot easier than the diy amsteel 3 step aider which I tried for a season. The webbing just feels sturdier and is a little easier to get your foot in place in it. I have a tethrd XL platform. I have used this set up about 40% of the time and still find myself gravitating to my old summit viper climber for when I don't have to walk very far but need to get in super quiet. I think if I keep practicing with the one sticking I will get more quiet when climbing. The best part about one sticking is the rapel back down which only takes a few seconds.
 
Years ago before saddles were the hype. I made one with a sit drag. It was ok I guess at the time.But a Couple years ago I bought a rock climbing harness and 2 Ropeman's. Have one of my tether and linesmen's belt. And I used it when I was up in my millennium m7 and it was pretty nice. I could use the m7 platform to stand on while I was hanging in my harness. Once I got sick of that I turned around and sat down a while. Then hang for a while back and forth.
 
Iglow said:
I've tried to like the saddle thing, in theory it's good, safe, relatively light, go up most any tree, fairly comfortable etc. Maybe if I was younger I'd be all about it but now it's too many parts, too many steps, too much to do, too complicated...and in the dark? forget it.

I can walk up to a tree with my summit open shot and there are 3 steps, the climber, the base and the safety line and up I go. If there is a limb a folding saw takes care of it most times.

I might still try the saddle on some afternoon hunts when I've got more time and can see what I'm doing. It's defiantly the safest way to hunt from a tree and it can get you in a tree in places no other stand type would work, if I was 30 years younger I'd take the time to work out a system and use it full time but I don't have a time machine to make that happen.
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This. I can't do all the different parts in pitch black without making a bunch of noise
 
I know the new saddle set-ups must be really nice, as so many are going to them - but, I've just not found any reason to change what I've done for years. I have two climbing stands - Summit Goliath (aluminum) and another no-name I bought from a member on here. The no-name weighs about 11 lbs. I use it for long walks. The summit on shorter walks. I've moved all over the woods, changing locations sometimes a couple times in a day. I've never had an issue, I feel safe climbing and sitting in them. I'm so comfortable. I can climb quietly, if I take my time. I just don't really see a reason to change. That's just me.
 
Iglow said:
I've tried to like the saddle thing, in theory it's good, safe, relatively light, go up most any tree, fairly comfortable etc. Maybe if I was younger I'd be all about it but now it's too many parts, too many steps, too much to do, too complicated...and in the dark? forget it.

I can walk up to a tree with my summit open shot and there are 3 steps, the climber, the base and the safety line and up I go. If there is a limb a folding saw takes care of it most times.

I might still try the saddle on some afternoon hunts when I've got more time and can see what I'm doing. It's defiantly the safest way to hunt from a tree and it can get you in a tree in places no other stand type would work, if I was 30 years younger I'd take the time to work out a system and use it full time but I don't have a time machine to make that happen.
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This is me^^^
 
I honestly think most people are just gear junkies. I know the testimonies of people are they are great. But then they also said that about tree loungers until they got tired of all that junk. Everyone seems to say this or that is great after buying it. Makes them feel good about justification of the expense. No way hanging in a tree, stand or saddle can be really comfortable. They may be acceptable levels of comfort to each person. But even sitting in a blind with a nice swivel chair even gets uncomfortable. It's what level of comfort is bearable to you. I like the mobile aspect, but I used a lightweight Lonewolf Alpha 2 for years with 3 Lonewolf sticks before the "mobile hunting" had a name. I would hang and hunt public lands in Illinois, West Virginia, Georgia, Ohio, and here in TN. Hanging 2 times a day for several days in a row. Quick, quiet, and easy. I even had one fellow who saw me from a distance ask how I could get up there so quickly and quietly. He was using a Summit climber. I killed 2 deer during that sit. I broke it down and he walked down there and asked. So I just popped it back up and down again. He said he was going to change. That's when I told him it wasn't comfortable by any means. Lol
 
This is my first year in a saddle. I am 6'4 260. I went to a saddle after being tired of lugging around climbers. Even on private land. I have the method 2, and the mobile snyper 1 stick. I was 24 foot up the tree yesterday in less than 10 minutes. Extremely comfortable. The ability to go anywhere and climb virtually any tree was a huge selling point for me.
 
What about sitting in the saddle for an all day sit. How comfortable is it. With my summit I can do it no problem. Even catching some sleep when I need to. In my mind a saddle might be comfortable for a few hours tops. But I don't have one that's why I'm asking.
 
I have only used mine a handful of times and those were half day sits. Ive got a back band but haven't used it yet. Gonna be hard to beat the comfort of a summit climber! I feel that there is a trade off but hoping it proves to be minimal in that respect. Hope this thread stays active and i can learn from the experience of others regarding comfort.
 
Kevin said:
This is my first year in a saddle. I am 6'4 260. I went to a saddle after being tired of lugging around climbers. Even on private land. I have the method 2, and the mobile snyper 1 stick. I was 24 foot up the tree yesterday in less than 10 minutes. Extremely comfortable. The ability to go anywhere and climb virtually any tree was a huge selling point for me.
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Your a big ole boy brother 👍
 
killingtime 41 said:
What about sitting in the saddle for an all day sit. How comfortable is it. With my summit I can do it no problem. Even catching some sleep when I need to. In my mind a saddle might be comfortable for a few hours tops. But I don't have one that's why I'm asking.
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I can sit daylight to dark in mine with no troubles, after having 2 rods ,a cage, and 9 screws in my lower back i couldnt sit in any stand for over two hours. I can hang,stand ,sit,lean in my saddle all day without discomfort and one stick and rapell is the way to go
 

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