Hang on or Climber

[Toba]

I had a set a climbing sticks recalled and am awaiting the check in the mail. I have been using a hang on but am wondering some comparisons and contrasts between the two. I have never used a climber. Any help is appreciated.

[JBar]

I purchased my first climber this year from summit. Most comfortable portable I have ever hunted in. After the purchase 80% of my bow hunting was out of the climber as I found is much more versitile than I thought would be on tree selection. I still belive that a hang on has it's place but now the climber will be another option in bow season.

[DanOmite19]

Climber... I also have a Summit Viper and use it more than any of my other stands, hang on, permanent, box, etc. The conveinence of a climber I feel is unmatched...

[Whopper Stopper]

I have an Ole man and a Summit climber and never use them. For me I just couldn't get use to using them.

WS

[harvey lee]

I own about every type of stand and the only ones I use any more are the Lone Wolf climbers.

Awesome and easy way to hunt.

[Code-Man]

I do not own a climber tree stand but own Platform and Ladder stands. For two people (Rifle) I love the ladder stands. But for where I bow hunt it is a river bottom and thick stuff I have a hard enough time walking with just my bow back in there quietly I use plat forms.

[Bear55]

I also hunt mostly out of a climber (lone wolf) and I love the thing, so light weigh and very easy to pack and setup. The only down side is you can't get in every tree and sometimes you just have to be in a specific tree to get the deer you are after so its really nice to have both a climber and a hang on. I hate most of the hang on stands I have but I think a newer stand and set up climbing sticks will be a future purchase for me. However I have managed just fine using my climber over many years now.

[pureinsanity]

Climbers are the way to go, you can leave them at your location too if you want. if you are worried about someone stealing it. use a big bike lock/cable to secure everything to a tree. should be easy to unlock every time you use it if you leave it at your location

[Scoot]

I've never hunted out of a climber. Before this past season, I'd never even looked at one closely. However, I saw one in a tree this past season and looked it over very closely. If you've got a lot of trees that'll support them, the Lone Wolf climbers sure look nice. I hadn't even considered them in the past, but I'm rethinking that for this coming season. Dropping the kind of coin required to get a Lone Wolf climber is a tough little pill to swallow though...

[DitchPickle13]

I also think both types have their place, but I would definitely go with a climber as the first choice. A possible exception would be if you only hunt one spot for the majority of your stand hunting.

Although it has happened, I've rarely not been able to hunt the spot I wanted as a result of not finding a tree for the climber. It takes me 10 minutes from arriving at the tree to the time I'm hunting, and about the same to be packed up. It's nice to have the flexibility to easily move to play the wind and have a comfortable stand you can take with to hunt many different locations. I even started using mine during rifle season sometimes, for those reasons.

[Gordie]

I dont bow hunt as much as I used to but I own a summit climber and it was probally the the second best purchase I have ever made as deer hunting equipment goes. I also got a really good deal on a clearance gorrila climer that I gave to my nephew a year ago for his B-day and he simply said that it is the most comfortable stand he has ever been in. I think that about my summit.

the nice thing about a climber is it can double as a hang on stand I have use tree steps where it wasnt possible to use my climber and then hung it up where it needed to be. So a climber is way more versitle than just a hang on.

[Bear55]

I've never hunted out of a climber. Before this past season, I'd never even looked at one closely. However, I saw one in a tree this past season and looked it over very closely. If you've got a lot of trees that'll support them, the Lone Wolf climbers sure look nice. I hadn't even considered them in the past, but I'm rethinking that for this coming season. Dropping the kind of coin required to get a Lone Wolf climber is a tough little pill to swallow though...

Scoot they are spendy but IMO worth the $$$. I hunted out of a summit for years and I was blown away how nice the lone wolf stands are. It wasn't one thing that blew me away but more like 100 little things, you can see that there was a lot of thought put into the design of the stands. I have the hand climber model and while it's not as comfortable as the summit stands it is a great hunting stand. If am an trying to sneak in and setup on a buck close by it's the only stand I want to bring with me. It's also great for packing in long distances or through very thick stuff because it is so small and light weight.

[slopmaster]

hang on with climbing sticks for me, no worries about having to find a "perfect" tree and weight wise its lighter than most if you get the right set up. At least where i hunt you'd never be able to hunt the good spots with a climber. my buddy brought his new climber to our hunting area last year and spent the whole afternoon just looking for a tree, next time he brought his dad's 20 year old hang on just so he could hunt. I guess for those of you lucky enough to have telephone poles everywhere out in the woods than i could see having a climber.

[gardn184]

I used a climber for the first time this year, the Summit Viper. I absolutely loved the hunting with it. It was the most comfortable stand I've sat in. However, I didn't use it as an everyday stand. I used it when I wanted to go scout an area and hunt. Once I found a location that I liked a lot, I would take a hang on with climbing sticks in and set it up. The climber was a little noisy and to much work for everyday use. Easier to sneak in with my bow and climb up a stand that's already set up. I feel there is no single answer, the climber has its place as a scouting tool and then once you find a good spot move in with a hang on. If you already have a hangon a climber is a great investment for those on a whim hunts

[Wanderer]

I have plenty of hang ons myself and never seriously considered a climber in the past. I have been listening to others who do use them and I'm slowly getting convinced to give one a try. I've been told you don't have to have those telephone style trees all the time. If you come to a branch too big to prune - or you just don't want to - simply undo the strap to pass the branch and then resecure it on the other side.

Again, I haven't done this so I don't know how well it works but I can tell you that I've had PLENTY of issues getting my Lone Wolf Alpha in trees that I want to hunt. And the LW climbing sticks almost took a flight off the bluff last season after I couldn't set up even near the trail I wanted because the straps wouldn't make it around the best trees for the spot (that's the last time I don't bring enough screw in steps for a set).

So I have to ask the climber folks: What is the largest diameter tree you can get your stand in?

[DanOmite19]

So I have to ask the climber folks: What is the largest diameter tree you can get your stand in?

According to Summit, my viper will do 20" diameter. However, I know I've done bigger. I've done trees where i'm on the biggest setting on the cables and I have to start the platform about three feet up the tree. And even then it angles up at a 45* angle. By the time I get to 20' it levels out. Some prime spots are worth the trouble.

[Code-Man]

My biggest concern is that I'm a bigger guy and that most of the trees I hunt are pretty small. How good do they stay on the tree? I've heard of slipping while hunting.

[sticknstring]

I think the diameter goes out to 22" on the Lone Wolf's. I do know they sell longer straps as well if you need them. In the areas I use it most, if one tree doesn't work, another 10' feet away will. I've only used the Lone Wolf hand climber, but really have no reason to switch. They attatch to the tree rock solid, but always wear your safety harness. No treestand is ever 100% safe.

[Wanderer]

I do know they sell longer straps as well if you need them.

I asked for them last year and was told they don't make them anymore. Something about the Tree Stand Assc. guidelines and all. I didn't look into it further at the time since I figured I could make due another option I had in mind.

[sticknstring]

Tracy, I just grabbed an '11 Lone Wolf catalog and extended traction belts are listed as available for the Sit & Climb, Hand Climber, & Assault Hand Climber. Part # RTBXL - Traction Belt XL.

[Meat-Run]

I have a summit viper its' very comfy but I would prefer a LW for the ligther weight and compact it is while traveling through the woods.

mr

[Bear55]

My biggest concern is that I'm a bigger guy and that most of the trees I hunt are pretty small. How good do they stay on the tree? I've heard of slipping while hunting.

Usually the bigger the better, more weight = more bite into the tree. I have setup in trees as little as 5 inches and felt safe. There can be a little side to side wobble when you get into smaller trees but sometimes you just have to be in "that tree".

Now that doesn't mean any climber stand won't slip, they can and do so you really have to watch what you are doing, take your time, and be as safe as possible.

In my experience certain trees don't match up well with certain stands. For example I had problems with popple and birch on my old summit stand. For whatever reason the upper half of the stand would slip on popple bark. Also when climbing a large birch tree one evening the teeth digging into the bark gave out a super loud screech like you hear from chalk boards. It didn't take long and a buck bedded near by headed for the hills. I haven't had any traction problems with my Lone Wolf yet but it is possible it has a problem with a certain tree species.

[Wanderer]

Tracy, I just grabbed an '11 Lone Wolf catalog and extended traction belts are listed as available for the Sit & Climb, Hand Climber, & Assault Hand Climber. Part # RTBXL - Traction Belt XL.

That's good to know.

When I was checking for longer straps, I was specifically looking for straps for the climbing sticks and Alpha hang on stand though. When I was told they weren't available any longer I just shrugged my shoulders and said I'd just have to get some motorcycle tie downs then. The guy nodded and denied agreement.

I just wind up hunting in mature hard wood areas and feel much more comfortable in larger diameter trees like oaks.

[harvey lee]

My biggest concern is that I'm a bigger guy and that most of the trees I hunt are pretty small. How good do they stay on the tree? I've heard of slipping while hunting.

I am 6-3 and go roughly 285-290 and I have never had an issue with stabillity with a climber. I do go into tress much smaller than I should.

One can also wear a safelty vest incase one were to slip or fall.

A guy should wear a safety harness in any type of tree stand as it could save your life.

The climbers are so easy to go up and down the tree also and one does not have to mess with screwing the steps in.

[Rippinlip]

Does anybody allow you to go try one of these out?

I have a very old climber and am wanting to buy either a Summit or Lone Wolf, would like to see which one I like better.