I love my Lone Wolf Alpha II stand and sticks, but I still struggle on run and gun setups. I carry a lot to the stand since I'm also a my own camera man. On run and gun setups, I have to carry the stand and sticks, a backpack that carries my hunting gear and some of my camera gear. Then I also have a lumbar fanny pack that carries all my cameras and accessories. In the past, it's been about all I could do to get it there and I'm usually a sweaty mess by the time I get to my hunting location. I decided to give the Alphatech Quiver a try to help. My goal is to be able to strap my backpack to the stand, on top of the sticks. It's really hard to do that if the sticks are strapped on the traditional way because it move the center of gravity way too far back. I'm still working out exactly how I'm going to attach the backpack on the stand, but I think it should work out pretty well. Here's some pictures of the Alpha II w. the stick quiver attached. I can say that this is a completely silent setup, not a bang, not a clunk when I was testing it out. I can feel the difference from the transfer of weight forward, it doesn't pull back quite as much. I also opted for the padded carrying straps while I was at it. Without the straps attached to the sticks: On my back: With straps installed. Still just as silent: Padded Lone Wolf staps:
So far so good. Time will tell as I put them to use in the field. I think they will help me in hanging the stand too because you can pull the whole cluster off the stand, then pull off each step as needed. It think it will help keep me from clanking around quite a bit. I can hang the first two steps from the ground pretty much, then I plan on attaching the quiver to my harness, then I should be able to climb up pull off one, and repeat. Then bring the stand up via a pull rope. That means just one trip up the tree to get the stand set.
An interesting side not, they will also snap right on to a Muddy stand too. I know there are some guy using LW sticks and Muddy stands.
I was excited about these but now that they're in people's hands a lot complain about the noise when snapping the sticks in and out, what's your opinion?
They just slide right in and right out. I didn't notice any sound associated with that. I'll have to double check when I get home tonight, but I think I would have noticed if they were making sound while I attached the sticks.
From my interpretation of what I read, you need to remove the clips from the stand before hanging the stand. And removing and replacing the clips to the stand itself creates quite a loud "click." Is this true from your experience?
very interested. Did someone say a muddy stand with lone wolf sticks? I was thinking of going the other way. Muddy sticks with a lone wolf stand. I would do all lone wolf, but I have a family to feed
No, I found that instead of just pulling them straight off, if you push them at an angle in one direction, the basically just slide right off.
Yeah, I've hears of several folks doing this. I know for sure the snap right on the Muddy Post, I didn't attache the sticks with them on though. I'll do that tonight and make sure everything fits properly.
This is only true if you're not careful when you're putting them on and off. As Skywalker said if you slide them at an angle instead of straight on you can do it with zero noise. IMO it's all a learning curve on the best, quickest, and quietest way to use these since they're such a new product. I used mine on the last day of the season and they worked great. However we all know one test on one hunt isn't really a fair evaluation of the product. I'll have to use them a few more times on true run & gun setups to see how they really perform. So far my tests are encouraging and I think it's going to be a hit.
I'm curious to learn more about these. My concern is where do I put them once in the tree, and how do I access each stick while climbing without climbing down. Right now I use Lone Wolf's Climbing Stick Caddy attached to the step that's on bottom when they are nested (the one with the buckle to bundle them). I'm able to sling them over my shoulder like this as I climb between hanging each stick, and then able to pull them over my shoulder and rest them on my linemans belt as I detach the next stick, then connect them back to each other with the buckle. Then I sling back over my shoulder, hang the loose stick, then repeat. I can get in a fairly clear tree (if no trimming) in less than 5 minutes this way, plus I never have to climb down at all. I simply attach my stand to my belt line with the bow rope before I start climbing, then once in the stand I drop my rope back down and snag my bow then pull up (I also use the Lone Wolf Silent Tote rope with the T on the bottom so I can "grab" the bow). I'm curious if you can do something similar to this when using the stick caddy?
I think the solution is still better than bungees and straps. Tell me you don't hit your stand once in a while and make a little noise. I'm excited to get mine Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've got my run and gun stand (Assault) covered in Stealth Strips and the buckles are covered in cut sections of bicycle innertubes. I can hit the stand with the buckles, hit the sticks on each other, etc........all deadly silent.
Glad to hear you can get them on and off quietly. Now I'm more tempted to try them. Will likely order them when I can find them below MSRP.
To make one trip up the tree, make 2 loops that hang on the side of your safety harness. I use 3 sticks when I do my run and gun type setups. I put the first stick on the tree and have the other 2 sticks hanging on each side of me. Climb up the first stick and then remove one stick from your side and put that on the tree. Then climb up again and put the last stick on the tree. Once your at the height needed I pull the stand off my back. (Using the linemans belt). then I put the stand on the tree.
I'm on the opposite side, not a huge fan of it. Couple of things that I personally wasn't a fan of. -You have to attach and detach on set up/take down. -Actually have to spend time mapping out how you're going to put the sticks and in what order. If not, you'll make noise and be there for awhile. -It doesn't feel that secure. One time of getting caught on branch and your sticks or quiver may pull off. This hasn't happened but can see it as a possibility. To the good things -A pack will be easier to put on. Never had issue with the other way, though. -The load is closer to the body which will help if you're toting it up hills, etc.
Off topic for a second but does your sticks still easily fit together after installing strips? Stacking them in the traditional way, I've had problems with the material being too thick.
