I am debating on what to do about buying a Lone Wolf. I currently have 3 Hawk Helium sticks. For you guys that have used the Lone Wolf sticks and lock ons, should I keep the sticks and buy the Lone Wolf Assault 2 to use with them? Or should I get the Assault 2 and 4 Lone Wolf sticks and the quiver? Or possibly even buy the cheaper XOP and use with the sticks that I have? I am looking to be as mobile, lightweight, and pack tight as possible. Thanks.
Heck. It is just money. Buy it all. I just found a pretty good deal on Craigslist for a Lone Wolf Alpha. Bought it.
If money isn't the object then I would just buy a matching set and be done with it. Lightest possible go with the Assault. If you want a little extra confront / room, then buy the alpha.
I can honeslty say...since switching to LW stands and sticks I could not go back. I do still have a few cheap - o hang on and it pains me to set them. I would add, I prefer the alpha over the assault. More room, for bit much more weight. It's an investment for years and years...only problem is, I/you'll want more.
I've not made the full jump to LW fanboy (yet), but did buy the sticks. I use them with a cheap hang on without the quiver. They do nest well and I secure them to my stand to pack them in/out...pretty compact. If you need an incremental option. An LW stand will shave about a pound from my weight. The older I get the more I think about that pound. I'd imagine the opposite may work too.
Thanks for the input guys. I'm leaning hard at just buying all lone wolf and being done with it. I just got back to my truck because there wasn't a single tree for me to get in using my climber. So I'll be watching the field while my wife hunts from a stand that I have up for her.
I've moved to mostly all LW's. Every year I buy one or two more but still have a few cheaper stands I put in spots where I know they are likely to disappear. For running/gunning I've got an Assault that is covered in Stealth Strips along with the sticks. I don't like the quiver, I find that it forces me to do multiple trips up/down. I nest them and have the Stick Caddy sling on all my setups. I can sling them over my shoulder while climbing/hanging and then when it's time for the next stick I rest the stack on my lineman belt and unbuckle the next stick. I can go the whole way up the tree with my stand tied to me with the bow tow rope and never come down while making the set.
I still have some of the cheaper squeaker stands. Like mentioned before I try to use them on managed hunts where they have a chance to go away. Most of mine are Alphas but I do have a couple of Assaults for tight places. When it is really cold you'll be glad you didn't go cheap. They are still quiet.
Sure........ I cut up bicycle tire innertubes and put them over all my buckles to quiet them down: And some pics of the stand and sticks:
We were showed at the BHC meeting that packing the sticks sideways onto the platform works pretty good. LW also now sells the clips too that you can clip the sticks to. This helps with having a back pack strapped to the stand also. http://www.lonewolfhuntingproducts.com/shopping/Products/Alphatech-Stick-Quiver__AT-SQ.aspx
I really like the looks of this. I think this is probably the route that I'm gonna take. Thanks for the pics.
I got he alpha and three sticks. I could never go back to my stand. It was a pack n stack ladder stand. Got some money from a car accident and got the lone wolf last yr. Couldnt be happier with it. Wish I had one more stick.
