Let me first start by saying, I've used Summits for many years now and have a few. They've been really good to me and actually like how they don't pack flat because of the way a pack with fit to them. Especially a heavy one. I'm getting the itch for a Lone Wolf Sit and Climb but still second guess it. The fact they're so quiet is a big appeal. Weight is the same. Sell me on a Lone Wolf. Lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I use to run approximate 30+ stands (the Menards cheap hang on ones) 3 years back. I tried pretty much every hang on set out there, from Muddy, RPT, API, millennium and who knows what else. I converted ALL my sets to Lone wolf Alpha Hang on with fast preset hooks. I now almost backpack my stand every sit. I now own 5 alphas and one LW climber. WILL NOT GO BACK. Once I reach my tree I climb the sticks toss me stand on the hook and strap it in. I timed myself and from ground to sitting in stand is approximate 22 seconds. The weight, quiet and versatility to sit in almost any tree is amazing. I LOVE the adjustable platform and seat... For out a doubt it has increased my ability to lay one down each and every hunt. I could salsa in my stand and still be silent, no joke.
Sell you huh? Not sure I can since I've heard great things about Summit climbers as well. I have hunted out of a LW Hand Climber for the past 10 years and have loved it. It is very light and quiet, easy to pack as well. My only complaint was that the seat wasn't as comfortable for long sits. I decided to change that this year and upgraded the top portion to a Wide Sit and Climb...very comfortable and I'm very happy with it.
I've owned both and this is my take. Comfort - Summit Packability-LW Ease of climbing - tie Feeling solid on the tree - Summit Lowest noise-LW Price - Summit If the Summit packed flat, I think it would be the overall winner. As it is, it's pretty much a toss-up. Blessings............Pastorjim
See I actually don't mind the fact that the Summit doesn't pack flat. They're easy to put my pack on. I'm still up in the air. I'll either do the Sit and Climb or the Viper Elite and change the seat Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have an Assault hang-on with sticks and I have a LW sit and climb. They are the first 2 stands I've owned and probably the last stands I'll own. I just love LW stands, plain and simple.
I will never again own a hollow tube stand. when you get into a hollow tube with ice in the tread of your boots you will find out why. it echos through the tubing like crazy. lone wolf is dead quiet. if the seat is your complaint the buy an xop seat and put it on your lone wolf.
I have owned two Summits (Open shot and viper) and I have a Lone Wold hand climber. I have used the LW since 2009. To me they are better everywhere except maybe comfort, but I like the firm seats. Packing flat is important to me because of the terrain and brush I have to hike through. Much more balanced and doesn't snag. Even if I carried my Summit's with the cables down they were constantly snagging. To me I also feel the LW is more stable of the tree. At the time Summit's didn't have stabilzier straps (don't know if they do now?) but LW did and that is huge in making them feel solid.
I've owned both stands. I currently use a LW Sit and Climb WIDE. Here is my take. Packability: Of course the LW does pack flat and is more compact so their is no comparison there. However, if you strap anything on the top of the climber when carrying in, its a wash IMO. Something is going to stick out. Comfort: Summits are far more comfortable. However, I made some modifications to my LW that greatly helped in a number of areas. I ditched the LW seat in favor of a hazemore hammock seat. It is much better IMO and the fact that it doesn't sit below the bar on the seat section and raises you up out of the stand is a huge plus. It's almost like sitting in a hang on now. I also added the footrest kit to the LW to further enhance the comfort. I will say that I used to have a LW sit and climb standard and hated it. Too narrow for my liking and wasn't comfortable at all. This from someone who is 6ft 200lbs. The Wide Sit and Climb is as wide as the Summits and IMO, perfect. Silence: The LW's by default are quieter. Its hard not be quieter based on the design and materials used. However, I really never had issues with staying quiet in the Summit either. Practice, take your time going up and down the tree and you'll be fine. The one area that gets overlooked between the two is platform size. Now, the Summits list at 28 inches long and the LW's at 30. However, the Summits have more usuable platform space because of the way that measurement is obtained. They measure not from the point where the stand hits the tree, but further out. LW is from the tree out. The same measurement on a summit gets you 36". Its not that noticeable however, because everything on the LW sits closer to the tree than the Summits do. You can't lean back much in a LW which is another reason the Summits are more comfortable. Overall, you can't go wrong with either stand. It really comes down to budget and what you want out of a stand. If you want comfort and sit a lot, then the Summit is the way to go. If you're like me and want guarenteed silence and spend a great deal of time standing, the LW is the ticket.
Exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to get a Viper Elite (replace the seat) and sell my Specialist Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have owned seven Summit climbers. The only thing Summit has over Lonewolf is comfort. Other than that in my opinion Summit Treestands are junk. I had a weld break on me back in 2003 on a summit I said I would never get another one but I did. The others have had paint issues as well as bad looking welds. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have a Summit Mini Viper SD, and I replaced the seat with a Hazmore mesh seat. Its super comfortable. I'm 5'7" and 170 pounds, so the mini works great for me. It can be a little loud setting up and at take down. I feel that when I put the cables all the way in that they tend to stick inside the tubes...I may just rub the lugs down with scent free soap, so they slide in and out better. I was on the fence with LW or Summit when I made the purchase, but I went with Summit since it was $100 less expensive than the LW.
I have a older Summit Viper I kind like how it packs. It has a nice spot that acts like a cradle for a gear bag, etc.... I will say that they are very comfortable stands and couldn't imagine being anything much better in that category. Being I already own a climber I can't see justifying purchasing a LW unless I went with the hand climber to shed a significant amount of weight. Seems like all of LWs other climbers would pretty much be a wash. I'd love to try out a flip top of money was no object.
I wish someone would start making Equalizer stands again. If you guys could see what it's like to have full adjustability in the stand, you would never go back. I still have mine, still like new. I hope it lasts forever!
We do. I adjust my Lonewolf on the way up and down almost every time. It is very simple to do Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
When I'm using my climber it's almost always for full day sits. For that reason, I'll take comfort over everything else any day. I can't compare the two but love my viper sd. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Check out the Ol'Man Drone. It has a really neat way of adjusting the stand as you climb. I'm very surprised the other companies are not using this simple idea. The only thing I didn't like about it was the pins used in the cables. I don't want to mess around with cable pins in the dark. Blessings.........Pastorjim
I adjust mine too, but I try to make any adjustments as close to the ground as I can. I just don't have the kahona's to do it 20ft up. parkersdad, I'm interested in hearing your method for adjusting. I place the seat section low enough and then kneel on the seat, reaching over to adjust. Its quick and pretty easy, just a little unnerving for my liking.
