I thought I'd post this over here. I just put a full season in this stand and feel I gave it a more than fair chance. I decided that this stand just didn't meet my needs. I know I'll take a beating from the fan club of this stand and honestly, I can see where some are coming from. However, for the way I hunt, it was just a miserable piece of equipment to drag into the woods. Here's my take. The stands selling point is its quietness hooking up, climbing and while on stand. I will say that it definitely is the quietest stand I've used. But after that, the advantages end there. Packing the stand, IMHO, isn't all that great. Unless you go out and buy several rolls of camo tape or other stuff to cover areas where the top section contacts the platform, it will make noise when you unpack or pack it. Once its all together, and you add the bungie, its fine. More importantly for me was the fact that I folded it flat when packing and it was just one more thing I had to screw with at the tree in the morning. One of the huge issues for me was the weight of the stand. My came in at 21lbs. Not 20 like they said. Even at 20, it was still 2lbs heavier than my Summit Cobra. Sure the stand packs flat, but for me, it didn't make a difference. I strap my daypack onto the stand and it is going to stick out anyway. The fixed bars of most stands stick out the same distance anyway. The comfort of the stand is horid. I've always been one that didn't want to get out of a tree. With this stand, I couldn't wait to get out. I realize this stand is built for hunting, not napping. But I need a stand I can stay in all day. The Lone Wolf, even with the foot rest kit, for me, was a torture chamber. The seat section is very narrow and dug into my hips. I'm not a very big guy either. I think the biggest factor for me getting rid of the stand was the stability. On larger trees, that platform shifted on my several times. The teeth section is too narrow and there wasn't enough teeth biting into the tree. I've never been spooked in a stand like this one. I took the stand back to Cabelas. Hats off to that company. I exchanged the stand for a new Summit Bushmaster. All I wanted was a light, stripped down climber with no bells and whistles. The Bushmaster weighed in at 17.84lbs on the same scale I weighed the LW on. It's more comfortable and I can setup and climb much faster with it. If you use a Summit long enough, you get the hang of them and can climb very quietly. I've climbed many mornings and had deer under me within 15min. So for me, its a none issue. I'm not in no way knocking the LW. Different strokes for different folks. I've read comments where people who hear you have a Lone Wolf tells them that they're a hardcore hunter and such. It doesn't fit my needs and I'll hunt longer and harder out of a Summit.
i sat in a lone wolf hang on for the first time this year... and i'll be honest.. i dont know if i'd drop the 220 for it. I pack in and out with an ameristep patriot (yes, the ones that they had recalls for... safe now with the free attachment kit). it tips the scales at 12 lbs and i am just as comfortable in my 90 dollar stand. In my opinion, if you want to spend the time, (dont string me up for sayin this) you can get in and out of a tree quiet with any climber... some hunters just have a bigger learning curve with some stands...
frepar, you're correct about the learning curve. I tried really hard to like the LW and figured I'd get used to it and find my own groove with the stand. It just never happened.
hey, you did what you needed to do... and i applaud you for doing so.. i'm with you on the "if you own a lone wolf... youre hardcore for sure" statement... My buddies put more deer down than anyone i know with a climber he bought at a garage sale.. its not about name printed on the box you bring home... its about whether or not that unit works for you, the way you need it to...
I know this isn't the point of your thread, but I gotta ask anyway -- did you use the stand an entire season then take it back ? Did Cabelas give you full value?
to all who are familiar with cabelas return policy... it is changing i had a chat with regional director of merchandising at an even in owatanna, mn ... he said that it is killing both cabelas, and the suppliers. case in point.. person buys a treestand... returns it for whatever reason, cabelas takes it back and send him on his way... cabelas CANNOT resell that stand... it goes back to the supplier... now supplier has to either (a) spend money getting this thing reapproved for resale, or (b) scrap it and start over... actually heard THAT part from a higher up at LW
When you use a Summit for any length of time and try to move to another stand I believe the 2 issues you will encounter (if any) are stability and comfort. A Summit grabs the tree like no other IMO and I could sit in my Goliath all day and not be uncomfortable for even a second. I'm sure tons of guys love the LW gear..........and I'm sure it's a fine stand. I know that every stand I have tried since I bought my Summit has left me more certain then ever that I made the right choice (for me).
Probably true. I use a LW saddle bag to carry my: tether; tree hook; haul line; pruning saw. The saddle bag acts as a "buffer" between the two sections, when packed. This allows me to separate them with no noise. I stopped folding the platform section, pretty quickly. I found it "unnecessary". It rides on your back no differently when not folded flat. Very true (REAL weight). But, how much it weighs isn't the benefit of this stand. HOW it rides on your back......is. It's head and shoulders better than my Summit (which I also love, but rarely use, anymore). LOL...AGAIN...no argument from me. When I got the LW....I became more of a "stander". Best thing that happened, IMO. I wonder how many times it's saved me a shot opportunity. The footrests are the BOMB, though. I now use the sit and climb upper....and find it to be AS comfortable (OK....or no less UNcomfortable) than the S&C. I've heard of this from others....but never experienced it. No comment, I guess. True. I've been up in my LW now over 200X. It's been my "go to" since about trip 10. Good luck with your new stand. Can't go wrong with a Summit, either.
I sold my LW and bought the Open-Shot Deluxe upper to use with my Summit Viper lower. Could not be more happy. I just could not deal with the LW upper sections on the S/C or Handclimber. If they would make the Handclimber upper with a bigger, more comfortable seat, I might rethink. Right now, I am back in love with my Summit. It just fits me. (And now I can flip up the "comfortable" seat on the Openshot Handclimber.) jmo
About that open shot...... Are you telling me you can "flip" the seat up (I'm not familiar with the stand)....or...is it the same "type" seat as is on the viper? Thanks.
I believe the seat does actually flip up and out of the way. The Summit Bushmaster, I believe, doesn't have this feature.
It is a handclimber upper. No front bar. One piece thick seat cushion attached to a metal support that "flips" (hinged with bolts) up against the tree. I can flip it up and stand with my back against it and the tree, between the handclimber support arms. I love it. LW is missing the boat with this feature not being on their handclimber in my opinion. The Openshot upper is lighter than the Viper upper as well.
I have been looking at the LWSC pretty hard, but the Summit Goliath may be the way I go. I'm looking for all day comfort.
No ****. Summit may have just produced the perfect climbing stand for bowhunters. I may have to pick up the upper for my Viper platform for 2010. Very good news.
