I currently have API and summit climbing stands. However I have a good friend who has a lone wolf and has had the same stands I own. He says there is no better climber on the market than this lone wolf. What are some of the experiences you guys have had with these stands?
they are awesome, If i didnt have such a huge want to own a timbertall climber, i would get a lone wolf
Have you ever had one slip on the tree? And do they make any models with a rail all the way around like a rest or anything?
I had it slip on me this year...I also am not fond of the locking pulley..LOTS of effort to loosen and tighten belt.....
It's all a matter of personal preference. For bowhunting, the LW hand climber is the best I've found, and I've been up 100's of times. The sit & climb has advantages, too (you can get closer to the tree). Good luck.
Do yourself a favor and get a Summit Openshot Deluxe. By far the best I have used for bowhunting. Light, comfortable right out of the box, and the seat flips up when you stand. I have used the LW handclimber and sit/climb. You can make just as little noise setting up with a Summit once you practice a little. (If summit used the traction-belt that LW uses, the stand would be even better/quieter to set up.) jmho
I have owned all the stands mentioned and to me the top two are the LW and the Summit Viper. Advantages for the LW; packs great, easiest climbing, and quietest out there. Advantages for Summit; most comfortable, fits those of us who weigh more than 200lbs, and is rock solid on the tree. Overall, I would give the nod to LW if it fit me bettter. I have two Summit climbers and would trade them both for one LW wide sit and climb. Blessings.....Pastorjim
Personally for me a Summit Viper can't be beat in the way of climbers. I have a LW Alpha Hang-on though that I really enjoy using. I use the Summit on long sits for the comfort and the LW when my sits will be 6hrs or less.
For climbers the absolute best is equalizer!!! They are super light and incredibly sturdy, plus you can get perfectly level no matter what type of tree you are in. I have an API that I just use as a hang on now. I would never buy or recommend any other type of climber. https://www.equalizertreestands.com/index.php
I think the Equalizer company went out of business or are no longer making stands. Their stands do look good though.
I just ordered some accessories from them at the beginning of the year. I'm telling you guys, these are THE absolute best stands there are!!!
thanks Awesome. Thanks for all the info guys, i believe i am going to invest in a lone wolf. I love the reviews you guys are giving. Thanks again.
10pt, here is my take on the Lone Wolf climbers. I have owned a Summit, and a Loggy Bayou stand. Then I bought into the hype and purchased a LW S&C. I will never again use their stands until the fix a couple of issues with them. For one, the teeth section is not wide enough to make the platform stable. With a Summit for example, the teeth wrap around the tree more, providing more side to side grip. The LW will easily rock side to side on any tree larger than a telephone pole. My guess is that you don't climb poles either. On average sized trees, only the end teeth are contacting the tree with a LW. The summits have more teeth contacting. Secondly, they advertise the LW as "huge, 30" platform". If you have your buddies LW, put the platform side by side with a Summit. The summit is longer overall and will give you more usable platform space. Finally, the top frame and seat have to be the most uncomfortable seat I've sat in in a long time. I'm not a big guy at all, I have a 34" waist and with layers on, I felt pretty confined in the seat of a LW. But then I found that if I stand more because the seat is tough on the behind. The lone wolf was actually 2lbs heavier than my summit bushmaster based on my scales at home as well. The only thing I could say about the LW was that it was very quiet to climb with and use. The folding down of the stand doesn't really impress me all that much because I usually strap a backpack to the stand anyway. It sticks out as far as the bars do on a fixed stand anyway. Not to mention it was one more thing to screw with in the dark. I did really like the cast platform of the LW. IMO, its the way to go as far as platform construction. However, again, that stand was simply not stable enough for me and I had a hard time being confident enough to stand up on it. After using that LW stand for one whole season, I think I gave it a fair chance. Actually, the stand, moving on the tree the way it did for me, spooked me bad enough that I had a little trouble this season trusting my Summit! I'm all good now though. LW's, IMO, are not all day stands. I'm an all day type of hunter and I need comfort as well as stability. With my Summit, I have no issues sitting all day and have the utmost confidence that if I stand up and happen to put more pressure on one side of the platform its not going to tilt on me.
Add another one for the LW! I think you need to consider how you hunt and what are important features. Here is another way to look at the two. If you want something that packs down to something like a slim 3 or 4 inches and packs down in seconds and setups up in seconds with almost no sound...you want a LW. ( I have got to my tree, setup and began climbing....While climbing, had deer come in on me and not get spooked multiple times with the LW) If you want something that you can sleep in and feel comfortable for 8hr sits...not concerned about the extra bulk, you want the Summit. I watched my buddy get down a tree and pack-up his Summit on Saturday. He was quiet climbing down. Packing up there seemed to be straps all over the darn place along with bungee cords. Way too many for me...not my cup of tea. I'll take the speed and quiet of the LW. Good Luck!
seconds? Man, I am doing something wrong then ... those cams are so tight .. and I am no wimp .... also, I agree with muzzy on the teeth ...
I agree. I have the Bushmaster and I absolutely love it. I hunted out of a few different Loggy Climbers for 20 years and I love them, but once I bought the Bushmaster, I wished I would have bought one years ago. It is light, slim for packing, solid as a rock on the tree and comfortable (I take naps during dead times). I hunted out of Preacher Tony's Lone Wolf and I HATED it. My $.02. Everybody is different and has different needs/wants. Good luck!! Sal
I could have said < 60 seconds it that helps. Being fair, I have never timed myself. I'm sure I am slower some times however, for the most part it is not unreasonable to take this stand off your back and have it strapped to the tree in < 60 seconds. For the heck of it. I will time myself sometime. I'm pretty sure you are stronger than I am...for the record. In the cold my cams seem a bit tough however, I assume it is because of a colder belt. I have in the past put some light grease on the inside of the belt grooves. The difference is amazing and the grease is so light that you would never know there is anything on my belts. Not sure what type of grease as my father provided it (he is machinist). Likely silicone based.
I have the Summit Openshot top section and the Viper top section that I use with a Viper platform. I have only 2 straps. One to hold the 2 sections together while packing in and out.(Also doubles as a stability strap when at hunting height for the top section) And 1 to hold the to sections together while ascending and at hunting height. The Viper seat has a small bungee that goes around the back of the tree to hold that extremely comfortable seat in place while you nap. The LW teeth "will" slip as has been stated above. The seats are like sitting on a rock. The stabilizer straps were a pain, even though they did there job. I was constantly having issues with my feet hitting them when standing and turning on the platform. About the only good thing about a LW that I found was the belt being quiet to adjust/connect. If Summit would switch to that system they would have a "more perfect" stand. jmho
