So Santa left me some cash for a treestand this Christmas and I'm trying to make a decision... I want a "smaller" cast aluminum stand for run and gun and am pretty much settled on an XOP Vanish or Lone Wolf Assault 2. The XOP Vanish is listed as being 11.5 pounds, but then they have an asterisk that says the "ready to hunt weight" with the cushion, strap and bracket is actually 13.5 pounds- WTH?! The Lone Wolf says 11 pounds for the Assault 2 and 14 for the Alpha 2... Are these "ready to hunt weights"? If the XOP Vanish is 13.5 pounds "ready to hunt", and the lone Wolf Alpha 2 is 14 pounds "ready to hunt" WHY would anyone buy the 3" smaller Vanish to save 1/2 pound?! Has anyone weighed/verified the weight of any these stands with straps, brackets and cushions? If you have (or really if you have anything else of interest to add), I'd appreciate your input in helping me decide! Thanks, guys.
I'm not exactly sure on weight cuz I haven't weighed my Vanish, however I could see someone going to the XOP Vanish vs. Lone Wolf simply on price.
It's not cast aluminum, but if you want an awesome run and gun lightweight hang-on check out the Millennium M7 microlite. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TP86JH6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Legit 9# stand with the easy hang bracket. I own both XOP and LW climbers and while they are by far best climbers I've owned I end up in the M7 with a set of Muddy sticks more often than not. Seat is way more comfortable on the M7, and a value at $150
I have seen that one, but I had a couple of concerns... The platform seems really SMALL, and you're married to their bracket, right? Is it quiet in the cold or does it get creaky? Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Yes you have to use their brackets but I like it a lot. I wear sz 12 LaCrosse rubber boots and I don't think the platform is too small. It's tight if you have to turn to shoot behind you, but manageable. If you want lightweight you have to sacrifice something. This is first season I had it- No creaks in mine but coldest I hunted was maybe 25*. With all my gear I'm maybe 225lbs. It's rock solid leaning out left and right. Seat is dead quiet even when you flip it up, which also helps when you have to turn around. One of the main reasons I use it over my little LW and XOP climbers- flip the seat up and you have more than enough room.
I have the XOP Vanish and will weigh it tomorrow for you. I can only compare it to the LW Alpha and XOP Silver. I can tell you this, when I checked the weight prior to this season (because I felt like it weighed the same as my Alpha and Silver), I was a bit shocked and felt I was misled...and I am a XOP fan. I'm also a LW fan so, no real bias here.
Thanks! I'm interested to hear how the Vanish compares to the Alpha 2... Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Sounds like you are about the same size as me... If the Vanish really is almost the same weight as the Alpha 2, then an M7 or Assault start making a whole lot of sense to me... Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Just to be clear I'm not bashing LW (except $$$) or XOPs- both make great products. I'm no Millennium fanboy either- had a M150 and hated it- weighed much more than advertised and the geometry of the base was such if you stood out on the front corners it would tilt hard and fast. I almost didn't pull the trigger on the M7 but I'm very glad I did. I'm intrigued by the M60 micro also if you want a touch bigger. Only 13.5# and still $75 cheaper than a LW.
If you want to "Make America great again", you have to support American made products. LW is made in America where wages are far higher, and human rights are considered. XOP=made in china.. cheap labour, no human rights concerns at all, not to mention the unsustainable environmental impacts of shipping to and from China for something that can be, and is made, locally. Worth paying more for IMO and arguably, LW is a better product. My assault and alphas are right on specs. I switched to ropes mods. to make them even lighter and now I use a saddle for the ultimate in portability featuring minimal weight, comfort, safety and it too is made in the US. If you want full run and gun, strongly look at saddles, nothing will compare. T
I was hoping I could be more exact for you. My standard out of the box LW setups are still all in the field so the one below is slightly modified, see descriptions. Overall, I see zero difference between these two setups in real-world situations with the exception of fitting into a tight space. No significant net gain in weight savings. XOP Vanish (out of the box standard accessories): backpack straps, two tree straps, seat, and offset bracket installed, is bouncing between 13.5 to 14obs. Lone Wolf Alpha 1 (I do not own an Alpha 2): padded backpack straps, two tree straps, seat, (NO offset bracket installed): Bouncing around 13.5. With the bracket installed I would bet they are within .5lbs of each other. Update. I stripped all the accessories from both stands minus the offset bracket on the Vanish. They were within an ounce of each other. The offset bracket cannot add more than .5lbs... XOP Vanish with offset bracket and all else stripped: 12lbs LW A1: no offset bracket and all else stripped: 12lbs
I have owned a Vanish, a old 8.5 lb Lone Wolf Assault. I currently own 2 XOP Silvers and a LW Alpha 2. The Vanish was built using the same platform as the 8.5 Assualt but they completely missed it in the weight department. The Silver and the Alpha 2 are basically the same stand, the Silver is a bit heavier. The wider V in the back of the platform on the XOP Silver, XOP Air Raid, and the Alpha is more solid. The best bang for your buck in my opinion for a run and gun stand is the Alpha 2. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That is wild... A far cry from the 8-some pounds XOP promised before they released the Vanish... All things being equal, it seems like price and being able to fit into smaller places are the only major advantages of the Vanish over an Alpha... Thank you for verifying! Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I just put my LW Assault on the scale, and with the entire stand friction taped, with one tree strap it weighs exactly 10lbs. I love having it if I need it, but my sit and climb is my stand of choice 99% of the time.
I have a Lone Wolf Alpha and a XOP Air Raid. They are almost identical except the XOP weighs 2.5-3 pounds more. I had a Vanish and sold it because it weighed around 14 pounds ready to hunt. At that weight I figured I might as well get a bigger platform and be more comfortable. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I have the LW alpha and the XOP vanish. When I think about the difference, weight does not come to mind. Size comes to mind and the small difference in the size of the platform makes a huge difference to me. I much perfecr the larger LW. I’m an average size guy (5.9 and 180) When I have both to choose from for run and gun I always prefer the LW alpha. I’ll hike a few miles on run and gun sets. They are both great stands tho. Far far above any other stands I own. The LW just seems like it’s a little better in quality and like I said that tiny size difference is huge to me. Especially in places and trees I haven’t been in before. I hope that helps somehow. I know it’s not the same as what you’re looking at but thought I’d chime in. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
