Just picked up a new Muddy Hunter Pro Hang On stand and the set of four Muddy Climbing Sticks. I have to say, I can't wait to pack this in on a hunt. I chose this stand and stick set because last season I found myself hiking in more than a mile and almost two miles sometimes to get to my various locations. I had a larger steel stand and a set of steel climbing sticks that totaled at least 32lbs. It had a set of crappy backpack straps and at the end of a hike with that thing and my other gear, I was very tired and sore. To remedy that this season, I went with what I believe to be the best set of sticks out there and a lightweight stand. The Sticks - The rope cam system is fantastic. It's quick to setup, silent and reliable. The sticks stack together and include a strap to secure the stack. Additionally, they are designed to pack on the Hunter Pro and Hunter stands as well as the Bloodsport and Outfitter. The sticks are 2.5 lbs each for a total of 10lbs for the 4 of them strapped together. The Stand - The Hunter Pro platform is slightly smaller than I expected, which has me slightly concerned about how comfortable I'll be on longer sits. The manufacturer states a platform size of of 26" x 20". While this is the actual size of the platform - the usable space while seated is much smaller. (Consider the amount of space you have while sitting on the seat). I measured the distance from the front of the seat to the front of the platform to be approximately 10". Conservatively, you'd have about a 16" x 20" space to put your feet while seated. I'm 5' 8" and I would probably not feel comfortable if the platform were any smaller. You can figure if you're taller than that, you might want to opt for the larger Hunter stand and sacrifice a few lbs of additional weight. On the upside, the platform is still plenty big while standing. Muddy opted for a single ratchet strap as the primary method of hanging the stand and a cam-buckle strap to secure the bottom of the seat post. Both have loop ends that secure to the seat post. As with any hang-on tree stand, the most secure setup can be achieved by hanging the stand with the primary strap and securing the secondary strap before folding the platform down. Once the straps are secured, folding the platform down causes the teeth to really dig in and tightens the straps even further. A cool feature of this stand series is the 'boomerang' tree cleat. This style cleat allows the stand to be setup on a tree that is leaning side to side and still be hung level. The platform can be adjusted to 5 different angles and the seat can also be adjusted up or down. Nylon washers are installed at all pivot points to eliminate metal to metal squeaking. The seat cushion is a hugely comfortable 3" thick and the camo cover is waterproof. The seat has two tie-down points and slides over the metal frame so its secure but still has some room to slide around. Not terrible but another set of tie down points could be useful. The stand weights in at the 10.5 lbs advertised on most retail websites. Muddy's own site lists this stand at 12.5 lbs. I assume the extra 2 lbs includes the straps (and most online retailers are listing just the weight of the stand alone) or perhaps the newer models are just lighter. Either way, the set of sticks and the stand total 20.5 lbs for me which is a HUGE improvement over the 32lbs my old setup weighed.
Did you pick up any extra sticks? If not your probably gonna wish you did. Here is the post about them from the other day http://forums.bowhunting.com/showthread.php?36144-Muddy-climbing-sticks
I don't understand why so many people feel the need to be 25 feet up. With 4 sticks I can get about 15 feet up which is plenty high. It's high enough to be out of visual range (as long as you're not fidgeting or flailing around) and as far as scent is concerned, if the wind isn't mostly in your favor, don't hunt that spot.
I was going to go with the muddys but i need all the help i can getting up high. being that im 5'6 on a good day lol. so the muddys being so short i decided to go with the LWs. but if muddy comes out with a longer stick id get those.
I know Muddy looked at making the sticks longer when they first designed them but because of the rope system they were not able to do it and it still be safe. I don't think you will ever see longer sticks from them until they make a major change in the rope design.
I got the muddy stands and sticks also. I got the hang on with the larger platform and am very happy with it. I actually packed it into the woods on all day walks shed hunting just to help get used to it. I did get a 5th stick (check out amazon.com for that). I set it up in a yard in the tree the other night, the bottom of my platform was roughly 16 -17 feet up which is more than plenty, and I even had to shorten the length between the sticks at one point due to a branch. Also, I'm only 5'8" which is basically average. If you haven't yet, look into their harness. It's a good system with the stand. They even have little clips (which you have to buy, dumb) that will allows you to hold 2 sticks on your harness so you can put them up at you go and not have to carry them. This way you're not up and down the tree retrieving sticks. I'm more than pleased with my purchase.
You don't need those clips at all. When the steps are folded closed you can just turn a stick upside down and hang it anywhere on your harness from the closed step.
Bought 5 muddy sticks and Hunter hang on today. Never used a hang on and sticks. Really excited about getting them. They weren't in stock so I have to wait. I did a lot of research. Came down to Muddy, Lone Wolf Alpha, and Millennium M-50. I liked all these hang on stands to start because they had two straps. I'm sure the one strap hang on stands work fine, but I like the extra strap. They all also had adjustment levels for seats and platform. Sounds like Lone Wolf is the favorite among most here. They do look like great stands. Best for versatility and will hold up for years. Would have went with Lone Wolf if I was moving around more. Might have to try it in the future. I liked that Justin said that the stands from 8 years ago don't show any sign of use except for seat. Millenium sounds like it is the best for comfort. I figured the Muddy was somewhere in between those two in comfort and versatility for movement. Mainly going to use at a permanent location, but love the idea of being able to move easily if needed. Also liked the pad and foot rest on the muddy. No straps was a negative, but I'll carry short distance if needed. At the end of 3 years they will send you new straps if you want old one's replaced. Probably not going to be needed, but nice. As for sticks, I've heard and seen that the muddy sticks are very small. That is correct. I'm 6'4 so I'm not too worried and I bought 5 so I should be good. I really liked the rope and pegs for both feet on the Muddy set up. Sticks were between Lone Wolf and Muddy for portability if I ever decide to want to use that way more than I do now. Hope this helps anyone that is looking for reviews. I read plenty and probably researched too much on it.
Congrats on the new gear! To bad you didn't order your sticks from bowhunting.com. They have plenty in stock! http://www.bowhunting.com/shopping/products/climbing-stick-4pc__170404.aspx
I too use the Muddy gear. I love it! Pretty nice packing this stuff in far off the road. Works great and is rock solid. If I need a little more hight, then I just pull out a couple of screw in steps to get me that extra couple feet. This works great and is cheaper than buying one more Muddy step. To each his own though. The stand is definitely comfortable for an all day sit! Great products for sure.
