I have a climber but it's not very useful at all. If I go to certain areas with time to scout out a proper tree, even then though, I'm not always on a tree that is ideal. With my hang on, it doesn't matter, limbs, not straight, and no guessing on which setting to put the cable on so you're not leaning at the top of the tree. The engineering that has gone into these allow them to pack easy, lightweight, and go up quick and easy.
My hunting buddy uses the gorilla sticks and a gorilla stand (I think the Kong or Scout, can't remember). I use the lone wolf sticks and the lone wolf alpha hang-on. We both get up in the tree in the same amount of time, we were both comfortable in our respective stands and since I added a gorilla seat to my stand, our respective seat time was both the same. There are a few things that the lone wolf setup had that had my friend cursing his setup a couple of times. - The lone wolf sticks pack nice and tight with the stand and make the pack in a lot more enjoyable (and quiet). - When we walked three miles (both ways) through waist high switch grass, weight made a huge difference. - The lone wolf sticks are a lot easier to setup as you're climbing the tree, the gorillas were a little more of a struggle, but not horrible. So overall, after seeing them perform side-to-side, I can say that you could go with either one and be successful. Honestly, I'm a Lone Wolf guy and I'll buy the Wide Sit and Climb this year and I'm sure love it. I do get a little perturbed that for being one of the most expensive stands in the industry, if you want a comfortable seat you need to shell out another $60. To speak of customer service. I posted on here that I was having an issue with my sticks (my fault, not theirs) and in about an hour, I got an email from their service guy with his cell phone number so he could resolve the issue. Beat that kind of customer service.
I buy the cheapest piece of craps I can find. I have close to 20 piece of craps hanging during the season. I have set ups for every wind situation on all the propertys I hunt. I spend a lot of time setting up preseason every year, but its worth it. The less stuff I have to carry into the woods for a hunt the better. Most of my stands are in at least a half mile so carrying a stand in would suck. Plus a nice tree stand has never put venison in my freezer.
First off, I don't know what hang-on stands you guys are hunting out of where you can say the platform on the LW Alpha is small. At 30" long from the base of the tree, it's one of the bigger platforms out there. Yes, there are bigger, but compared to most, it's plenty big. Plus, it retains its width nearly all the way back to the tree unlike many stands that taper back quickly and thus don't provide the room the LW does. As for comfort, I've never had a problem with them being uncomfortable. I've hunted out of them for hours and hours without any problems. Sure, they don't provide the comfort that others do, but they're by no means horrible. Now, on to the original question of why Lone Wolf? First, you will not find a platform that is stronger or quieter than the Lone Wolf. Period. The cast aluminum design is without question better than anything else out there. No hollow tubes, no steel grating, no welds to break or crack. No heavy steel that's going to rust in a month. Second, when you buy a Lone Wolf stand it will last you for years and years beyond any other stand out there. My oldest LW is around 8 years old now and has spent countless hours in the field, sometimes all year. Put any of my old LW stands next to my new ones and, with the exception of some seat wear, you can't tell the difference. I challenge you do that with just about any other make of hang-on stand. I've owned plenty, and most fall apart within a few years. Especially if left out for long periods of time. I fully expect to be using these same LW stands in other 10 years, and I'm pretty sure they will be in the same great shape they are today. Third, their packability, light weight and versatility can't be beat. Some of you are right - in areas where lots of straight limbless trees are the norm there may be better choices. But in a lot of areas where those trees barely exist, you can't beat the versatility of a Lone Wolf. From the seat adjustment to the platform adjustment to the versatility of the off-set bracket you can't find a better stand that will work in just about any situation. With a set of sticks and a LW hang-on stand I can get into just about any tree I want, which offers me a much greater advantage. Remember, the difference between a good stand and a great stand is sometimes less than 10 yards. If you can't get into the tree you need to be in, you're done before you even begin. Fourth, the Versabutton system is hands down the easiest and quickest system for fastening a hang-on stand to the tree. No having to buy a bunch of extra mounting brackets or other gizmos to make things easy. No dealing with noisey ratchet straps. No dealing with those annoying little hooks or adjustment buckles that never seen to adjust. Simply hook the loop, pull the strap and you're done. Simple, quick, and easy. I still own and hunt from a few non-Lone Wolf stands of various makes and models. Every time I have to hang one I curse the day I bought it. Every time I hunt from one I wish I was in a Lone Wolf. Simply put, I don't believe you can buy a better treestand, period. Sure, there may be some stands that beat them in a few categories, but by and large I think most people will agree that once you go Lone Wolf, you don't go back.
Besides everything else that has been stated I really like the following that JZ stated: (Fourth, the Versabutton system is hands down the easiest and quickest system for fastening a hang-on stand to the tree. No having to buy a bunch of extra mounting brackets or other gizmos to make things easy. No dealing with noisey ratchet straps. No dealing with those annoying little hooks or adjustment buckles that never seen to adjust. Simply hook the loop, pull the strap and you're done. Simple, quick, and easy.)
This is what I used to do also but It put me in a bind this season. I had some killer stand sights that I leave every year! Entering the season I got a big suprise as my woods had suffered a hit, a bad hit from an f2 Twister that had pummled the area during the summer months! I had funnel areas that were no longer funnels, I lost one stand that is now pinned under a tree, I had others that were still there but the trees were snapped off above the stand and the area went to crap! I moved the stands but was having trouble finding a mature Buck! I was mid season and trying to key in on a big boy. As stated earlier, moving my heavy cheap noisy stands and pole sticks or screw in steps was a pain! Packing my climber in over a mile where I finally keyed in on a Mature Bucks home range was not the greatest thing either as the tree choices were not great for a climber and moving the other stands that far back was going to be noisy! If I had the LW set up things would have been easier by far! I got lucky and Killed what I was after but the tree I was in was not the best choice, and I was barley able to pull off a good shot! I like knowing that im very mobile when a situation or opportunity arises! I want to be ready right now for those times when it might mean getting a shot at a slammer! Stands dont put venison in the freezer,,,where we set them up helps though
I use the Gorilla King Kong for my permanent set-ups and the Gorilla Silverback Scout for my mobile set-up. It has a small platform but weighs just 10.5 pounds, so it's really easy to pack in and hang. The Gorillas are really quiet also. http://www.gorillatreestands.com/king-kong-hx http://www.gorillatreestands.com/silverback-scout-hx I do have a Lone Wolf Alpha, and it's probably a little bit better stand than the King Kong, but not worth the extra $150, in my opinion.
Treestands, at least for me are right up there with clothing in terms of importance to my hunting. So, its #2 on the list. However, when it comes to lock on stands, especially if you're planning on setting them in the pre-season and leaving them up, I don't see a need to spend the price on LW's. Plenty of stands that will work just as well. If you're the type that likes to pack them in and out, etc., then yes, the sticks and loc on from Lone Wolf has its advantages. In terms of climbers, I feel that LW is a far better product overall than the other brands. Again, its only my opinion, but I think they platforms and overall quality of their stands are top notch now that they stopped being greedy and moved everything back to the US. There are a couple of things I wish they'd change about the climbers, but the positives outweigh the negatives.
Not to derail the thread, but that decision really didn't have anything to do with greed. When people in the marketplace are demanding that you lower your pricing and you've exhausted all options domestically, unfortunately you're forced to go overseas or risk going out of business. There isn't a US-based company who would produce anything overseas if they could get it done here at a price that could keep them competative. Not being greedy, just trying to stay alive.
They are SILENT, built for mobility, and will fit on nearly any tree. All-around, the best quality / best performing stands on the market! No one else even comes close!
I agree that the cheap stands are noisy, but you can go the hardware store and buy little plastic washers very cheap and put them at the swivel points and they wont make any noise any more. Just something I do, because of the way I set up, I put so many stands up, I would have to take out a second mortgage to pay for all the expensive stands...haha
Sorry to hear about the twister. I would hate to have to deal with that around where I hunt. I know it is a pain to move the cheap heavy stands , but its a good work out haha. I usually have to move my stands a few times a year to adjust to the deer movement. So I know what a pain it is. Chasing the buck that I have in my profile pic, I moved a stand 4 different times this year. And still ended up taking him off the ground at five yards as he was charging me during rut. I was walking in and I always grunt with the grunt call when Im walking to my stand so I dont spook anything. Well he didnt like that much, and luckly I saw him coming from about 40yrds and had enough time to get my arrow nocked and got a shot off. Stuck him dead in the chest with a muzzy mx-3 and he went about 20 yrds and fell over and died.
I love the portability and the versatility. I love being able to pick a spot, walk in knowing that I'm goig to be able to hunt any tree I want. The weight is also a huge plus. I usually forget that I'm carrying it.
This doesn't fix all noise issuse, especially if you are hunting in sub-freezing or sub-zero temps. Touch any hollow tube platform with snow filled boot treads and you might as well be rattling with treesteps. I used nylon washers on all my older stands. It helped, but did not eliminate noise by any means. Look, LW stands aren't for everyone's hunting style, or budget, but I feel that they are simply the highest quality most versitle stands made. Period. After two seasons in one, I could no longer stand sitting in my old stands. I sold them all to purchase an Elite. It was like buying a smart phone for me. Sure I got along fine with out a smart phone... but there's simply no going back
I guess I just don't move around that much to make that much noise. The only noise a big buck hears from me is whack as the arrow passes through him.
The majority of deer killed by hunters aren't shot from LW stands. Those other stands must not be that bad.
They majority of enemy kills in war haven't been from Recon or SEALs, but in a fight I'd choose them over the regular enlisted grunt....
can you have too many? i have nearly a dozen different stands. My LW hang on and LW climber are my favorite light, quick, silent stands.Great for anything less than 5 hours and easiest stands to set up;plus the traction belt is nearly silent as you climb the tree. i have a gorilla silverback climber--heavy, tricky to adjust but comfortable. i have a new stand by Treewalker--heavy, easy to set up, most comfortable stand i own, pretty quiet but it has hollow tubes. The summit climber is easy to set up but it is not as quiet due to hollow tubes and it is more narrow than the other stands. The other cheap hang on stands that i own are not nearly as stable, quiet, or as easy to set as the LW hang on. For me stand choice depends on the length of time i will be in tree and how far i will be hiking in.
