I would lean towards buying the American made product, unless the XOP design is just better. I am curious to know if XOPs new sticks will be more like Muddy's in that you can have both feet on the same step/same level. I haven't seen the new XOP design. Sure would be nice when hanging stands to have both feet on same step so you don't fatigue out so fast.
While I agree that LW sets the bar for tree stands, I also find that they are not realistic for every situation. I'd prefer to buy made in America whenever possible, when the only options are $200+ a pieces stands it makes it almost impossible to do so. I wish there were some affordable, quality American made options in a lower price range.
They are like the lone wolf ones but they made some changes that I think will help. I like the idea that they made it so the sticks are a little farther away from the tree to get more of your boot on the step. Here is a youtube video of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObWHFCgSpTA
I think its fairly funny that some would say that LW is the best still at this point.... They've done NOTHING to the stand that Andrae built and sold to them until this past year bc he is now making a better stand than HIS old one. Using thicker tree straps (1.5" straps), the added $60 comfort seat, a machined out riser, and its still cheaper than a LW. Take a new Alpha and add $60+ dollars and you now have an XOP (kinda). The new sticks that XOP created are freakin slick as well, they self lock when you turn the foot bracket and will soon self lock into the stand. Hard for me to believe that LW has some of the best marketing yet they have done didly squat with the stands functionality all these years. One of the biggest things about Andrae is he never *****d a product out or really sponsored anyone.... he let the stands sell themselves. Cant say the same about the new LW owners..... too each their own but I think LW has their hands full now!
Hey Rutin, thank you for your post. I agree with you as well. Just wondering, you mentioned that the sticks will soon self lock to the stand as well. Did you by chance hear that or read that somewhere. I myself, think the new sticks are fricken slick as well and cant wait to get them. When I saw them I wondering how they would attach to the stand but it still looks like the same way it has always been. stacking them on and then using the straps to secure them to the stand. A self locking method would be a fricken huge selling point just like the sticks
I was speaking with Cody (Andrae's son) at the deer expo in Ohio and they are in the works of making it so that the sticks will some how quarter turn lock into the actual stand so that your not strapping them down anymore. Just one less thing to make noise while unpacking in the timber!
That's awesome. I hope it is something they implement soon or atleast allow it to be a feature easily added to a stand that is bought now without that feature. I'd hate to buy the stand say this august and then find out they come out with an upgraded model that has that feature.
What products have you had issues with? I've been using my Sit and Climb for about 12 years and the only issue I had was worn out seat rail bushings, which is to be expected with the amount of use my stand has gotten. I'll never hunt with any other stand.
Why do you think they tried going overseas? For the consumer to attempt to make the same product at a lower price, to sell at a lower price to the consumer. The "backlash" from consumers had far less to do with it than what you make it seem.
Exactly. Everybody whines LoneWolf is too expensive. Then when people mention XOP is made in China and that is why they are cheaper (not by much anymore) everybody brings up how LoneWolf tried manufacturing in China one year in 2010 to get prices down and came back. You can't please everybody. Made in America and more expensive. Made overseas and cheaper. Either way, some folks will always complain. I buy as many American made products as I can and will pay more for it. I am not saying everybody should do this, just that this is my choice.
I do not recall Lone Wolf prices being any lower when they went to China. They took it there to gain a higher profit margin.
A couple years ago I called about my sit and climb as the top section has stress marks in the bended areas of the tube and it creaks at times. I called Lone Wolf about it and they told me only the platform has a lifetime warranty. I ordered a set new sticks late last spring, upon opening them they were painted brown rather than anodized. They were all chipped up right out of the box, missing a lot of paint. I called them to address the paint issue and make sure these were genuine sticks and not knocks offs. They told me they were genuine and they changed to paint rather than anodizing because "the paint is a more durable finish"... Really the guy said the paint is more durable than anodizing as I look at sticks that look like they were pulled down the street behind my truck.. I asked if I could exchange them for anodized sticks. He then asked where I bought them... I asked, "why would that matter where I bought them?" No answer from him so I told him where I got them from, Amazon. He then said he wouldn't exchange them for anodized sticks. I made the point to him that no where did they advertise that they changed to paint and every description depicts them as anodized. He then said "I don't know what to tell you". He did not offer to exchange my sticks for a new set that was not damaged, only told me as I said above "I don't know what to tell you". So I sent the chipped up ones back to amazon to exchange for another set. They are painted as well, but not all chipped up like the first set was. Last summer I ordered 4 sets of those bungee straps that they have. 3 of the 4 straps broke on the 2 hour drive to camp. They were used to hold the sticks onto my Assaults. Never packed in, only cinched down once to travel. Two broke right at the plastic clip and the other some random spot. My buddy Frank also ordered a set and one of his broke on the drive down as well. I also ordered 3 of those gear bag things that strap to the stands. One of them the zipper was broke right out of the box, the only one of the three I installed the plastic clip snapped right off when I was installing it. I also ordered two sets of their padded back pack straps, 3 of the four plastic clips (same junk clips that were on the gear bag it appears) busted while packing the stand the first hunt I used these on. I then tied the straps to the stand one by one as they broke (two broke on the walk in, one on walk out) . I hopped down off a 3 foot ledge from an old skidder trail and the nylon strap ripped off of the left backpack strap when I landed.I had to one shoulder the stand the rest of the way out. The other straps are still in the package, useless. I replaced them with "The Claw" back pack straps. I ordered all the accessories stuff at the same time and had issues with each and every one of them. Everything I ordered from them was junk and I do not have high expectations with their customer service in the future because of my last experiences with them.
To my knowledge the vast majority of those stands were never released and the prices weren't going to be lowered until they were. I'm not saying they were going to give the full savings, that would be a bad business decision. But there was intent to lower pricing to expand the customer base.
XOP has one slightly bigger, 36"x24" http://www.xopoutdoors.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=10&idcategory=6
I had to look at what site I was on. I thought I was on AT for a minute with all of the bickering. Buy what you want and be happy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
