What's Your Favorite Climber And Why?

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Mike Belt

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I've spent untold hours in a stand but only from a few different climbers. I was just like everyone else who started hunting back in the 70's and started with the Baker (death trap). I think my first 3 stands after that were the first Summits that came out, a Cougar Claw, and then API's. Then I tried Ol Man. I really didn't like the Ol Man so then I went to all Summits. I loved how they climbed compared to the others and how solid they were on a tree. That's all I used for years. One year I had all my stands out and found another spot I wanted to hunt and didn't want to pull one of my Summits so I broke out one of my Ol Man stands. My first trip up the tree and I began wondering why I ever quit using them and converted back to using only Ol Man stands again. This weekend for whatever reason I decided to break out one of my Summits again. I climbed a tree and that's all it took for me to know which was my favorite. It's the Ol Man hands down. The Summit is a great stand. Strong and sturdy. It's rock solid on the tree. It takes me twice as long to climb a tree in them than it does my Ol Man. The frame on the upper section of the Summit keeps hitting my knees and I have to adjust every upward motion. Nothing's in the way on the Ol Man and I can zip up a tree. They're also lighter and pack in very easy. The net seat never holds water either.

I imagine there are other very good stands that I've never tried but I think my Ol Man stands will carry me through the rest of my hunting days.
 
Summit Viper w/footrest. The most comfortable climbing stand I've ever been in. Easy to climb with and lightweight.
 
SMarshall said:
Summit Viper w/footrest. The most comfortable climbing stand I've ever been in. Easy to climb with and lightweight.
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yep.
 
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I too have logged my hours in a stand and for Gun hunting I agree the Ol man stands are one of if not the best stand out there. Now bow hunting is a different story, as I wont bow hunt from a stand that has ANYTHING in the way around me possibly fouling a shot at certain angles. Loggy Bayou or Lone Wolf gets the nod for me in a climbing stand to bow hunt from!!
 
Got a Summit Viper 12 years ago and I have put one set of replacement cables on it. It is a great stand and very comfortable. I have no reason to try anything else.
 
Deer Assassin said:
after looking on their site i couldnt use an ol man i have to have the bar to sit when climbing due to my bad arm
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Yes you could. The net seat slides to the front of stand and you can sit down. I have been doing that for 10 years with mine.
 
I am currently using a summit viper. Very comfortable to sit in but a little cramped in the stand but a nice stand.

My Ol' Man is easier to climb with and a little roomier and easier to hunt from, it's just heavier than the Summit.

I started out with my dads Loggy Bayou one piece climber. Great for bowhunting just a little harder to climb with. I always had the handle that went through the safety belt.
 
Winchester...The newer Ol Man's have a shooting rest that can be turned up or down or completely removed off the stand for archery.

The Ol Man's may be a pound heavier than some of their counterparts but they seem to carry lighter anyway. They also make a back rest that can be placed on the front of the stand allowing you to turn around and sit facing the tree. The perfect set up would be if they came with 2 net seats on them and you could sit inbetween both of them for climbing up. Once you got up you could slide one forward or backward out of the way depending on which way you wanted to face. You could face either direction simply by standing, turning around, and sitting back down.
 
I have two Summit Vipers and one Ol Man that I got in the late 90's. Never did like the Ol Man, didn't feel safe climbing or once I was up never felt solid. They might be better now but I have no reason to change from Summit they are rock solid on the tree. Add in a set of Third Hand Archery Stabilizer straps and you're good.
 
Summitt python.
1. solid safe stand.
2. Light weight for size.
3. very easy and quiet to set up.
4. climbs easy and silent.
5. very comfortable.
 
Summit viper for me.

Positives-Climbs almost any type of tree, comfortable, very easy to hang in tree, very safe, sticks to tree well, somewhat light weight.

Negatives-Can be loud putting on tree if you aren't very careful, loud climbing the tree if you aren't careful, heavier than a few other models.

My second choice is the ole man vision.
A little lighter than my viper. More comfortable to me if than the viper for bow hunting, but not gun hunting. It is extremely quiet though.

Big negatives of the ole mans are it is kinda shaky in the tree, doesn't stick good to hard barks, and hard to hang up.
I will not even use my ole man in hickory or hackberry trees.
 
old 90's model summit signature. pre cables. still had the angle iron bar. i also like the cobra and yes i have hunted out of an ol' man.
 
Summit Cobra

I'm not even sure they still make it, but wouldn't trade it for any. I have used most all the steel and aluminum stands, but this is my favorite. It has the comfortable Viper seat, but no rail so you can bow hunt out of it, and it's lighter to boot! Without doubt, this climber has improved my hunting success more the any other single product ever....
 
Lone Wolf hand climber.

Hunting public land it is nice to be able to be mobile and have a light weight stand that is compact. I see there are a lot of Summit users, I like everything about the Summits except they do not pack down as nice as the Lone Wolf(IMO). One thing I really like is I can attach my pack to my stand and pack it in and out very easily. When I do take a deer I can quarter it and place the quarters in the back and just make one trip to get everything out. I feel it is extremely quite and easy to attach, and climbs quickly and I feel very safe and secure.
 
Summit Viper with a footrest that has the old style foot straps and lever flaps that snap over the cables. I think its about 17 years old now. I like the foot straps much better than the stirrups myself. I have a timber tall i use for the long hikes or steep areas. Its ok i guess.
 
Roost 1 said:
Summit Goliath....sturdy, strong, and lite....Very comfortable with plenty of room. Never had it slip and I prolly use a climber more than most people.
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X 10

If I'm in a tree I'm in my Goliath, I have a viper XXL also whice is basically the same
 
Lone wolf hand climber. I love it's light weight and they way it packs down flat. Like mentioned above I attach my backpack to the stand very easily. Perfect stand for bowhunting IMO. The only drawback is the seat is not that comfortable. Got a summit viper and it's nice too. Great for an all day sit but man do I hate carrying that thing around.
 
I purchased my first ol man climber a few weeks ago. Have not climbed with it yet but I did attach it to a telephone pole to test out the net seat. Comfortable and I love the gun rest/foot rest.
parkerxbowhunter said:
I like the gorilla climbers
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My gorilla is comfortable once your in the tree but packing it in sucks pond water. It's the most uncomfortable stand I have ever packed and the cables got twisted and it took an act of god to get them lined up in the dark. It's now 30' in a tree strapped tight with climbing stick up to it.
 
API grand slam and API shooting star.
1. Locks to the tree better than any other stand I have ever owned. And thats alot of them.
2. Comfortable,I spend alot of days daylight to dark in them each year.
3. I can put them on a tree in the dark without making any noise and without a light.
 

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