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In your opinion.....


zeus1gdsm
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Which setup requires more energy, and thereby more sweat to hang and hunt?

Climber or lock on.

I currently have a summit titan sd. And even though it is like a recliner in a tree, I find it to have a heavy energy expenditure to get aloft. Between carrying the 30lb stand in and climbing.

Another negative is that the tree must be perfect with no lower limbs to interfere with climbing. And the good climbing trees never seem to be in the best spots in my area.

I am very heavily leaning towards a light weight climber and sticks. Which of course is much more forgiving when it comes to trees.

With my budget I'm looking at a millenium m60u at 13.5lbs and a set of hawk helium climbing sticks at about 3lbs a piece.

Makes the weight approx 25lbs.

The other bonus for me is the bracket. Which I can get multiple of to put in trees on various properties for hang and hunts without leaving my stand in the tree.

Thoughts.

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I had a summit viper that I used maybe 10 times. Sold it to a guy I work with. I can hang a hang on stand with far less effort. Although the climber was heavy, it was the bulky size of it that made it cumbersome to carry in all the time. Especially when I wanted to carry my backpack in to. Finding the right tree in the dark is quite the process that is avoided when using a hang on. The setup your thinking of buying would be much easier and faster to setup for me and I'm sure just about anyone else as well.

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I will admit that I've never tried it but I just can't imagine hanging 4 or 5 sticks and a platform every time I hunt. I've never hunted where I couldn't find a good straight tree for my climber within ten to fifteen yards of where I want to be. When I have a good spot I want to spend time on I'll put up a stick and stand but not as a portable option, that's what my climbers at for


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Give me a climber over a hang on anyday. I'd rather hunt from the ground than spend all the time and energy setting up sticks and stands for every hunt. My climber weighs like 17-19 lbs and I can be up the tree in less than 3 minutes. Also, if your prone to moving around a lot like I am you'll want a climber. Rarely can I not find a tree in close proximity of the spot I want to hunt to climb. I only hang stands in spots I frequent often and I know they're proven spots, or they're a mile or more from the truck. Plus climbers allow me to go above the limit of 20' or so with sticks. I can't think of a scenario where hauling in sticks and a hang on will be easier or more efficient than a climber. Most people that don't like climbers haven't taken the time to use them efficiently/properly. I wouldn't trade my climber for anything.

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K thought this would be a hot topic... with more responses. :)

Well I ended up ordering a set of hawk helium sticks, a millenium m60u and a m100u.

I'm going to hang both stands and try them out in regards to my lower back when sitting for long periods.

I've seen reports of still needing a super straight tree for the m100u as it doesn't self level. Need to try it out.

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Give me a climber over a hang on anyday. I'd rather hunt from the ground than spend all the time and energy setting up sticks and stands for every hunt. My climber weighs like 17-19 lbs and I can be up the tree in less than 3 minutes. Also, if your prone to moving around a lot like I am you'll want a climber. Rarely can I not find a tree in close proximity of the spot I want to hunt to climb. I only hang stands in spots I frequent often and I know they're proven spots, or they're a mile or more from the truck. Plus climbers allow me to go above the limit of 20' or so with sticks. I can't think of a scenario where hauling in sticks and a hang on will be easier or more efficient than a climber. Most people that don't like climbers haven't taken the time to use them efficiently/properly. I wouldn't trade my climber for anything.

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I appreciate your point of view here. I had only my climber my first season. Must climbed 50 times or more. Got real good at it. Fast too.. however in the properties I hunt. Several. The nice climber trees are well off the funnels and lanes. Or nice straight trees placed well but with too many branches to cut off...

My hope is that the sticks and hang on will let me get into some of these trees with branches so that I can use said branches as some extra cover.

I love my climber. In certain situations.

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Climbing a tree with a climber in full camo sure isn't going to keep you cool. Especially if your having to cut multiple branches on your way up, readjust the platform and all that. That and worrying about losing your bottom platform the entire time alone is enough to make me sweat. Good climbing sticks go on so easy and so fast idk how anyone could think its harder. St least with a hang on setup your using your arms rather than your whole body to climb which in theory would take less energy and result in less sweat.

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Climbing a tree with a climber in full camo sure isn't going to keep you cool. Especially if your having to cut multiple branches on your way up, readjust the platform and all that. That and worrying about losing your bottom platform the entire time alone is enough to make me sweat. Good climbing sticks go on so easy and so fast idk how anyone could think its harder. St least with a hang on setup your using your arms rather than your whole body to climb which in theory would take less energy and result in less sweat.
This is how I feell

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If needed I guess. Many trips gives ya 3-4 days to hunt a new area. The the bigger deer never seem to play the game and come down a trail or enter a field on the first setup watch from a distance and then move as many times as needed to catch him. Way to much noise, scent and movement with lock on's moving as needed at times.


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If needed I guess. Many trips gives ya 3-4 days to hunt a new area. The the bigger deer never seem to play the game and come down a trail or enter a field on the first setup watch from a distance and then move as many times as needed to catch him. Way to much noise, scent and movement with lock on's moving as needed at times.


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Ohhh okay 3-4 times over the course of days. Thank you for your input.:)

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I'm trading my Lone Wolf climber to a plumber buddy for some work .

I've got 4 sets of LW sticks, and Lone Wolf  and  Muddy hang ons . I hunt a lot,out of ladders , and maybe 3 hang ons , the 4th hang on and set of sticks 

is for being mobil if needed, I can strap on a set of those sticks and hang a stand in minutes . I don't need a straight tree and limbs don't get in the way either . 

Ever since that foot bar on the climber started to collapse on the top of my feet and I could not go,up or down ( about 15 feet up )  I've never been 100% comfortable with it .

The climber may be a little faster , but all the setting up both halfs adjusting it so,it levels out at the right height , making sure the foot bar knobs are tight , finding a good " climber " tree, not to,big right kind of bark ( hickory sucks) no low limbs nice and straight .

Guys love 'em I know , and I killed some nice bucks and does out of mine just not for me anymore .

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36 minutes ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

I'm trading my Lone Wolf climber to a plumber buddy for some work .

I've got 4 sets of LW sticks, and Lone Wolf  and  Muddy hang ons . I hunt a lot,out of ladders , and maybe 3 hang ons , the 4th hang on and set of sticks 

is for being mobil if needed, I can strap on a set of those sticks and hang a stand in minutes . I don't need a straight tree and limbs don't get in the way either . 

Ever since that foot bar on the climber started to collapse on the top of my feet and I could not go,up or down ( about 15 feet up )  I've never been 100% comfortable with it .

The climber may be a little faster , but all the setting up both halfs adjusting it so,it levels out at the right height , making sure the foot bar knobs are tight , finding a good " climber " tree, not to,big right kind of bark ( hickory sucks) no low limbs nice and straight .

Guys love 'em I know , and I killed some nice bucks and does out of mine just not for me anymore .

This exactly, the first 5 or 6 times you do sweat but once you get a system it's a breeze 

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I'm trading my Lone Wolf climber to a plumber buddy for some work .
I've got 4 sets of LW sticks, and Lone Wolf  and  Muddy hang ons . I hunt a lot,out of ladders , and maybe 3 hang ons , the 4th hang on and set of sticks 
is for being mobil if needed, I can strap on a set of those sticks and hang a stand in minutes . I don't need a straight tree and limbs don't get in the way either . 
Ever since that foot bar on the climber started to collapse on the top of my feet and I could not go,up or down ( about 15 feet up )  I've never been 100% comfortable with it .
The climber may be a little faster , but all the setting up both halfs adjusting it so,it levels out at the right height , making sure the foot bar knobs are tight , finding a good " climber " tree, not to,big right kind of bark ( hickory sucks) no low limbs nice and straight .
Guys love 'em I know , and I killed some nice bucks and does out of mine just not for me anymore .

30b729fbd46b51565881d61093e7c38d.jpgShag bark hickory lol, only tree available. I do hate them



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I sat in a ladder and watched buck after buck leave the thick stuff walk along the woods and cut in before reaching the hedgerow I was in . 

So brought my climber next time to set up along the woods, all shag hickories..... , I walked around in circles , looking for that climber tree that did not exist .

ended up moving the ladder .

I've nothing against them and always thought I'd have one , but I can hang sticks and stand in a few minutes and climb up,and down to take a leak or grab something I drop, or just leave it up if it's a good spot .

About 15 years ago a buddy from,out West came back to bow hunt with me , he brought 3 LW sticks and  LW stand . Picked out a tree, strapped on first stick then second I tossed him the third then the stand which he was standing on in about 3 minutes , couple hours later killed an 8PT . 

My ah ha moment .

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I will answer with both. If I'm in private land a hang on with 5 screw in steps. I can be in a stand 18-20ft up in a couple minutes. If public land I will take my climber.

Climber is heavier, louder and way more effort.

Climber is more comfortable.

Hang on and steps is faster, lighter, easier to find "the" tree, easier to be in good cover, quieter, I could go on and on.

Hang on is not as comfortable, can use screw in steps on state land.

I have bought and tried about 5 brands of climbing sticks and done like any of them.

I use my climbers maybe 3 times a year and hangons over 30.

My carry in hangons weigh 9lbs so with 5 steps I'm probably around 10lbs and way more compact to carry in and out.

If I had to pick 1 for the rest of my life it would be a hangon!


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19 hours ago, Four Season Whitetails said:

If you want to kill bigger mature deer a climber is almost a must. Try moving that lock on 2-3-4 times as needed.


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I can move a hang.on into the tree needed to kill a mature buck very quickly and quietly with no need to cut limbs to climb with rail section and can spiral up a tree it would take you hours to trim to climb..  Apple orchard s are not conducive to climbers .. Nor are twisted willows on a streambank or any tree that bits me in bow range to kill the target animal.. I d much rather hunt the bright tree to kill a buck then find a tree that I can climb that may offer me a shot

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Lol, this is a joke right?

Killed a total of 1 buck from a climber in my life. Although he was a dandy it was in onion so only kind of counts.


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Sorry to hear that. Maybe that's a skill issue by the user? Won't say how many book bucks have lost the battle in the climber but to have I believe 6 now I'm the arsenal they get used a lot. To the point that they stay hidden in the few spots I hunt the most with one always in the back of the pickup. I have killed a great number in lock on's set up in great spots that will always see deer travel thru the year but to hunt a new spot for a certain buck or areas like Letchworth where a buck may be seen a mile or better down in the bottoms in the morning finds me in that bottom that afternoon up a tree in no time. I would like to see the guy that could meet me or anyone good with their climber stand at a tree and have the guy with a lock on with sticks or anything else make it 15 feet in the air faster?


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