March 29, 2012
By Patrick Meitin
Bowhunting turkey isn't the parlor trick many believe. Heck, I've shot 60 gobblers with my bow to this point, and know absolutely I'll be shooting another in a couple weeks when Idaho's spring season opens. I'm not even close to being a champion turkey caller, or the best shot around, or even a very patient man when it comes right down to it. In other words, basic skills get the job done, with the right gear and approach.
Ameristep Brotherhood Climber From
Ameristep comes another great climbing stand choice — the new Brotherhood Climber. The sit-and-climb Brotherhood features a comfortable 13" x 15" sling seat design, aluminum construction, and safety lock cinch straps. At 21 lbs., the Brotherhood is a great option for sneaking into your favorite whitetail spots.
Price: $300
API Outdoors Alumi-Tech Crusader API Outdoors has been in the climbing stand business for a long time, and their new Alumi-Tech Crusader Climbing Treestand is testament to their expertise. The aluminum Crusader has traction ridges on the platform for steady footing, and it's designed to be quiet and strong through the use of reinforced, closed triangular extrusions. The completely open design of the 22-lb. Crusader is conducive to bowhunting because it allows you to easily maneuver into position for a shot.
Price: $200
Gorilla Treestands Silverback Stealth HX Gorilla Treestands is one of my favorite companies. I've used a host of their stands, and it's obvious they understand what hunters need and want in a product. This became even clearer when I got my hands on the Silverback Stealth HX Climber. The aluminum, 21.1-lb. Stealth HX Climber features Gorilla's patented Gorilla Grip pivoting arms, which fit trees ranging from 22" down to 8" in diameter. As with many of Gorilla's offerings, this climber has an oversized HX construction platform plus the comfortable XPE zero-G dual-density foam seat.
Price: $250
Lone Wolf Stands Wide Sit & Climb I've hunted out of the earlier version of
Lone Wolf Stands' Sit & Climb in a pile of states over the past five years. It has been my designated public-land stand, and throughout countless sits I've developed one complaint: I always felt like the seat was too narrow, and that led to some discomfort on longer sits. Enter the new Wide Sit & Climb 'Combo ' II. The 21-lb. Wide Sit & Climb 'Combo ' II features a 21" wide seat, a 31" x 19.5" platform, and Lone Wolf's pivoting Sit & Climb bar. This stand is not cheap, but when you consider that the cost of ladder stands or hang-ons with climbing steps can add up to that price in a hurry (while offering far less portability), the price can easily be justified.
Price: $450
Summit Treestands Viper Elite SD If you're considering a new climbing stand purchase, an obvious choice would be to go to the company that's been producing climbing stands longer than anyone —
Summit Treestands . With several models from which to choose, their Viper Elite SD is a great option if you're in the market for a stand that hits the sweet spot between comfort and portability. To reduce the overall weight of the Viper Elite SD to a mere 16 lbs., the engineers at Summit used Round Tube Aluminum in its construction. Dead Metal Sound Deadening Technology makes it whisper quiet, and each Viper Elite SD is fitted with Summit's RapidClimb Stirrups — a favorite feature of mine.
Price: $330
Wicked Tree Gear Wicked Tough Tree Saw Lastly, I'd be remiss to not mention
the Wicked Tough Tree Saw from Wicked Tree Gear . I've used this saw for over a year now, and the high-carbon steel blade is still scary sharp. I won't carry a climber into the woods without this saw in my pack; it's that good. From the blade-locking design to the cast-aluminum handle, this saw is a winner. In fact, my only complaint with Wicked is that they don't have a telescoping version yet.
Price: $50
X-Stand X-1 Sit & Climb The release of
the X-1 Sit & Climb stand from X-Stand is evidence that you can 'reinvent the wheel. ' And while you're at it, you can make it lighter, quieter, and simply more fun to use. The X-1 Sit & Climb is exactly what I look for in a treestand. For starters, it is constructed with 6061 T6 aircraft aluminum, which allowed the engineers behind the design to trim the entire stand's weight down to a shade over 12 lbs. That would be considered lightweight for a hang-on, let alone a climber. The X-1 Sit & Climb features X-Stand's ingenious Flexible Fiberglass Arm Technology, which works to counterbalance your weight, making the platform steady no matter how far toward the edge you stand. Even the seat of the X-1 is unique in that it sits level with the arm bars — just like a hang-on stand's seat — keeping your rear end from slumping into uncomfortable positions.
Price: $349
