What are the Top Climbing Treestands for Deer Hunting?

If you are a hunter with preferences, then you have perhaps reaped the fruits of working with your best choices. Do you like to hunt on the ground or from high places? It is one of the considerations that will determine your choice of gear, one being a tree stand.

A tree stand is attached to a tree, to provide balanced and stable support to a relentless hunter in high ground. With a good piece, you can set height, or climb to as high as you would like to be, then sit out the game. There are factors to consider before or when purchasing one of these.

One is how high you would like to go, and another is your tree selection. You may also find comfort, safety, durability, and portability to be among the factors that make a good tree stand. What about the types of tree stands available? Climbing stands are a good choice and make today’s discussion. 

Moreover, you will come across hang on tree stands, and even ladder stands. Each type has something unique to offer, just as each of the many available brands of climbing tree stands does. So, how do you choose the best while avoiding all the confusion?

In this article, we are going to discuss some of the best tree stands that you should expect in the market. We will look at their features, and what makes each good for their purpose. We will also go through a buying guide to shed more light and help you make better choices. 

Summit Stands Goliath

You would want plenty of amazing features in the best climbing tree stand choice, and this Goliath by Summit Stands does not disappoint. It provides foam-padded seats. This enhances your level of comfort, along with its backrest, for leaning your back. You don’t have to return home with soreness.

You may also love the full-body harness that this stand offers. You should be able to set it up safely and use it with no worries, like falling, which often happens when you are hunting from high points. More stability from its aluminum frame should boost your confidence.

This system can hold well weight of up to 350 lbs. It should, therefore, optimally serve plenty of individuals weighing up to that limit and may only fail you with excess weight. What about the stand’s weight? It comes at 25 lbs. You should find this to be a fair and manageable amount.

This product generally offers superior features; everything you are going to need for a successful high-ground hunt. You may love the capacity it offers, its safety features, the comfort it delivers, and also that it is easy to carry, thanks to its lightweight. The product’s platform space, however, may come insufficient.

Pros

  • Great weight capacity
  • Safety features
  • Comfortable
  • Lightweight 

Cons

  • Insufficient platform space


Summit Stands Viper

You may love this product’s durability. It features an aluminum frame, which should see you through years of using it, without any issues. It also has a strong structure, built to accommodate a weight of up to 300 pounds, without falling apart. You can, therefore, enjoy stability.

Comfort is another important factor to always consider when choosing a product. The Viper by Summit Stands has padded seats, which you may find to be quite comfortable. Its backrest is also quite a relief to the back and should help prevent any strains and thus, sores.

You should be able to keep your stand on this product and remain in place through your hunt; should you come close to falling, however, you may find the safety harness to be quite handy. This is one of the most important safety features to always look out for. This system comes weighing about 20 pounds.

Generally, you should find the Viper to be a great product. It is quite light at 20 pounds (perhaps the lightest), therefore bagging you plenty of other benefits. It is also a comfortable piece, with great capacity. A notable setback, however, is its insufficient platform space.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable
  • Great weight capacity

Cons

  • Insufficient platform space


③ Guide Gear Extreme Deluxe Hunting

If you are running low on finances or are working with a budget, then this could be a good consideration, for its features. First, is the product’s padded seats. You may find them to be quite comfortable, same to the backrest. Unlike average or regular stands, the Guide Gear offers relief.

Its build is sturdy and strong, which provides a sense of safety. It should deliver stability to individuals who weigh well up to 300 pounds. Its steel frame offers the support you will need off the ground, and working with as many pounds. An uncommon feature that it also comes with, are foot straps. 

These nylon-made straps are a great addition since they ease the climbing process. The same can be achieved with other tree stands, using side frames, which you may find to be uncomfortable. The nylon foot straps relieve the discomfort and streamline your climbing. 

Some notable setbacks, however, are that you may not get sufficient platform space with the Guide Gear and also that at 33 pounds, you may find it to be very heavy. While the product provides safety harness, the material is not the best, and you may not feel as safe.

Pros

  • Adjustable straps
  • Comfortable
  • Sturdy

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Insufficient platform space


Lone Wolf Sit & Climb 

If comfort is a major concern to you, then you may find it in the Lone Wolf Sit & Climb. You may come to find the product to be one of the most comfortable around. It features a two-panel seat, contoured and padded. You may also find the backrest to offer plenty more comfort; no more strains or back sores.

This comfortable tree stand goes on a step farther to offer great stability and sturdiness. This means that it can take much pressure and accommodate weight of up to 350 pounds. When using this piece high on a tree, its features will serve you a great deal. What more does it have to offer?

The Lone Wolf has adjustable straps for its backpack. This, coupled with the 20-pound weight, make it easy to move around with the product without straining yourself too much. If you will be covering a large distance, then you may find its easy packaging to be another great feature.

Does it have the best platform size? It may not be so, but you should find it to be decent enough (better than what most other brands offer). Generally, this is an amazing product, with unmatched comfort and ease in maneuverability. A notable setback, however, is that its padding is quite thin.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Easy to pack
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Thin padding


Lone Wolf Hand Climber

What if you are looking for a product that can accommodate more than perform? If you weigh heavy or cover up plenty of space, then you may want to consider this product; it is ideal for huge individuals. One of the factors that makes it so, is its sufficient space, which allows for free movement on the platform. 

What is more, is that Lone Wolf Hand Climber can take up weight of well up to 350 pounds. You should, therefore, rest assured of a great fit. Its portability is another of this product’s great perks. To move around with it, all you need to do is fold it up into a simple package.

This is a great factor to consider if you have some distance to cover. You may also be happy that the product is lightweight. At 17 pounds, you may find it to be one of the lightest tree stands. Carrying it should, therefore, feel even easier. Its seat is comfortable, following that it is padded. 

Generally, this is a good product. It offers ideal features for long-distance hunters. You may find carrying it around to be quite easy, thanks to its lightweight and easy packaging. You may also love its sufficient space and weight capacity. A notable setback, however, is that the product does not offer a backrest.

Pros

  • Compact & easily portable
  • Sufficient space
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • No Backrest


Buying Guide

Every hunter has a preference of what they would like to use to increase their next-hunt success chances. If you hunt from the ground, then you may not have much to think about, besides your arsenal and a few other hunting gears. If you prefer higher grounds, however, then you may be thinking of getting some essentials like a tree stand.

There are at least three types of tree stands that we are going to discuss; if you are a seasoned hunter, then you have, perhaps, had a go on all. You probably by now know what works best for you. We all, nevertheless, start somewhere. So, if you are looking to try tree stands for the first time, then I have got you covered too! 

Tree stands are a great hunting accessory. Your weapon may not be all good from high grounds if you do not have the right equipment to get you to the high you require, and the safe you should be. You cannot always rely on yourself to get everything right. When it comes to hunting from high in the trees, a little professional help may go a long way.

A tree stand will help with elevation. If you need to hunt from as high as 15 feet or more, then you may need more than your feet, hands, and scope. A tree stand offers the elevation you need, along with comfort, and safety, among others, and all in an easy manner.

When or before purchasing a tree stand, you may want to make a few considerations, which will ensure that you make the best choice of product. What works for you, at the end of the day, is what matters the most. So, what should you be thinking about when looking for one of these stands?

First, is what we have talked about—elevation. How high you need or want to get matters a lot in determining the type of tree stand that suits you best. Some hunters may want to go as high as 20 feet; others may be satisfied with 10 feet, or even less. But why should you be considering this and how does it affect your choice of product?

Your height preference, in a way, points you to a product that will work best for you. We will come to look at, besides climbing tree stands, hang-on, and even ladder stands. Each type offers a different ideal height for your hunt, with guarantees of best results. 

Moreover, if you would like to sore high, then ladder stands may be your best choice; if you would like comfort from a low point, then climbing tree stands may be your best fit. Hang on tree stands are a good pick for both low and high points; their discouraging factor, however, is the little comfort. So, you may or may not want to access your choices based on that. There is still more, nonetheless, so stick with me.

Something else that would be good to consider is your tree selection. It is easy to overlook such a factor, yet you will be depending on the same trees for your hunting success, besides comfort and safety, while on the stand. It is critical, therefore, that you make a good tree selection. There is more to reap.

Since tree stands, in a way, have to be attached to the tree to offer support, the best tree will be one with a strong base. A strong base is a healthy one as well. How do you make this determination? The best way would be to figure out where you will be hunting and the type of trees that you will be using.

A good tree should have less to no limbs. While limbs may be okay with other tree stands, you may find them to be obstructive. You will have the final say regarding limbs, however, depending on the stand you purchase. 

Quality

What makes a good tree stand? There are plenty of factors to consider when determining the best features in a tree stand. When you are looking for one, these factors should guide you on the things that may affect not only the performance of your tree stand but also your use of it. Let’s check them out.

Safety is one of the most important of all. When you are hunting on top of a tree, meters high, your safety is determined by, among other factors, the quality of your stand. What should a good stand have that will guarantee your safety? The list can never be exhaustible. However, there are a few things that you may want to keep in check.

One is the railings. A tree stand has railings to help keep you from falling when you lean forward. Something else as handy with keeping your place intact is a safety harness. You may also want to ensure that the stand has enough high-quality straps, an easily accessible ladder for the ladder stands, and a minimum weight of at least 300 pounds.

You may also want to consider comfort. Second from safety, this has a huge potential to affect your success in a hunt. Just like when doing anything else, comfort makes it easier to keep going, while discomfort has the negating effect to hinder progress. What makes a good stand comfortable?

High on a tree, one of the ways a good stand can serve you is with great cushioning. Our backs and lower bodies take plenty of stress when we subject ourselves to certain positions. Cushioning may help relieve that stress and also reduce contact of any rough materials on your body. 

Your stand should also offer a good platform size. Since you’ll be hunting, flexibility is one of the things that may guarantee you more success. You need to be able to move freely when you want to make your shot, or when you are tracking your game. Limited space may limit your chances of success.

How comfortable will you feel if your stand is a little tight or cannot withstand your weight? A comfortable stand offers an ideal fit for your body size. This way, your shots will not be affected by how slow you have to move to fit your stand. 

Portability is another important factor that makes a good, quality tree stand. It determines how easy you will find carrying your piece, and means a lot, because if you cannot manage it, then what would be the need of purchasing it? 

Tree stands come in many varying designs. Some are bulky, while others, by design, make portability a little tricky. A lightweight design is always a go-to. As we have seen above, there would be no need to purchase a stand that you can’t carry. So, try to avoid heavy models. 

Unless for any special reason, a 30-pound stand is great. You should also keep in mind that not all lightweight models are indeed light. That is why having a weight recommendation is important; consider how far you will need to walk before you get to your desired spot.

Some designs may be too bulky to carry for long distances. Something else that affects weight and hence portability of your tree stand is the materials used in its manufacturer. Some materials are light, while others are weighted. Finally, you may want to consider padding.

Not all tree stands will have shoulder padding, but this is a great feature that may save you some great trouble with maneuverability. Having mentioned how far you need to walk before getting to your desired spot, consider a stand with shoulder padding, and another without.

You may come to realize that padding makes carrying a lot easier.  You will be able to move with more ease and less stress, and cover as much distance as you would like.

Finally, you may want to consider durability. A good stand is able to withstand harsh outdoor conditions. It should be built to last you through years of harsh treatment, with neither rust nor breakages. You should beware that poor quality products may be a danger to your safety.

A good stand should feature, among other materials, stainless steel. This is for guarantees with fighting rust and offering strength, durability, and long life. Durable products will save you time and money; forget repairs, replacements, or endless complaints.

Types of tree stands

Having looked at factors that make a good, quality tree stand, I would like us to have a quick overview of some of the types of tree stands available, besides climbing stands. First, you may come to find this the most comfortable and stable stand. 

So, if that matters to you more than ease of setup, portability, and height, then the climbing tree stands could be for you. The next type that you will come across is the hang-on. While they are less comfortable, you may find them more portable, easy to set up, and quieter.

Finally, is the ladder-type, which is not as common as the above two, and neither is it as easy to set up. You will get good height, nonetheless, and can mount on any try. You may, however, find it the heaviest type.

Bottom Line

Hunting may just be smoother, fun, and more successful when you have most, if not all the right equipment. A tree stand is one of the things that you should not leave behind if you like hunting from high ground. Some people do, for good reasons like improved elevation and sight.

There are, however, many tree stands available out there. Your choice matters; in making one, you are faced with plenty of factors, some affecting the performance of your stand, and others affecting your use of one. We have discussed plenty of what should help you before and when shopping.

This includes but is not limited to what considerations to make when choosing a climbing stand, what makes a good stand, and even the types of tree stands available. The rest is for you to decide—what here suits your preference best? While you ponder on it, I would like to leave you with a recommendation.

Get the Summit Stands Goliath. It provides foam-padded seats. You may also love the full-body harness that this stand offers. More stability from its aluminum frame should boost your confidence. This system can hold well weight of up to 350 lbs. It comes weighing 25 lbs. 

There is no reason why you should not get this product. Buy the Summit Stands Goliath today!

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