I've owned quite a few different stands over the years so can offer my thoughts. Everyone has different needs and priorities. A lot of the fan boys for one manufacturer or another haven't ever really tried the other brands or models. The three I have right now which will probably be with me for a long time to come are a Gunslinger, Summit Viper, and Lone Wolf sit & climb. The Gunslinger is the one I prefer to hunt from unless I am shooting a bow. For me, it's just more comfortable for sitting in for long periods. You have more positions to sit, from straight-up to reclining, and several spots to rest your feet and legs so you can change positions. More comfort for me means longer periods where I am perfectly still and longer times on the stand. It feels much more secure while going up and down the tree as well as just sitting in it. With the gun holder you can easily go up and down the tree with the rifle secured beside you and don't have to use a pull rope. I have logged several days in it where I was in it before sunrise and came down at sunset with only a 45-60 minute break to walk back for lunch and get a little exercise. The drawbacks are that it is large and clumsy to carry in to the woods, so I don't use it if I have a really long hike or if I'm going through really thick stuff, or if I'm not sure where I'm going to end up. I also only use it if I can set-up in advance because it's noisy to get on the tree, so it's not usually one I walk in with early in the morning. Probably makes more noise going up and down than a cable style stand. Is more prone to squeaks and creaks from movement because it's not welded together and the aluminum tubing is bolted together. You are positioned a good distance from the tree so you are more "on display" and easier to see. It's still the one I would rather hunt from.
The Summit Viper is also very comfortable but not as many positions to rotate your stiff body through. Have to use a pull rope to raise and lower your weapon. Nice and quiet going up and down the tree and pretty easy/quite to attach to the tree. I feel very secure once in position and sitting but not nearly as secure going up or down the tree. I have a few times slipped or slightly lost my balance and almost went over backwards from the bar you sit on while going up and down. I always make extra sure my safety harness is secure and adjusted as short as possible when using this stand. Pretty easy to carry through the woods and one of the similar models that folds flat would be even easier although might have more potential squeaks and creaks. This tends to be the stand I use when I can't setup in advance or have farther to go or am scouting a new area and not exactly sure where I will setup. If I have two stands out in different locations then it's not usually on my "best" spot.
The Lone Wolf is a great stand too and the "wide" version might make it more comfortable. It's very quite and easy to attach to the tree. Very quiet going up and down the tree. Dead quite when in position and doesn't shift, etc. Folds flat and is light and compact so it's the one I use on longer hikes or when I have no clue where I am going to setup, and definitely my go-to stand when hunting the mountains other than right behind my cabin. Also it's usually my bow stand because there is no wrap-around bar to get in the way. I carry and extra foam cushion to sit on and with that it's very similar to the Viper. The platform is pretty small though and with the regular seat I'm somewhat cramped. I might have to try a wide version one of these days and it could end up being my pick over the Viper.
First tree climber I had was the old blade style with a hard plywood seat. Sold that and got a Tree Lounge.
The Tree Lounge was my stand for many years and I thought it was comfortable until I bought my first Summit Viper. The Tree Lounge never feels like it will slip on the tree and made you feel secure until you got in position and then had to turn around... With the Bow Hunting Adapter needed to be able to get a decent shot in the other direction or with a bow, it was like standing on a diving board. For me it was always very difficult to come back down the tree due to the foot platform and leverage required. Real noisy. Sold it after I had tried a Viper...
Warren and Sweat made some stands I really liked. The Rifleman was super light and compact but big drawback was the bar between the legs so you couldn't turn around very good if one approached from behind. Some of the others were bigger and heavier and allowed facing toward or away from the tree. Not sure why they went out of business. Wish I hadn't traded my Cottenwood.
Have had two of the Viper rip-offs from Walmart and Dick's and they were basically the same experience as with the Viper. Different methods for adjusting the cables.
Tried an Ol' Man stand that some guys rave about and I hated it. Couldn't find anything to get excited about or to like. If you were on a narrow tree the cables would be tighter around your body. The mesh sling seat that so many like was very uncomfortable to me.
Had a Loggy Bayou for the start of one morning. I can remember when they first came out and they were supposed to be the premier stand. Sort of like the Lone Wolf reputation. Seemed like a very high quality stand and good concept. I got it used several years after they went out of business. Stupidly I did not try out in the back yard before my hunt... For me it didn't matter whether I sat in the sling or used as a hand-climber, it was way to close to the tree to be able to lift the bottom section with your feet. When I finally got up the tree (I gave up trying to go as high as I wanted), you had to step over a seat as you folded it up. Once you got everything strapped around the tree like you were supposed to the hand climber section would not grip the tree unless it had weight pulling on it. It kept following down on my head, etc. I wasn't able to hunt that morning because by the time I got back on the ground I was sweating so bad and had been cussing so much I knew the morning was shot... No wonder it was 15 years old and looked brand new
The Summit Viper is the only one I had, sold/traded, and then purchased another later. (I had traded my first for a Gunslinger.)
Long story short, if possible, try to use some different ones from friends and sit in them for a while before making a decision.
The Summit Viper is also very comfortable but not as many positions to rotate your stiff body through. Have to use a pull rope to raise and lower your weapon. Nice and quiet going up and down the tree and pretty easy/quite to attach to the tree. I feel very secure once in position and sitting but not nearly as secure going up or down the tree. I have a few times slipped or slightly lost my balance and almost went over backwards from the bar you sit on while going up and down. I always make extra sure my safety harness is secure and adjusted as short as possible when using this stand. Pretty easy to carry through the woods and one of the similar models that folds flat would be even easier although might have more potential squeaks and creaks. This tends to be the stand I use when I can't setup in advance or have farther to go or am scouting a new area and not exactly sure where I will setup. If I have two stands out in different locations then it's not usually on my "best" spot.
The Lone Wolf is a great stand too and the "wide" version might make it more comfortable. It's very quite and easy to attach to the tree. Very quiet going up and down the tree. Dead quite when in position and doesn't shift, etc. Folds flat and is light and compact so it's the one I use on longer hikes or when I have no clue where I am going to setup, and definitely my go-to stand when hunting the mountains other than right behind my cabin. Also it's usually my bow stand because there is no wrap-around bar to get in the way. I carry and extra foam cushion to sit on and with that it's very similar to the Viper. The platform is pretty small though and with the regular seat I'm somewhat cramped. I might have to try a wide version one of these days and it could end up being my pick over the Viper.
First tree climber I had was the old blade style with a hard plywood seat. Sold that and got a Tree Lounge.
The Tree Lounge was my stand for many years and I thought it was comfortable until I bought my first Summit Viper. The Tree Lounge never feels like it will slip on the tree and made you feel secure until you got in position and then had to turn around... With the Bow Hunting Adapter needed to be able to get a decent shot in the other direction or with a bow, it was like standing on a diving board. For me it was always very difficult to come back down the tree due to the foot platform and leverage required. Real noisy. Sold it after I had tried a Viper...
Warren and Sweat made some stands I really liked. The Rifleman was super light and compact but big drawback was the bar between the legs so you couldn't turn around very good if one approached from behind. Some of the others were bigger and heavier and allowed facing toward or away from the tree. Not sure why they went out of business. Wish I hadn't traded my Cottenwood.
Have had two of the Viper rip-offs from Walmart and Dick's and they were basically the same experience as with the Viper. Different methods for adjusting the cables.
Tried an Ol' Man stand that some guys rave about and I hated it. Couldn't find anything to get excited about or to like. If you were on a narrow tree the cables would be tighter around your body. The mesh sling seat that so many like was very uncomfortable to me.
Had a Loggy Bayou for the start of one morning. I can remember when they first came out and they were supposed to be the premier stand. Sort of like the Lone Wolf reputation. Seemed like a very high quality stand and good concept. I got it used several years after they went out of business. Stupidly I did not try out in the back yard before my hunt... For me it didn't matter whether I sat in the sling or used as a hand-climber, it was way to close to the tree to be able to lift the bottom section with your feet. When I finally got up the tree (I gave up trying to go as high as I wanted), you had to step over a seat as you folded it up. Once you got everything strapped around the tree like you were supposed to the hand climber section would not grip the tree unless it had weight pulling on it. It kept following down on my head, etc. I wasn't able to hunt that morning because by the time I got back on the ground I was sweating so bad and had been cussing so much I knew the morning was shot... No wonder it was 15 years old and looked brand new
The Summit Viper is the only one I had, sold/traded, and then purchased another later. (I had traded my first for a Gunslinger.)
Long story short, if possible, try to use some different ones from friends and sit in them for a while before making a decision.
