Opinions Best Climbing Stand 2016

[metalcowboy]

I have a Summit Viper and an XOP. The XOP is similar to the one you posted but has the full back chair and a bar for the sit and climb and the bar folds out of the way for hunting. Here are my thoughts:

Summit. Pro: Rock solid and stable. Comfortable for long sits. Cons: Bulky, heavy, noisy. Bar around the front so I am forced to stand and shoot. I like to stay seated if the conditions permit.
XOP: Pro's: Super light way, folds flat and is much easier to pack in and out. No front bar. Cons: Not as comfy as the Summit. Not as stable as the summit but still is plenty stable.

I agree. It's all about what you're looking for/what your use will be. I only use the stand for bowhunting, and only hunt one end of the day with it. Light weight, minimal bulk, and price were the main factors in my decision. I am 100% certain that I would fall asleep in my stand if I ever did a full day in the tree (judging by the fact that I fall asleep every time I go out for a full day when I'm not in a tree) and that wouldn't be good with the XOP. That's not to say it can't be done... just that it can't be done by me.

If you're looking to spend all day in a tree, there are some very nice and comfy stands out there that, at least for me, would be much more safe. I can certainly see myself going this route at some point down the road.

A couple of other things I will say about the XOP. After looking around at different stands for quite a while, I had decided I really liked the Lone Wolf Assault Climber II (http://www.lonewolfhuntingproducts.com/shopping/Products/Hand-Climber-Combo-II__HCCII.aspx). Didn't think I could justify the expense at the time, so I initially decided to just save up and wait for the following season to get that. Then I came across the XOP on FieldSupply. It looked almost identical to the Assault II and was literally half the price, so I bought it, and I couldn't be happier with it. I was initially a little nervous, thinking that at half the price, there must be something wrong with it. So in case anyone is on the fence like I was, I'll say this:

The only real differences, as far as I can tell, are that the seat pad and integrated bowholder are different. The seat pad that came with the XOP is thick and comfy, but has a lot of plastic under the cover and is really loud when it expands after you stand up out of the seat. I just use the stand without the seat cover in the early season, or take a small cover from a $50 Walmart hang-on when I want some more insulation if it's really cold out. Regarding the bowholder, I can't get it to work as is with my bow (Bowtech Carbon Knight). It may work with bows that have wider limbs, and I could probably finagle a fix to make it work if I wanted. I have no problem holding the bow in my lap for the 3-4 hours that I'm in the tree, so I haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I agree. It's all about what you're looking for/what your use will be. I only use the stand for bowhunting, and only hunt one end of the day with it. Light weight, minimal bulk, and price were the main factors in my decision. I am 100% certain that I would fall asleep in my stand if I ever did a full day in the tree (judging by the fact that I fall asleep every time I go out for a full day when I'm not in a tree) and that wouldn't be good with the XOP. That's not to say it can't be done... just that it can't be done by me.

If you're looking to spend all day in a tree, there are some very nice and comfy stands out there that, at least for me, would be much more safe. I can certainly see myself going this route at some point down the road.

A couple of other things I will say about the XOP. After looking around at different stands for quite a while, I had decided I really liked the Lone Wolf Assault Climber II (http://www.lonewolfhuntingproducts.com/shopping/Products/Hand-Climber-Combo-II__HCCII.aspx). Didn't think I could justify the expense at the time, so I initially decided to just save up and wait for the following season to get that. Then I came across the XOP on FieldSupply. It looked almost identical to the Assault II and was literally half the price, so I bought it, and I couldn't be happier with it. I was initially a little nervous, thinking that at half the price, there must be something wrong with it. So in case anyone is on the fence like I was, I'll say this:

The only real differences, as far as I can tell, are that the seat pad and integrated bowholder are different. The seat pad that came with the XOP is thick and comfy, but has a lot of plastic under the cover and is really loud when it expands after you stand up out of the seat. I just use the stand without the seat cover in the early season, or take a small cover from a $50 Walmart hang-on when I want some more insulation if it's really cold out. Regarding the bowholder, I can't get it to work as is with my bow (Bowtech Carbon Knight). It may work with bows that have wider limbs, and I could probably finagle a fix to make it work if I wanted. I have no problem holding the bow in my lap for the 3-4 hours that I'm in the tree, so I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Adre D'Aquisto used to own lone wolf. then he sold it. Now he's with XOP. When the lone wolf patents expired they essentially starting making almost exactly the same stands at a lower price. Have no fear with XOP.