I’m pretty sure Summit makes a model, the Bowshot if I recall, that has an open front with no bar. Lone Wolf also has open models, but they are more costly. I have shot out of an Old Man stand complete with bar in front and, for the most part, it isn’t bad. You do need to stand near the front of the platform and you wouldn’t want to shoot near straight downward. Of course, that’s a questionable shot anyway.

Summit makes a few models that are open in the front for bowhunting. The Broadhead SS, the Dagger SD and the Razor SD. I’m thinking about getting one for myself. I have an old climbing stand that has the bar in the front and it definetly gets in the way.

I use an Ol Man stand and it is great. Light, easy to use and I have no problems with the bar getting in the way. Before that I used a Tree Lounge. This is a very comfortable stand, but weighs a lot

Summitt is a reliable and very well built stand. I have the open one designed for bowhunting. You will need to add some padding here and some duct tape there to muffle sounds if you bump the frame with your bow or other equipment but for the most part they can be hunted right out of the box.
I hunted out of Baker stands for years, with that said, anything is better/safer that those stands but for my money, I’d get the Summitt.
Also have a “Cadillac Convertible”. In the main position the hunter faces the tree with the back rest being the convertible part. Swing the back rest up and against the tree and you can sit on it with your back to the tree. Very open for bowhunting but awkward getting into that position.
Duncan

I was just wondering why you feel that you have to use a climber? My son goes to school at Stevens Point and he uses a hang on Lone Wolf Alpha with hang on Lone Wolf climbing sticks. The law about no screw in steps also only applies to public land so if you are on private land it between you and the land owner.

I find myself in need of a climber stand these days because I have a few people who let me hunt on their land, but they don’t want me leaving a stand in the woods.

I have been looking at the Summit OpenShot stand, and the Lone Wolf Hand Climber. Here are the negatives I see for both stands…

OpenShot:
1. Not as big as the Lone Wolf
2. Not as compact as the LW

Hand Climber:
1. Expensive
2. Belts need replacing every 1 to 5 years at about $100.00
3. Belts only available from Lone Wolf.
4. No local Dealers
5. I know only one guy who’s stand has failed. It was a LW and the strap broke on the seat section. Broke his back, leg, and a few ribs.
6. Seat doesn’t fold up like OpenShot

On the other hand,if I did a positives column, the Lone Wolf stand would have more positives than the OpenShot.

I am having a little trouble getting past the initial cost of the LW. But I am having a lot of trouble getting past the $100 every few years. The Manufacturer website says straps may need to be replaced every year if the stand sees a lot of weather.

Anybody have any suggestions?

If you already have a fixed portable I would look into the strap on climbing sticks like a previous poster said. (Good idea!) If you can’t leave a stand where you hunt then the climber might be the best bet.

I got the Summit OpenShot a few days ago and have started trying it out. It sure is light. And The platform is really quite stable. I was pleasantly surprised. The seat is comfortable. My overall initial impression is good. Although I still prefer fixed stands.

The only negative I have is that it is not very wide. I am tall but not big. Still, the seat part that you have to use for climbing is narrow for me. If it was 3 inches wider, I’d be happier.

I have gone up and down a tree a few times to get the feel. Tomorrow I will go up in the morning and take some shots to see how it does interference wise…

Steve,

I’m not a big guy either and I noticed the seat width was snug too. But like yours, my (Summit), is one of the lightest models offered, the main reason I bought it. Stable and quiet and very little damage to the tree’s bark so climbing the same tree multiple times won’t damage it.

Duncan

Hey guys –

I have a Lone Wolf hand climber and really like it. I bought it used for $200 off of craigslist. The previous owner used it lightly for 2 seasons and then found permanent hunting ground where he could leave stands up…so I got if fairly cheap.

I used it a bunch last season and the belts don’t look like they are even close to needing replacing (i’ve noticed no wear at all). However you have to be careful about how you position the stand on the tree…if the belts are loose they will be torqued in and adverse manner. If you use it correctly everything holds up well.

So I think the replacement recommendation might be a little more about LW guarding themselves legally (and looking to sell more product) than actual safety.

I decided on a climber because I mainly hunt private land too, where a stand is not supposed to be left up overnight. The only problem I have is that climbing the stand in the morning make more noise than I would like. I guess it is better than trying to set up a hang on stand though.

like jjknap, I use a Lone Wolf handclimber and absalutely love it. Quiet, etc.