Guide gear climbing stand
03-23-2014, 02:26 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Garrett County, MD
Posts: 251
Guide gear climbing stand
I typically bowhunt from a natural blind or sometimes a pop up if I don't have to haul it too far
I'm looking to get up in the air on a budget and found the cheapest climber I could.
Any first hand experience with this stand?
I'm looking to get up in the air on a budget and found the cheapest climber I could.
Any first hand experience with this stand?
03-25-2014, 09:47 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
I happen to have one of these. In my opinion it is impossible to beat for the $$. However it does have a few drawbacks... in my opinion. It is minimal in over all size. But if you are an average sized person it'll do fine. The cables are a steel wire rope ... does not look like aircraft grade cable to me ... that has been coated with a hard plastic. The ends are exposed and are a simple loops, secured by a crimped tube type connector. Despite the rather slick looking cable covering, I have not had any issues with slippage. The cable is a bit stiff, but workable. I find it cumbersome to "inch-worm" up a tree compared to either my Ol' Man or Summit climbers. I think it is because of the rather short depth of the frame. It takes me 3x the times as either my Summit or 'Ol Man stands .... but you are talking an extra 5 minutes for a 25' climb. Just sort of frustrating at times. The seat is comfortable. The seat fabric seems to me to be rather minimal in strength.
The first 2 things I would do when I go the stand from Sportsman's Guide wouild be to remove the seat and paint the whole frame with a quality "woodsy" color paint .... clean the seat and spray it down good with something like "Camp Dry" to help repel water from the seat fabric. I would not leave it out in the weather over an extended length of time. This extra stuff adds maybe $10-$12 to the sost of the stand ... so it is still well under $100. I'd also suggest you buy an extra cable pin. Just in case you drop one in the woods and cannot find it in the leaves .... trust me, it can happen !! And as I always add ... never climb without using a quality safety harness.
The first 2 things I would do when I go the stand from Sportsman's Guide wouild be to remove the seat and paint the whole frame with a quality "woodsy" color paint .... clean the seat and spray it down good with something like "Camp Dry" to help repel water from the seat fabric. I would not leave it out in the weather over an extended length of time. This extra stuff adds maybe $10-$12 to the sost of the stand ... so it is still well under $100. I'd also suggest you buy an extra cable pin. Just in case you drop one in the woods and cannot find it in the leaves .... trust me, it can happen !! And as I always add ... never climb without using a quality safety harness.
Last edited by Mojotex; 03-25-2014 at 09:54 AM.
03-25-2014, 10:50 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Garrett County, MD
Posts: 251
I happen to have one of these. In my opinion it is impossible to beat for the $$. However it does have a few drawbacks... in my opinion. It is minimal in over all size. But if you are an average sized person it'll do fine. The cables are a steel wire rope ... does not look like aircraft grade cable to me ... that has been coated with a hard plastic. The ends are exposed and are a simple loops, secured by a crimped tube type connector. Despite the rather slick looking cable covering, I have not had any issues with slippage. The cable is a bit stiff, but workable. I find it cumbersome to "inch-worm" up a tree compared to either my Ol' Man or Summit climbers. I think it is because of the rather short depth of the frame. It takes me 3x the times as either my Summit or 'Ol Man stands .... but you are talking an extra 5 minutes for a 25' climb. Just sort of frustrating at times. The seat is comfortable. The seat fabric seems to me to be rather minimal in strength.
The first 2 things I would do when I go the stand from Sportsman's Guide wouild be to remove the seat and paint the whole frame with a quality "woodsy" color paint .... clean the seat and spray it down good with something like "Camp Dry" to help repel water from the seat fabric. I would not leave it out in the weather over an extended length of time. This extra stuff adds maybe $10-$12 to the sost of the stand ... so it is still well under $100. I'd also suggest you buy an extra cable pin. Just in case you drop one in the woods and cannot find it in the leaves .... trust me, it can happen !! And as I always add ... never climb without using a quality safety harness.
The first 2 things I would do when I go the stand from Sportsman's Guide wouild be to remove the seat and paint the whole frame with a quality "woodsy" color paint .... clean the seat and spray it down good with something like "Camp Dry" to help repel water from the seat fabric. I would not leave it out in the weather over an extended length of time. This extra stuff adds maybe $10-$12 to the sost of the stand ... so it is still well under $100. I'd also suggest you buy an extra cable pin. Just in case you drop one in the woods and cannot find it in the leaves .... trust me, it can happen !! And as I always add ... never climb without using a quality safety harness.
When I'm calling bear I want to be up in the air because I'm going to be by myself bowhunting. And being up in the air will be helpful for sika because of their height though I'm taking the ground blind down there as well.
Main reason being it is all public land, and I need to remove it at the end of every hunt. I'm 5'11 155 pounds so I shouldn't have a problem with the smaller size. I have one of the plain black strap harnesses that came with my walmart ladder stand, been wanting to upgrade it for a long time it's very uncomfortable if you catch my drift.
but yeah that's the reason I wanted it on a budget is its only goin to be used maybe a month out of season. I'm new to both species hopefully I tag out first day. But as long as it gets me up there and does it solidly that's all I'm worried about. Would you say it is rugged? In a few years I will sell it and upgrade. Any recommendations on the harness? I imagine anything would be better than the nylon straps I have lmao
03-31-2014, 04:08 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
I use an older version of the Hunter Safety System brand vest type harnesses. It is going on 10 seasons old. One of my good buddies uses an older "Seat-of-the-Pants" harness. He likes his. I can recommend these two brands.
My HSS has a few pockets that come in handy ... and is "hunter orange/cammo reversible. It did not get in my back when I used a compound.
I doubt any will be "comfortable" if you have to hang for any length of time.
If I am not mistaken, here in Alabama for 2013-14 there were 4 deaths by fall from tree stands reported ... no harnesses. No telling how many non-fatal injuries and close calls were not reported! For whatever reason there is still a lot of hunters down this way not using a safety harness. Beats me why?
My HSS has a few pockets that come in handy ... and is "hunter orange/cammo reversible. It did not get in my back when I used a compound.
I doubt any will be "comfortable" if you have to hang for any length of time.
If I am not mistaken, here in Alabama for 2013-14 there were 4 deaths by fall from tree stands reported ... no harnesses. No telling how many non-fatal injuries and close calls were not reported! For whatever reason there is still a lot of hunters down this way not using a safety harness. Beats me why?
04-03-2014, 09:09 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Garrett County, MD
Posts: 251
I use an older version of the Hunter Safety System brand vest type harnesses. It is going on 10 seasons old. One of my good buddies uses an older "Seat-of-the-Pants" harness. He likes his. I can recommend these two brands.
My HSS has a few pockets that come in handy ... and is "hunter orange/cammo reversible. It did not get in my back when I used a compound.
I doubt any will be "comfortable" if you have to hang for any length of time.
If I am not mistaken, here in Alabama for 2013-14 there were 4 deaths by fall from tree stands reported ... no harnesses. No telling how many non-fatal injuries and close calls were not reported! For whatever reason there is still a lot of hunters down this way not using a safety harness. Beats me why?
My HSS has a few pockets that come in handy ... and is "hunter orange/cammo reversible. It did not get in my back when I used a compound.
I doubt any will be "comfortable" if you have to hang for any length of time.
If I am not mistaken, here in Alabama for 2013-14 there were 4 deaths by fall from tree stands reported ... no harnesses. No telling how many non-fatal injuries and close calls were not reported! For whatever reason there is still a lot of hunters down this way not using a safety harness. Beats me why?
even though ive only ever had that nylon strap harness for my ladder stand i always use mine. none of my friends use theirs, of course they were a bunch of idiots since first grade lol
