stands
I've been up more trees in a climber than I can remember. At present there are 3 in my inventory, all by the Summit company, and two of them are early steel versions, heavy but tough. My most recent version sets idle, I could never quite get the hang of climbing with it. The two old steel stands go up many trees every season. Climbers are great in that they offer mobility, as noted, you can lug it in, climb a tree that day, and lug it out, if you're froggy enough. These days, I'm not as froggy as I used to be. Climbers only lend themselves to certain trees......not too big, not to small, straight trunked, not to many limbs, and no limbs too big you can't saw off with a hand saw the first time up. Fortunately, the woods are full of trees, and you can USUALLY find one to climb over your current hot spot. If your brave enough, you can get way up in a climber.
I'm thinking I have 4 "put up"/chain on/ strap on type stands of different types in the shed, and an assortment of climbing sticks and screw in steps to go with them. I don't use them as much as I should. They are not as handy as a climber for me. Putting one up with its stick or screw in steps always seems a chore and takes a long time. I don't think I've ever installed a "put up" stand and then hunted out of it on the spot, way too much blood, sweat and cursing. I can't get as high in a put up as the climber. But I can place a put up stand in trees that I can't climb.
I will tell you a trick, but it only works if the tree selected can be climbed first. Carry your climber AND your put up gear to the tree. Climb the tree with the climber to the height of your sticks. Pull the "put up " stand up with a pull rope and attach the put up while you are safely perched in your climber. Climb down and then put the sticks up, or, screw in the tree steps as you descend. Return to hunt in a week or so. WAY easier than trying to teeter-totter on top of the sticks and reach around and secure the put up stand, ....believe it. I don't hunt my put ups as much as I should.
Ladder stands and their ilk are usually very stable. Most guys I know put them in and leave them, often for years. As I get more and more wobbly (and lazy)
