Now, this isn’t a seat that’s built to rock you to sleep. The seat is the show stopper of the stand. Scott Einsmann The Summit Dual Axis bit the tree better than any other stand in the test and is an overall rock-solid hang-on. The seat puts you in the proper posture for seated shots. It bit the tree so well that when we removed the straps, it stayed connected to the tree, and we had to pull it off. We tested that tech by tapping our metal wedding bands against the stand and were impressed with the dull, muted sound rather than a high-pitched “ting.” The Dual Axis bit the tree better than any of the stands we tested, and it was the most stable. Summit advertises Dead Metal Sound Deadening Technology, which fills portions of the stand with expanding foam.
Once on the tree, it was silent, and we felt confident the stand would stay that way once exposed to the elements because each connection point has Teflon washers. It was fairly quiet during setup, with the only real noise coming from the ratchets. We found the stand easy to hang with the two included ratchet straps. While we were testing the Summit Dual Axis, the one phrase we repeated several times was: “This is a really nice stand.” It is. The Summit Dual Axis is a quiet stand that’s rock solid on the tree and has a seat made for serious hunters and all-day sits. We tested each stand on trees of different diameters as well as straight and leaning trees. We also shot from the stands from seated and standing positions to gather notes on the shooting experience. So, any wiggle or bounce was noted as we moved around on the platform. We defined stability as movement felt while on the stand. We judged comfort sitting in the seat but also considered the stand’s comfort while standing. We gave each stand a comfort score on our one-to-five scale, with five being the most comfortable. Comfort, Stability, and ShootingĪfter each stand was in the tree, we tested them for comfort and stability and shot our bows from the stands.
While we speed tested each stand, two testers stood on opposite sides of the tree and scored the perceived noise level on a one to five scale (five is the quietest). You’ll see this time in the key features section of each stand. Once the tester was on the stand, the timer stopped. Using a lineman’s belt and harness, they climbed the sticks and hung the stand. To do that, we pre-set two climbing sticks, and each tester started at the base of the tree. We timed how long it took each tester to set up each stand on a straight tree with a 14-inch diameter. Each tester gave a score for packability from one to five, with five being the best. The packability score was based on the stand’s comfort, maneuverability, and noise. We also carried the stands through thick woods to see if any parts caught on brush. The two testers who weren’t carrying a stand stood along the trail and listened for any noise made by the stand. Then, a tester carried the stand through the woods. We started the test with the packability test, and we set up each stand in its pack configuration. Using our combined experience, we tested each stand uncer the following protocols: Packability Scott Einsmann: Outdoor Life‘s gear editor and experienced mobile hunter. Josh Philips: Like his brother Billy, Josh is a four-season bowhunter with over 100 days spent in stands and saddles each year.
Lone wolf hang on full#
The Test Teamīilly Philips: Is an urban bowhunter who has the opportunity to hunt 365 days a year and takes full advantage of those opportunities with 150 days spent in a stand or saddle. The first day we had spitting rain all day, which helped us test platforms for their grip and seats for how much they held water. We tested tree stands over two days in northern Virginia. How We Tested the Hang-Ons Our test included timing how long it took to set up each stand. Best for Mobile Hunting: Lone Wolf Alpha II.Most Comfortable: Millennium M150 Monster.But, this is a list of the best hang-on tree stands we were able to get our hands on, with a thorough review of each that includes how they perform on different trees, how quick they are to set up, how quietly they set up, and how easy they are to pack. Due to supply issues, we weren’t able to test all of the best stands, so this isn’t a complete list. Because these stands are so popular, the options are prolific.įrom small companies making innovative stands to large manufacturers that provide high-value stands, you have a ton of choices, and this review represents just a handful of the best. Whether you’re hanging a preset or doing a hang and hunt, the appeal of a hang-on stand is undeniable. Hang-on tree stands give hunters more mobility than a ladder stand and more flexibility than a climbing treestand.