Lighter Set ups

Who all tried to lighten there load and become a little more mobile this past hunting season?
What hunting platform did you come from and go to?
How did your changes affect your mobility?
Are you satisfied with your changes?
Are you planning to go further with this next year or did you find the perfect set up for you?
This could be anything from a ladder stand to a climber, climber to a hang on with sticks etc. Stopped carrying unnecessary gear etc. consolidated necessary gear.

For me, my set ups have progressed from a old man climber to a XOP hand climber to API sticks and a summit hang on, to lonewolf sticks and Alpha II, to lone Wolf sticks, saddle, and a homemade platform this year. I cut some weight but found I was adding it right back in with unnecessary gear. I tried to limit myself to bare essentials the remainder of the season by not carry a pack or bag of any kind. I picked up a platform that mounts to my sticks for next year. This will make my load out less cumbersome and a little lighter. I plan to stick with a saddle.

What about you? If you have already found the perfect setup for you, let us hear it what it is.

zippo to bic, next year may consider going to a mini bic.

Over the years I've done everything you described and still have some loc ons in place that get hunted some..now days it's just me a bow or rifle and whatever fits in my pocket usually just a knife n flashlight it's a bit tougher seeing as well and setting up on right spot but I enjoy it

Yea I hear that. Lock ones can be great if you have a property that you can leave them on. Mobility and public hunting is gaining popularity due to a lot of hunting youtubers. It seems like everyone is searching for the lightest gear. Ground hunting with nothing but your weapon should never be overlooked as i do believe it’s lightest and most minimalistic you can get.

What hunting platform did you come from and go to?
Went from a summit climber to a saddle with wild edge steps & knaider/swaider climbing method.

How did your changes affect your mobility?
MUCH more mobile. Can get into 10x more trees that I could with my climber and I have found myself way more willing to walk farther into secluded spots.

Are you satisfied with your changes?
Absolutely, don't see myself ever turning back.

Are you planning to go further with this next year or did you find the perfect set up for you?
I may try single stick and even some DRT/SRT climbing next season.

Nice, heard mixed reviews on the steps. Seems people either love them or hate them, no in between. I too want to try my hand at rope climbing. At the very least I plan to add rappelling to my arsenal. It won’t save weight but it sure is fun. I haven’t bought into the 1 sticking yet. I think I’ll need some more practice.

I definitely have a love/hate relationship with my steps. When everything is going smoothly and setting up right they are great. But there are times when I get to the tree and I'm hot and tired and I'll have one step that just doesn't want to cam over like I need it to and I'll be in the tree cussing and swearing that I'd never use em again lol.

Went from a lone wolf hang on to a saddle. I use my LW sticks to climb and used a WE perch as a platform. I’m satisfied with everything except the perch, I’m switching to predator for the upcoming season.

A pad or foldingchair to sit on, para cord, burlap, and clothes pins for ground hunting.

I dig a “Hazmoralized” Summit Viper for climbing, no foot rest nor gunrail

Just like the on in this video

https://hazmore.net/pages/silent-pocket-tree-stand-accessory-pocket

Out here in Texas I often climb a live oak or cedar that God made just for me and I lay a piece of memory foam on the limb, cover it with a towel, then bungee cord it. I sit on it for many hours.

I only use a mountaineers climbing harness, my rope with a prusik with a belay rigged below it

I also had the ladies on base sew me a day pack of my design and materials so its silent and to my specs

I went from a Summit Goliath to a saddle and a lone wolf hand climber top. I'm gonna sell the lone wolf top and fabricate a Summit open shot top and use that method for this year. I also use 3 helium sticks that I cut down to 24". I use a predator platform. Its not hard to find a climbable tree where I hunt, so I will use the Summit top mostly.

I just bought the lone wolf sticks and have been looking at the millennium m100u. Has anyone used this stand as a hang and hunt. I dont think i could sit all day in a lone wolf lock on.

I have the Millennium m100u as a hang and hunt. very comfortable

What saddle did you end up with?
I’m gonna order one here pretty soon , gonna use strap on steps on WMA and bolts on private. My old
Windwalker locon is so light, no comfy but easy and light

I got a millenium tree seat. That thing is great for mobility. Got a pop up blind for the front.

I’ve tried every saddle that was out this past season and the most comfortable was the Kite by Aerohunter.

Besides a DIY Sitdrag or fleece

The LW hang on is more comfortable than you would think. I’m 6ft 240+ and I never had any issues.

I have a Tethrd mantis and I’ve tried the Tethrd phantom as well. I’ve never had any problems with my mantis but I will by the phantom next. The phantom has a few upgrades that I like over the mantis. If you’re new to saddle hunting you honestly can’t go wrong with either.

I had a m100u, great stand but not what I consider a lightweight setup if you walk far or climb steep hills.
I wanted to try the M60U, I think it weighs about 12 or 13 lbs. a little more compact.

Or the m-7 microlite

I switched to a saddle this season from a climber.
Cut down to around 16 pounds
It was OK for bow hunting but a lot of movement unless the deer is in the perfect spot.
I spent a lot more time trying to find a tree that had cover within my 20' of climbing sticks. (climb any tree... maybe but you gonna stick out like a transformer on a telephone pole in alabama)
Took a lot longer to get set up
Absolutely sucks with a rifle.
After first hunt with a rifle I went back to climber.
I will use the saddle some next year but also bought a lone wolf assault.

Dead Ringer tree-hammock seat for ground hunting, especially high on ridges. Packs into small bag, weighs 1.2lb. That my pack, gun, ozone generator, and trigger stick all together in at under 17lbs. Other than that I'm going up in one of my Vipers. I tried an X-Stand and Lone Wolf Sit N Climb, bc of their weight, and I'll often walk in 3-4 miles on public land, but at 260lbs they didn't sit well enough to warrant the change at only a 3-4lb difference.

M7 microlite and 4 beast sticks, here. Pretty comfy for the weight, packs good, and relatively quite.