As some know this will be my first year hunting & my knowledge is rather limited but desire to learn is not. I am looking into buying my first stand.
Being that I do not own land and will be hunting mobile, it seems that a climbing stand is the best route for me.

I have a chance to buy a used API Grandslam shooting supreme stand for around $90 or so.

Is this a good safe stand?
Is there a stand that would be better suited for me and my somewhat limited budget?

Thank you for all the help.

If the cables are in good shape and it's not rusted, that's a heck of a deal.

I will keep everyone posted on if I get it.

No matter how comfortable you feel with your new stand, always wear your safety harness. When you get it, take it somewhere and practice climbing. It isn't hard but is much easier after a little practice. You don't want your first time to use it be on a day you are hunting. It will be slow going initially, but once you get the hang of it, you'll love it.

Like Southbama said, the cable condition are the key.

Ya I do not want to be on the local news for idiot falls out of tree deer hunting.

I assume the cables are consumables?

Over time, yes. They have a rubber coating that wears down. My only climber mishap was with an API and I didn't check the rubber coating. I was climbing a very rough barked tree and the chain twisted (think giant bicycle chain with rubber coating) and a link snapped. I had a vest on so I was never in any danger of falling, but with my fear of heights it took all afternoon to work my way down. It would have been a perfect afternoon too. I had some does walk right past me as I was working down. I think they were laughing.

You can get replacement cables if needed. I know there are some on Ebay usually.

The Api is a fine stand I owned several. For $90 you couldn't do better. When you get the stand write me a pm and i'll send directions on how to cover the chains one last time. I trust those chains more than any cable.
If you want to buy new i recommend
www.treewalkerstands.com

I owned two supremes and two supreme bowhunters. Drop me a line if you want safety tips on that stand. Good luck.

That's the exact stand I use. Love that sucker...little heavy, but not unreasonable. Mine is pushing 10 years old now, and each offseason I'll usually recoat the cables with shrink tube. To me the gun rest is a must have...I don't want a climber without a gun rest.

I ended up snagging this stand for $90. Just got back from picking it up.
I'm thinking of heading to the local battery shop that does big golf cart/commercial sized batteries and having them heat shrink the chain.

Just go buy the heat shrink and do it yourself

With the thicker stuff don't they use heat guns to get it on there?

The tubing isn't hard to put on. When I was in college and I lived in an apartment I melted it on with a stove eye. My dad told me the other day he'd put his last on by putting it in the oven. There's more than one way to do it

Sounds like I will be doing exactly that in my tiny little apartment.

I've got one of those little hand-held torches from Lowes or any other hardward store. Might have been about $20, uses a little hand held size bottle of propane, you light it with a lighter and it blows a flame.

I got the chains cleaned up and ready to hunt.
Put a tiny bit of vaseline on the couple spots that had ever so slight surface rust and got new heat shrink on. To get it installed I used a borrowed heatgun.

Went with three 4' sections of Black 3/4" OD that I picked up for $5 a piece.
I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Is there a certain type of heat shrink that you prefer to use? Heavy Wall, Glue lined, ETC?

I have no clue what everyone prefers. This morning I just grabbed what they and went with that.