Thanks for the comments fellas.
From what I've gathered, most would rather use a hang not as an in and out stand.
And a climber for hunt/scout tactics.

TG, I prefer lock on and will use one in any situation I'm able. The versatility of a climber is great, I'm just a control freak on hunts and when I'm not good with climbers it makes me paranoid to use one. Either the racket from me setting up one or my cussing at it will scare the deer off. If I were hunting public land, I would practice more with a climber. But, I've hunted on our property my whole life. At this point I have a good enough idea of good sets so I always use lock on.

To answer your question, I can set up a lock on pretty quick and have done so several times the morning of the hunt. I haven't read all the post but, Millenium makes that big stand that comes with a fitting (whatever it's called) they sell for like $25 on Amazon. You can buy 1 or 2 stands and several of those and set up several sites with screw in steps or sticks and carry the stand in. I haven't used one yet, but from what I understand they just slide down in that fitting. I would use those all day over a climber. I think you're a stick bow guy like me so being able to hide is more important. I don't have a single stand over 15 ft high but they're hidden.

Anybody ever used a Climax stand? I have several and they are awesome. They closed up shop but they have a swing arm under the platform so you can hang them in virtually any tree and make them level. They are a mother to hang though.

Climax

Recurve, that's a blessing to have your own property to hunt.
I would do the exact same thing.
I was debating on getting the Millenium M7 stand, it takes the receiver that you're talking about.
It's not a big stand but it only weighs 9lbs
I have to pack in anywhere from a mile to 2 miles which I dont mind, but I dont want to carry any more than I have to.
I thank God at 57 I can still do it..lol
I sold my climber about 10 years ago. I bought a cheap heavy climber last year but I'm going to leave it in the woods this season.
Been a ground hunter mostly but I want to do some hunting out of a stand this year.
The first climber I ever had back in the 70s was a Baker stand, we called them DEATH TRAPS..lol We've come a long way since then.

I have a XOP vanish stand cast aluminum is key. I bought a hawk mega combat but since it was not cast aluminum every time I went to stand up the stand itself popped. I've been hunting NA forest my whole life and hunted with a climber for the first 2 years... I've switched to loc ons since it was lighter to pack in loc on and sticks and I can be more quite with a loc on than a climber. I have a loop around my seat so when I'm done with climbing my sticks I screw in a $2 bow holder then pull up my stand and put the loop over the bow holder to hold the stand so I'm not sitting there 20' up holding the stand with one hand while trying to hang it. Makes the process 40% more effeciant then I just strap her in and cam loc and I'm ready to hunt no more than 13 minutes and I never have to go back down to get my bow or anything

LOL my uncle still uses a Baker. I had never heard of them as they were before my time but when I first saw it I thought “he has made himself a climber.” They literally look like someone took scrap wood and a blow torch and made it in their garage.

And yeah, “receiver” is what I meant. I’m back in school and was up late last night so my brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders. That M7 would be good. I have a couple of the M25 and I wish they came with a receiver. It would be a lot easier/cheaper. I like the M25 because of the platform size and don’t need to be as comfortable as I would be in the 50 (whatever model has the reclining seat

How does he still use it Recurve? The only ones I saw weighed over 30 pounds at the least. Probably more. I bet most were just left on trees when the owner had enjoyed using it as much as they could stand. I've found at least three grown into trees.

Hunting public land in Mississippi with a climber for 4 years throughout college I became pretty efficient with my climber. I can honestly say that there has never been an instance where there was a location I wanted to hunt that there wasn't a tree I could get in with my Ol' man. Mine is an older smaller model than the multi visions ( which are also very nice). Most peoples issues with climbers is the disturbance to deer while climbing. I would contend that you can get up a tree in a climber causing little to no disturbance; so long as you dont find the oldest pine tree in the county to shimmy up.
I could never speak ill of lock ons either. Im not very good at setting them unless I have an extra set of hands sending stuff up but im sure that comes with practice. We use both on our leases. Lock ons and ladders for permanent stands around our early season plots and traditional white oaks and climbers for fresh sign we find during the year.

There are usually trees where I hunt for a climber but not always.

I have 1 climber that I use to stick and move around. I have 5 lock on's and several ladder stand scattered around in hot areas. I replaced all my lock on's with millennium and hawks. Worth it as I can sit in them for a long time. This is also on 1300 acres so there are several spots I hunt. I just like the comfort of the hang on.

I have no idea. I've never used one or even seen him climb with them. From what I understand you have to bear hug the tree to climb? I also need to make a correction to my previous statement. He doesn't use it as much anymore due to shoulder/back problems. I know last year he found a good spot and put it around the tree and left it. Ended up killing a good 9 point out of it with his Black Widow. So my correction is, he doesn't use it much anymore and mainly sticks to lock ons that I hang for him...

He uses those Climax stands I mentioned earlier. I use them too but also have a couple others (M25 to name one). They are awesome stands but heavy and tough to hang. The swing arm under the platform that allows you to hang it in any tree and have level is a blessing and a curse because on top of being heavy, the bracket that attaches the swing arm to the platform is thick and sturdy so a lot of the weight is in the front.

I hang a loc on lem "limit" and climb with 2 sticks. Im good at it, takes me bout 10 min goin real slow to hang my stand. Aint nuthin to it if you practice method and have a plan. Im young, im athletic and in good to great shape, and above all im careful and well trained. Dont do as i do unless you can. This is the way i climb

Sounds like you have a system down.

For those that have used hang stands a lot, how critical is having a platform that has leveling capabilities?

I use lock-ons 95% of the time because they are quite and that's what I like. I highly recommend using a linemans belt for safety purposes while hanging the stand. Im 50 and still hanging em, so it should a breeze for you if your younger....where a linemans belt.

If you like to stand/sit on the side of a hill, then get one that doesn't level. One of the features of a Lonewolf Alpha II is it's ability to adjust to odd trees with an angle + or -.

Yep, I have been doing a lot of research and I keep comin back to the LW, seems like a very versatile stand.
I was concerned about the comfort of the seat but I could always add Slumper seat.
I like the idea that they are American made also.

X2

I have an xop vanish stand i got it for $150 and its the best priced cast aluminum stand for sure. and it has a adjustable base and seat wit ha 3 layer memory foam seat

Cant beat that price.