I'm leaning towards a Summit Open Shot. I've used my son's OS couple of times, seems like a good stand.
Gonna use it tomorrow so I can compare it to my nephew's Viper.

The Viper is definitely comfortable but hunting where I hunt I'd like to go as light as I can.
I stand a lot anyway, even when I'm hunting on the ground.
I bought my son an XOP hand climber last year, thought he would like it but he doesn't care for it, the seat don't flip up and he says it's hard to climb with.

I’m not sure if it matters but are y’all hunting public land or private. After hunting public for the last 5 years I’ve decided there’s a difference in the way I need to set up.

I use a lone wolf hand climber for my public land hunts. I believe it weighs 14 pounds. I also got a lone wolf hang on and sticks. I got it because I was hunting a spot that was difficult to find a tree to climb. I practiced with it once. The thought of me trying to hang it or take it down in the dark has kept me from using it.

LOL, you should try to find a climbable tree in the mid-west!
BC, I'm convinced you just need someone to help you climb. Climbers are so much more mobile and versatile. You are so much safer in a climber too. I love to nap in mine. I'd never do that in a loc on. hunt safe

Me personally, I feel safer in a climber.
Guess it's a mental thing with me, I climbed up in my son's preset hang on today, I felt safe because he has a lifeline hooked up.
I wouldnt mind a hang on set up like that.
I just aint crazy bout usin a linemans belt and then havin to have another tree rope to hook up.
I know it's all in my mind.lol

I do like the sit and climb and it will be the one I get if I go with a climber. I’m still leaning towards the hang on because of where/how I’m hunting up here. We more pines than you can count but that’s not where the deer are. The most and biggest deer I’ve seen here come from the swampy areas, drainages, and along the creek/marsh bottoms. From scouting I think a hang on would work great, however, I still suck at bow hunting.

Lol I have no trouble sleeping anywhere except a tree stand. I’m convinced I just need a stand that doesn’t sound like a wrecking ball everytime it something hits it.

This has entered my mind almost daily ever since I first though about it.

Ive got a climbing rope too. I can hook that up before I ever unhook my lineman’s belt. It works just like a lifeline but you use them with climber.

just picked up a Lone Wolf hand climber and I love it. Attached a third hand bow holder to the seat and I can have my bow in hand with as little movement as possible. Its so much quieter than my Summits. I have the Viper SD and the Open shot.
I was using the Open shot for all my bow hunts, but haven't used it since I picked up the Lone Wolf.

I'm interested to know what it is you like better than the Open Shot?
I'm askin because I'm planning to buy the OS.

The guy I hunt with has the hand climber as well. So far the only difference I can tell between the Alpha hang in and it is the sticks.

The seat doesn't flip up on the LW hand climber does it?

No

Having a decent hands-free headlamp is the ticket.

what Dan said^^^

I've prolly got 20+ Loc-ons and maybe three climbers. Only time I used climbers was first time in a new area when uncertain of which tree was best.

I used every climbing style with the Loc-ons, two sided step sticks are by far the best, I've got 4 er 5 sets of sticks. I have had times when I had ALL the Loc-ons in trees.

I've snuck into and up a loc-on with deer visible when I got into the stand without spooking them. You cannot do that with any climber.

Thats a must, after almost 19 years in the Army Ive probably got enough headlamps to light up a runway

I hunted out of my son's hang on stand today. He has a lifeline hooked up so it was very quiet getting into the stand.
If I hunted private land I would have preset hang on stands in my hot spots.
I want a climber though since I hunt public land.
Think I'm going with the Summit Open Shot since I just bowhunt.

thats the main reason Im considering the hang on is because of the quietness and versatility. I like my summit but I sound like a damn train crash walking in the woods and climbing with it. Ive started hunting swamps and drainages so tree selection gets a little thin sometimes and my climber isnt always the best in that situation.

I hang a loc on limit..said it multiple times. I climb with 2 sticks an a climbin harness. Before i did that i drilled trees. With a woodpecker drill and hung a limit. Before that i toted a pre spreader arm(the best) OL' MAN multivision. Ive climbed in nearly every climbin stand made today. Ill take a loc on..everytime. But in my hands that ol man was the quietest stand ever made. Like totin lead tho..its why i moved on to somethin better.