For the hunters out there, decent deal on a ladder stand

[cabmandone]

My friend and I visited a local BigR store and saw this stand priced at $239 in store. My friend went online and found them for $139... at Big R's website... We haven't put one up yet (we bought two because the give you 10% off your next online order ) but we plan to this weekend. I'll post back with thoughts on the stand once we have it in the tree.

https://www.bigr.com/sporting-goods/hunting/x-stand-the-duke-20-lockjaw-ladder-stand/274490.html

[yel911]

Good luck!!

[cabmandone]

UPDATE: We installed the stand today. Putting it up was pretty easy. It's interesting how the bottom support bars as well as the upper jaws work. You fasten the lower jaws, then cross the cables behind the tree and use a ratchet strap to tighten the jaws at the top. You then climb and attach the last ratchet strap. The stand feels pretty secure but Id like it better if the foot platform made contact with the tree, this would eliminate an twist. Climbing is pretty easy but I think the steps are a bit far apart (I'm a little over six foot tall). Once in the stand it is very comfortable. I'll update after I have a few hunts in the stand.

[Baz]

Hey Nick...thanks for sharing!
I'm not a hunter but I do trim trees with a ladder and the concept of your stand with the locking jaws up top would work great for my application.

In fact...earlier this year I actually put together a bracket out of PVC which can be lashed to the top of my extension ladder and then lashed to any tree I'm pruning. The added benefit is the bracket is built so it holds the top of the ladder out away from the trunk about 18", so you can hold your pruning tool in front of you instead of above your head, giving you better stability and visualization while doing the work.

Most of the trees I prune are palms and you don't really need to go too far away from the main growing area while pruning so it's just one setup per tree and you're done.

Getting back to the stand in your post, I am going to think about a way to fashion something like those jaws as an alternative to my bracket design.

I guess I could always just buy the stand itself - it would pay for itself with the first week's use.

I found a YT video of the stand too in case anyone wants another visual aid: