I am recently about the buisness of purchasing a lock-on stand. I have bowhunted heavily for several years and until now have backpacked my trusty Ole-Man (mostly great distances) to the woods. After visiting the same sites multiple times, I have decided that two(or more) lock-ons are in order so I can save my climber(and back) for shorter trips.

The web has TOO much info. about stands and not enough places to see actual hunter reviews, and it is my experience that the "Been there done that" statement holds true most of the time... so I am asking for help!

I am in the market for cheap cheap CEAP. While I know that with most hunting equipment you get what you pay for so I can be somewhat flexable, but my college income level does not allow much to be spent.

I do not require extreme comfort as my backside is not very big and I normally do not sit in a stand for more than 4 hours. I am looking for good quality, no frills, affordable stands and ladders. I would also like fairly easy to transport (but not that important.)

Also what about the screw in tree steps?
Is there good matrial to buils my on ladders?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

Brandon Shankle

I've been buying gorillas from walmart. They work fine and cost around 80 bucks here on sale. They come with padded seat and safety harness.

the chef

quote:

Originally posted by calgarychef1:
I've been buying gorillas from walmart. They work fine and cost around 80 bucks here on sale. They come with padded seat and safety harness.

the chef

me too, but the prices I've been seeing at Meijer's is $39.00 on sale.

After each season, I'll usually pick up a couple, sometimes 3.

Dick's Sporting Goods also has some great deals this year. They had a lock-on that they sold for $29.99. Everyone in our camp bot at least one. Heavier than you would want to carry up a mountain, but if you want cheap, your gonna get weight. Find one for less that, please post here! Jim R

If you can make it to a Gander Mtn or such, they usually have several set up so you can make a side by side comparison. I agree with you there are too many whistles and bells in a lot of the stands.
FYI, a lot of places don't like you drilling those steps into the trees nor nailing stands up. You gotta use ladders and cinch straps.

Lock on's work great but,if's in a public hunting area it may go missing and metal
spikes,screws and such in trees may be
illegal.

I have 3 chain ons I bought at Dicks, I think Hunter's view or Comfortzone. I use them with climbing sticks. $30 for the stand, $30 for the sticks. Not very comfortable, or big, but I have killed a lot of deer from them.

I like the Gorillas the best for a lower priced loc-on stand.

I picked up a cheap Ameristep wally world this year and bow hunted from it several times. It was very similar to the Gorilla except the strap was terible. I'm 6'-3" and 240lbs so it takes a pretty good strap to hold my fat butt in the tree. Every time I'd snug that nylon strap it would slip when I stood on the stand. I had to put a quality rachet strap on top of the slip strap that came with the stand.

I see that gorilla has went to the crappy slip strap as well. I liked the King Kongs with the chains the best. I also like to drill a hole through the top horizontal brace and put a long lag bolt into the tree on my permanent loc-ons.

If you are a big guy, get a stand with the larger platform. The tiny cheapies aren't too roomy for tall people. There are some pretty good sized Ameristeps on red-tag sale at my local wally world for around $35 each

Good Luck

Reloader

What Reloader said X 2
I am a big fat ass and the Gorillas work well for me, Cheap after Christmas at Wally. Easy to hang, stable. I have a few.

quote:

Originally posted by Shanklez:
...I am in the market for cheap cheap CEAP. ...

Hey Brandon, That being the situation, it is quite possible to build a Ladder Style Stand fairly CHEAP. And if you look around your area, you might just find some Used or Tossed away lumber at some construction sites. Then the only cost is for the Screws(absolute must), Nails and your time.

Best of luck to you.