Summit Open Shot alternative to LWHC

[Earlybird31]

If I can get the LWHC to work on pines deer will be in big trouble.

 

[MaxJac]

If I can get the LWHC to work on pines deer will be in big trouble.

Pines are the perfect tree for the LWHC

 

[Earlybird31]

Got mine in. Tried it on a pine tree. I had a hard time getting the belt to slide over pine bark. Gonna keep trying but first go was not easy.

 

[MaxJac]

Got mine in. Tried it on a pine tree. I had a hard time getting the belt to slide over pine bark. Gonna keep trying but first go was not easy.

There is a sweet spot with the length of the belt. Also, I remember, I had to get used working the climber with my feet.

 

[Earlybird31]

I'd like to start the climber angled upward to eliminate the need for adjustment. If that means I'll need to use an aider, I will. Just not sure if I can work it over pine bark that way. May need to try the summit open shot if I can't get it to work.

 

[Bigterp]

I'd like to start the climber angled upward to eliminate the need for adjustment. If that means I'll need to use an aider, I will. Just not sure if I can work it over pine bark that way. May need to try the summit open shot if I can't get it to work.

You can just swing out & hang on your tether for a minute & adjust (same difference as navigating branches) then get it at whatever angle you want to hunt with.........

 

[Earlybird31]

That's what I was trying to avoid. I've become accustomed to zipping up a pine in my Summit. Gonna keep working with the LWHC first.

 

[mtsrunner]

I got my LWHC and have messed around with it for a couple of days. It is not as easy to climb with as the Summit, but it is lighter, quieter, less bulky and makes a better platform at height.
I have done@Bwhana rope mod (I’ll let him fill in the details). It helps with the angle and doesn’t permanently alter the stand.
To account for the taper, I think I am going to use and aider and one rope on step. Doing it this way, I can start my platform off at about 6.5’ and don’t have to adjust it on the several trees I have climbed.
My aider (48” climbing sling) serves double duty as a leash to attach the platform to my saddle so I can lift my foot loops and to prevent dropping the platform.

 

[Bwhana]

This seemed too stupid to work at first, but it is working well enough to share now. Perfect? No. Cheap and functional? Yes. All I did was take about a 3" piece of 11.3mm static rope and attached them on each side of the platform in the grooves where the arms touch with several wraps of vet tape. It increases the angle of the arms, still allows them to fold, is dead quiet, and is not showing any signs of cutting into the tape. This may last a whole season or more. Even if it falls off, it is easily replaced and zero holes are added to the platform. If you want even more angle, you can easily add a bigger diameter rope.

 

[Earlybird31]

Awesome. Thanks.

 

[Tapeworm]

This seemed too stupid to work at first, but it is working well enough to share now. Perfect? No. Cheap and functional? Yes. All I did was take about a 3" piece of 11.3mm static rope and attached them on each side of the platform in the grooves where the arms touch with several wraps of vet tape. It increases the angle of the arms, still allows them to fold, is dead quiet, and is not showing any signs of cutting into the tape. This may last a whole season or more. Even if it falls off, it is easily replaced and zero holes are added to the platform. If you want even more angle, you can easily add a bigger diameter rope.

It’s nice when keeping it simple is effective


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bongo]

I'd like to start the climber angled upward to eliminate the need for adjustment. If that means I'll need to use an aider, I will. Just not sure if I can work it over pine bark that way. May need to try the summit open shot if I can't get it to work.

You can't get the seat to climb with any angle. Mine I use a 1" aider girth hitched to the front of the platform about a 20" aider. Hang the platform at about chest height and tether as high as you can reach. Wrap hand in tether foot in aider toe on tree and pull up as you step up wear knee pads and put knee on platform then just stand up. Will take a little while to get used to. That gets the first adjustment out of the equation. But as the tree gets smaller you have to adjust to make it level. Sometimes I adjust 3 times while climbing. I hang on the side of the tree.
Have always wanted a Summit Top but made a cable Mod for my LWHC. The only downside to the Summit is the size tree you can climb.
I can hunt out of a 4" tree with the LW the Summit takes a 6". Big difference where I live.

 

[Rebel_1125]

You can't get the seat to climb with any angle. Mine I use a 1" aider girth hitched to the front of the platform about a 20" aider. Hang the platform at about chest height and tether as high as you can reach. Wrap hand in tether foot in aider toe on tree and pull up as you step up wear knee pads and put knee on platform then just stand up. Will take a little while to get used to. That gets the first adjustment out of the equation. But as the tree gets smaller you have to adjust to make it level. Sometimes I adjust 3 times while climbing. I hang on the side of the tree.
Have always wanted a Summit Top but made a cable Mod for my LWHC. The only downside to the Summit is the size tree you can climb.
I can hunt out of a 4" tree with the LW the Summit takes a 6". Big difference where I live.

I found that moving the foot straps father away from the tree made it easier to climb. Since i did that, I don't have any issues with angle, it climbs very similar to my old climbing tree stand., I don't think I'll have any issues besides crooked trees, but I think I might take the method of adding a single WE step to my pack to get into crooked trees.

 

[PEEJAY]

The only downside to the Summit is the size tree you can climb.
I can hunt out of a 4" tree with the LW the Summit takes a 6". Big difference where I live.

When i think of hunting out of a 4 inch tree i picture the charlie brown xmas tree with me hanging off the top instead of the ornament

im sure if i find one worth hunting ill be in it though.

p.s. My wife agrees, a 4 and a 6in tree is a big difference where she lives too. not too many 6in trees in our house......

 

[Earlybird31]

You can't get the seat to climb with any angle. Mine I use a 1" aider girth hitched to the front of the platform about a 20" aider. Hang the platform at about chest height and tether as high as you can reach. Wrap hand in tether foot in aider toe on tree and pull up as you step up wear knee pads and put knee on platform then just stand up. Will take a little while to get used to. That gets the first adjustment out of the equation. But as the tree gets smaller you have to adjust to make it level. Sometimes I adjust 3 times while climbing. I hang on the side of the tree.
Have always wanted a Summit Top but made a cable Mod for my LWHC. The only downside to the Summit is the size tree you can climb.
I can hunt out of a 4" tree with the LW the Summit takes a 6". Big difference where I live.

How did you mod the LWHC with a cable?

 

[Rebel_1125]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sproles40]

This seemed too stupid to work at first, but it is working well enough to share now. Perfect? No. Cheap and functional? Yes. All I did was take about a 3" piece of 11.3mm static rope and attached them on each side of the platform in the grooves where the arms touch with several wraps of vet tape. It increases the angle of the arms, still allows them to fold, is dead quiet, and is not showing any signs of cutting into the tape. This may last a whole season or more. Even if it falls off, it is easily replaced and zero holes are added to the platform. If you want even more angle, you can easily add a bigger diameter rope.

BWhana,
Just joined the site as I am in the process of transitioning to hunting from a saddle. Noticed you are also located in Hickory ( small world) , How has the rope held this hunting season? I am looking to purchase one of these soon and am getting materials together to mod it.
Thanks!

 

[Bwhana]

BWhana,
Just joined the site as I am in the process of transitioning to hunting from a saddle. Noticed you are also located in Hickory ( small world) , How has the rope held this hunting season? I am looking to purchase one of these soon and am getting materials together to mod it.
Thanks!

The rope works perfectly, but I switched over to hockey tape from vet tape for more durability. Either way, it is just a matter of a quick re-wrap if it gets cut or tears, and it will through normal use. I'm actually in Mt. View and have some hunting property in Vale, so closer to you than downtown for sure! You should join our saddle gathering this spring.

 

[Sproles40]

I live out off Plateau so you may be cutting into my herd I would definitely like to do the gathering. After hunting in hang-on's, climbers and buddy stands I think this setup will allow me to hunt more as public land is exhausting with the climber. I think the saddle will be a good investment, I always thought the lineman's belt was a superior harness to shoulder straps in the event of a fall so I think this coming season will be promising for my spot and stalk hunts with this method.

 

[Bwhana]

Not an openshot, but its close cousin. I had been testing this one with @mtsrunner whoopie sling method and it works, but I wanted more control like I had with the Portaclimb Cadillac foot piece. I used a heat gun to custom bend some scrap PVC pipe today and it is money for me. A little vet tape wrap and it was ready to go. Just another option that will work on this hand climber or the openshot. I tried the summit plastic foot stirrups from my son's viper, but like these much better. This hand climber has the tabs with holes for the flip up seat, which worked well for attachment, so you may have to get more creative with the other models if you have one.