Sign in Pro
Best Tree Stands & Ladder Stands for Hunting Reviewed & Rated for Quality
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Materials
When looking at what makes a great hunting tree stand, there are a few different factors to choose from. First and foremost is the type of material it is made out of. Although most tree stands are made out of steel, there has been some movement towards having some made out of aluminum. Aluminum is a lighter material, which also means they will not be able to hold as much weight in the tree, and they will be less durable over time. Depending on what your needs are, you will need to ensure you have a tree stand that is made out of the right material.
Size
In addition, one other feature that sometimes gets overlooked, but is important, is whether or not you have a place to put your weapon where there is no action going on. Not only should your tree stand have a place for you to rest your weapon, but it needs to be a place where you can easily access the weapon in a quick manner, so you don’t miss out on any opportunity. This will help keep your arms loose and ready and allow you to make a more accurate shot.
Lastly, you need to ensure you have a tree stand that allows you to get to the proper height you need in order to see everything that is going on around you. This does not always mean you need to be higher than everyone else, but you need to be able to perch yourself in the right spot, no matter your environment. If you need to go higher, then you need to have the capability of doing so. However, if you need to be lower, then you should have the flexibility to attain this.
Weight
Check the weight of the actual stand. Is it going to be too bulky to lug around with you out on the field? You want one that is sturdy and one that can hold your weight as you climb up it, shift on it or while sitting still. But you also want it to be lightweight so that you can tote it on your shoulder to your destination and then onto the next one.
There are ladder stands available which can support one or two people, where the weight of the stand can obviously withstand a lot more weight. Those ladder stands offer a very wide platform at the top, which not only allows you to be comfortable with two people but gives you enough room for when you are ready to take a shot, you are not bumping into each other. If you are taking your son or daughter out for a hunting trip, this is a great option to ensure they the two of you get to spend some great time together and help them learn the tricks and tips of hunting.
Comfort
Most tree stands, no matter if it is a ladder, hang-on or climbing, have padded seats to provide you comfort. However, the size of the seat is important, as you need to know which size of seat best suits you and your style of sitting. You might be comfortable with a smaller seat, or you might need a larger seat. It’s always better to err on the side of having a larger seat, as it is better to have a seat that is big rather than dealing with a smaller seat.
Because you are planning on being out for a while on a tree stand, you need to ensure you have as much comfort as possible. This means you need to have a tree stand which gives you the right amount of height from your seat down to the platform. You also need to ensure you have a big enough platform to be able to keep various different accessories needed, including ammunition, food, drinks, and any other accessories, like a caller or binoculars.
Value
Tree stands can cost a pretty dime, and if you are an avid hunter, they are worth every penny. So you'll want to make sure that you are getting the most bang for your buck (pun intended)! Check out what material they are made of, how big they are and what other customers say about the product to get a good idea if the price is worth it. There are also a variety of different types of stands as well, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Figure out which kind is best suited for your needs in order to make sure you're not throwing money away. Do you need something that is lightweight and portable or something more stable and permanent? If possible, try sitting in it before purchase so you also have an idea of how comfortable it is as well.
When it comes to finding the best tree stand for you and your needs, there are many options available to you. Due to this bevy of options, you can find any tree stand with any features and accessories you desire. The pricing for the tree stands varies dramatically, depending on how much comfort, stability, features and height you desire.
There is no need to purchase a new stand every year, as each stand should last 5-7 years, depending on how much you use the stand each hunting season. Because this is the case, you can plan on purchasing a tree stand, and break down the cost of that stand over the life of the stand. Having a stand which is flexible to meet your needs for both today, and in the future, is vital towards the success of all of your hunting expeditions.
Best Tree Stands
1. Guide Gear Extreme
This Gear Guide Extreme climber tree stand is roomy, comfy and rock solid. It is durable to the extreme, which means it is perfect for a hunter like you. If you are the dedicated type that will sit at his post all day to get that 10-point buck, then this tree stand might be the solid choice.
Securely Built
This climber tree stand is constructed out of steel, which means you can feel safe and secure while up in the tree. With a 10” x 17” sling seat which is encased in 1” padded foam, along with a backrest that is 18” x 14”, you will feel the comfort every time you utilize this stand.
Comfort & Convenience
To add to this comfort, this stand comes with a padded climbing seat bar, armrests, and backrest. The platform is a large 19” x 26”, and this tree stand can support up to 300 pounds. This stand comes with foot straps made out of nylon, which allows for easy and quick climbing. This tree stand weighs 33 pounds, which makes it easy for transport.
Cost & Value
This Gear Guide Extreme climber stand is great for the price. If you thought the Gear Guide Deluxe version was great, then you will love this one even more. Though it is a bit higher priced than the Deluxe model, it offers the same comfort with better and more solid security.
2. Guide Gear Deluxe
Hang out up in your favorite hunting spot in this Gear Guide Deluxe hang-on tree stand. It is designed to attach to the tree with durable straps that you can trust. Once you’re up in the tree looking out at your best shot, you won’t regret getting this tree stand. It offers plenty of comfort and room.
Comfort Control
This Gear Guide Deluxe hang-on tree stand has a 300-pound capacity, along with a 17” x 10” suspended seat. The seat is 21” high and is covered in padded camouflage. It offers support for your back as well, with a backrest that ensures your back doesn’t tighten up on you over a long amount of sitting.
Durable & Safe Design
This hang-on tree stand also comes with a 24” by 29 ½” platform made out of a thick mesh, which is supported by cable supports. This stand is made out of steel, which is covered with a coated surface to ensure it does not corrode over time. The stand comes with a safety harness for safety and security.
Cost & Value
This tree stand is durably crafted, making it a bit of a heavier one on the market. That being said, it is at a great price for being is heavy-duty as it is. Every dollar is worth the comfort, roomy platform and good quality construction.
3. Guide Gear 16 foot
The Gear Guide 16-foot ladder is perfect for the solo hunter. It is a sturdy ladder tree stand ladder that will give you the view that you need to get your best hunting season started. This ladder stand also comes with an extra accessory, which is a flip-up rail, giving you an extra level of stability while shooting.
Durable Construction
This ladder is tall and sturdy because it is made completely out of steel construction. It comes with a platform which is 17.25” x 12.25”, along with a padded 19.25” x 13.5” x 21” seat, which provides you with the comfort you need for the long nights, days or mornings when you hunt
Tested Against the Elements
This ladder can hold up to 300 pounds and weighs 52 pounds overall. This ladder stand has been tested out in all different types of climates. In addition, Guide Gear brought in various outdoorsmen in order to scrape away any unnecessary frills and provide you with what you needed the most, in the most durable and comfortable way possible.
Cost & Value
Because of how sturdy, tall and tested this Gear Guide ladder tree stand is, the price and value just cannot be beaten. You will be amazed at how helpful it is to invest in a tree stand like this one for your upcoming hunting season.
4. XtremepowerUS
The XtremepowerUS tree stand climber is one unique item. Featuring a portable aesthetic this tree stand is perfect for active hunter that want to be as tall as possible and hunt from the highest peak of their desired area. It's for those that want a quality product that will ensure you can place it on any tree and get to hunting quickly and effectively. Furthermore, this tree stand brings forth a unique way of reaching higher grounds, without making a permanent change to your favorite tree.
Comfortable Seat
Every hunter knows, there takes a special kind of patience to hunt, especially when you are seeking to hunt a specific type of animal. Due to needing that type of time and patience you want to be as comfortable as possible. That is where having a tree stand with a comfortable seat comes in handy. This product comes with a foam padded seat that can be adjusted to your liking. The foam padding will allow you to sit for longer periods of time without feel uncomfortable along the way.
Also worth reading best folding chair
Highly Portable
One of the best features of this tree stand is just how portable it is. Its portability increases due to how collapsible yet portable the frame is. The frame itself can nest together to help you pack it away easily and seamlessly without much effort needed. Furthermore, it shrinks so well that you can put it away in your backpack.
Cost & Value
As for the cost and value of this product, it is priced in the mid-range. The features allow you to have enough elements to work with where you don’t feel like the product is overpriced but you also know you are getting quality over anything else. Consider this tree stand as one of those elements that are quite necessary to have.
5. Big Dog Foxhound
Time to bring in the big guns. Or, the Big Dog Foxhound ladder tree stand, rather. This tall, one person stand will help you get ready for the hunt. It is designed to be comfortable as you pass the time up there scouring the fields. You can feel secure with this stand due to its durable construction and included a fall-arrest safety system.
Lightweight & Fully Equipped
This 16’ one person adjustable ladder is constructed out of steel, yet only weighs 41 pounds. This tree stand comes with a seat which is 19 ½” x 12”, as well as being 21 ½” tall. The seat is padded with a 1” pad, and also comes with a padded arm strap, ensuring you stay comfortable while on the lookout for the game you are hunting. This ladder also comes with a foot platform which is 17 ¼” x 12” in size.
Full Support
This ladder can support up to 300 pounds and comes with the necessary straps to ensure you stay safe, including their fall-arrest safety system.
Cost & Value
This Big Dog Foxhound ladder tree stand is fairly priced for what it provides: stability, comfort and a great view to get your best shot. This tree stand is a great investment for this hunting season and the rest to come.
6. X-Stand Deluxe
Those that hunt regularly know some places are better to hunt at than others. Which means you want to have a tree stand that you can take with you anywhere you desire to go. With an ultra-lightweight design, the X-Stand Deluxe allows you to do just that. Weighing at 18.5 with all accessories included. This one is a must-have for those that travel regularly and want to have a portable element every time.
Durability
Though we all want a light-weight feature, you also want to know that when you are high up on a tree you will be safe and secure. Keeping that in mind, this tree stand is extremely durable, with a construction made out of aluminum. Paired with nylon washers at every joint ensure you have the most silent display possible, without taking away from the sturdiness that comes with having an aluminum frame.
Comfortable Seating
One of the features you always want to look for when you are considering a tree stand is comfort. There is never any clear indication of how long your hunting trip will last so having a comfortable display is always nice. Furthermore, the seat is big enough to seat two people. What this means is you can hunt from a distance with a friend without feeling uncomfortable along the way.
Cost and Value
As for the cost and value of this item, you are getting a bargain. The price is exceptional while providing you a quality product. Consider it a good investment that makes sense to your everyday hunting trips.
7. Millennium M-25 Loc-On Tree Stand
The Millennium is a simple little tree stand that does a big job simply and well, which is really all we're looking for when it comes to a hunting stand. The big seat and even bigger footrest fold up easily and travel lightly. The Chains are easily attachable to most tree trunks and the footrest has a safety bar to keep you settled and safe. It's a no-frills seat that feels more luxurious than it looks.
Strong Stability
This one person tree stand only weighs about 17 pounds overall. With this tree stand, but it has a really large seat and an even larger footrest. And while it looks like it might be a bit of an uncomfortable perch, it's much bigger than it looks in the picture and there's plenty of room to maneuver.
Quiet Construction
This seat is designed to be quiet. It folds up easily and quietly and deploys quietly. Beyond that, it's designed to be highly maneuverable and quiet all at the same time. So, feel free to move around this should let you shift your weight or your feet without giving away your perch.
Cost & Value
This hang-on tree stand is on the cheap side. If you are able to put in a little more for a tree stand that is built to last, then this one shouldn’t disappoint. With its strong stability, adjustability and silent design, you will feel comfortable while conquering the fields this hunting season.
8. Summit Treestands Viper
This Climbing Treestand has just about everything that you could ever want in this kind of product. It's designed to be lightweight enough to get up into the limbs easily but once there it's got enough padding and add-ons that the trick might be staying awake while you're waiting on the day's catch to wander into view. A foam-padded seat and backrest, and a full-body arrest harness for one extra layer of safety.
Closed-Front Construction
Like a roll bar in front of you, this closed front construction bar pulls down in front of you once you're set up in place. It allows another layer of protection when you're high up in the sky, and also serves as a convenient gun rest.
Adjustable Seat
An incredibly important feature, the foam-padded seat easily adjusts upward for bow hunting and lowered for gun hunting. It's also configured to allow an easy transition from sitting down to standing up which can make all the difference when the perfect shot shows up.
Cost & Value
A bit on the high side but you're really getting all of the bells and whistles with this product. The arrest harness and front bar, the raising and lowering seat, the foam padding, the camo exterior, there's a reason why this product has been so popular going on 20 years. The lightweight but sturdy aluminum construction makes it a great choice for veterans or first-time climbers.
9. Tangkula
The Tangkula hang-on tree stand is quality made and sturdy. It allows you to sit or stand while you are searching or taking aim. Many points of clipping in allow you to feel comfortable and secure when you attach your harness to this tree stand.
Secure & Stable
This one person hang-on tree stand, constructed out of a steel material which provides you with the necessary security and stability, weighs 20 pounds for easy transport.
Comfortable Seat
This platform is made out of a steel mesh material, and is 20” x 24”, and is 21” below the seat. The seat is 9.4” x 14.5”, and has a 1” padded foam to offer you comfort for as long as you use the stand. This stand can hold up to 300 pounds.
Cost & Value
Your budget will be impressed with the strong build and high-quality of this Tangkula hang-on tree stand. It offers comfort, security and is quiet. It is all around a good tree stand to have.
10. Guide Gear 13’
With this tripod stand, you won’t have to worry about missing your blind spots out in the field. This stand allows you to swivel and see all around you! It is heavy-duty but still fairly lightweight to transport. Not to mention, it is insanely quiet so you won’t have to worry about scaring off a potential shot.
No Tree, No Problem
This one person deer stand is not a tree stand – you don’t need a tree in order to utilize this stand, which makes it very unique within this marketplace. This stand is built upon a 3 legged tripod system, which comes with a 360-degree swivel platform. You have a 19” x 14” seat, which is fully padded.
Adjustable Legs
The platform is a square, 34” x 34”. Made completely out of steel, the tripod legs have six different adjustment points on them, so you can be level no matter what terrain you set up on. This deer stand is constructed out glare-free steel and can support anyone up to 300 pounds.
Cost & Value
This tripod stand is pricier than others on this list, but it offers a different advantage to tree stands. You can see everything around you, pop up almost anywhere and it’s crazy quiet. If you have the budget, it’s worth the investment.
Sources
- , Realtree, Nature Site
- , Live Outdoors, Hunting Site
- , White Tail, Hunting Site
