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An Outdoor Life report compares tree saddles, hang-on stands and climbing treestands for mobile whitetail hunting. In the kits tested, the saddle setup was lightest at 14.1 pounds, but the report does not establish that saddles are best for every hunter or hunting location.
Outdoor Life’s Nov. 8 comparison of tree saddles, hang-on stands and climbing treestands found that the tested saddle kit weighed 14.1 pounds, less than the tested hang-on and climber kits, each of which weighed about 24 pounds. The report describes trade-offs rather than a universal winner: a saddle can be lighter and adaptable, while a climber may be simpler to use in suitable trees.
The comparison assessed three mobile hunting setups across weight, setup, huntability, comfort and price. The saddle kit included a Tethrd Mantis saddle, Predator platform, tether, lineman’s belt and three climbing sticks. The hang-on kit paired a Lone Wolf Alpha stand with safety gear and three sticks. The Summit Explorer SD climber kit included the stand and safety harness. The report lists total weights of 14.1, 23.9 and 24.2 pounds, respectively.
Those figures apply to the specific equipment combinations tested, not every saddle or treestand on the market. In the saddle kit, the sticks alone weighed 7.5 pounds. The report says the saddle’s small platform was easier to handle while setting up than the heavier hang-on base. The author found the saddle slightly faster and easier to set up than the hang-on, while noting that careful practice matters for both systems.
A climber does not require separate climbing sticks or a platform to hang at hunting height, and the report describes it as a relatively straightforward way to ascend. But it requires a straight, limbless tree. The author and Aaron Warbritton of The Hunting Public also said climbers’ larger footprint can make them awkward to carry, and the report raises noise during ascent as a concern. Saddles and hang-ons offer more flexibility in tree choice, but require hunters to learn their equipment and climbing methods.
Choosing a Mobile Hunting Setup
The comparison matters to hunters who move between locations rather than leaving a stand in place, particularly on public land or when fresh deer sign calls for a change in position. A lighter kit can reduce the load on a long walk, while a compact setup may be easier to carry through brush and deploy near a chosen area. The tested saddle system’s weight advantage is clear within this comparison, but it is not by itself proof of better hunting results.
The choice also affects where a hunter can set up and how much practice is needed. A climber’s tree requirements can rule it out in some locations; a saddle can be more adaptable but has a learning curve. Hunters should weigh those constraints alongside comfort, cost and safe, quiet setup rather than choosing on weight alone.
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The Three Systems Compared
The report frames the comparison around mobile whitetail hunting: carrying a complete setup, selecting a location based on conditions and adjusting when deer activity does not match expectations. Its author recounts sitting in a ladder stand while deer used a trail beyond bow range, then argues that a mobile system could have allowed a closer repositioning. That account is an illustration, not a controlled test of hunting success.
Outdoor Life’s author sought input from Aaron Warbritton, a hunter with experience using mobile setups. The published material discusses the tested equipment and the author’s and Warbritton’s experiences, but does not provide a controlled, side-by-side field trial measuring harvest rates or noise. It also names price and comfort as comparison categories without giving enough detail in the supplied material to rank all three systems on those measures.
“I would say that now 90 percent of my hunts are with a saddle and a platform; just because it’s lighter, the footprint is smaller, and it’s faster for me to set up.”
— Aaron Warbritton of The Hunting Public, as quoted by Outdoor Life
Limits of the Comparison
The report does not establish that a tree saddle is better overall for whitetail hunting. Weight comparisons cover three named kits, and equipment models, climbing methods and pack contents can change the totals. The supplied material also does not offer a controlled test of setup time, noise, comfort or hunting outcomes across different hunters and locations.
Price is listed as one of the five categories, but the supplied report excerpt does not include comparative prices or a conclusion on affordability. It also does not quantify how much training each system requires. The report says saddle use takes time to learn; it does not provide a standardized measure of that learning curve or establish how the systems perform for beginners.
Match Gear to the Terrain
Hunters considering a mobile setup can compare complete kit weights and check whether local trees suit a climber before buying equipment. They should also account for the climbing method, attachment and safety gear, not just the platform or stand itself. The report’s central practical takeaway is that location, portability and proficiency can matter as much as the platform’s weight.
The article provides no announced follow-up test or new results. A fuller comparison would need consistent equipment lists and field tests across tree types, hunters and conditions, including comfort and setup performance. Until then, the published figures support a specific conclusion about the kits tested—not a general claim that saddles produce better hunting outcomes.
Key Questions
Was the tree saddle the lightest setup in the comparison?
Yes. The tested saddle kit weighed 14.1 pounds, compared with 23.9 pounds for the hang-on kit and 24.2 pounds for the climber kit. These totals refer to the specific equipment listed in the report.
Does the report show that saddles are better for every whitetail hunter?
No. It describes advantages and limitations rather than naming a universal winner. A saddle was lightest in the tested kits, while climbers may be simpler to ascend with but need a suitable straight, limbless tree.
Why might a hunter choose a climber instead?
The report says a climber attaches to the tree before ascent and does not require climbing sticks or hanging a separate platform at hunting height. That can make setup relatively straightforward when the tree meets the climber’s requirements.
What is not established by this comparison?
The supplied material does not establish which system produces more hunting success, provide a controlled comparison of comfort or noise, or give the price details needed to rank affordability. Its weight results apply to the named kits.
Source: outdoorlife.com
