Anyone ever use a Tree Lounge?

[Greg Blackburn]

This is the climbing tree stand that was all the rage in the 1990's. The company went under for whatever reason and no one seems to make a tree stand where you get to lean back.

I am thinking about buying one second hand, can anyone give me some advice? *Of course, I plan to use it for my flintlocks (along with other arms).

Thanks!

 

[Archer 756]

:surrender: Boy have not heard that name in years, good luck :hatsoff:

 

[wattlebuster]

I used them for many yrs an loved them. The owners just got old an sold out an have now died. Most comfortable stand I have ever used an I had 3 I liked them so much. Now im too old an for sure too fat to be in a tree an sold mine. You can find them still on ebay. I could stay daylight to dark an did many times over the yrs. Killed a many deer out of one. If I still used tree stands then the treelounge is the only stand I would be in. The only thing I did not like about them was they were heavy but every thing in life has pluses an minuses

 

[Skychief]

I agree with my friend wattlebuster.

A buddy and I ordered a couple years ago. While comfortable, they were WAY to heavy :shocked2: for the kind of hunting we were doing. They were sent back the next day.

Dont plan on packing them way into the boonies and back out on a regular basis.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Patocazador]

I have heard the "I love Tree Lounge" mantra for years. However, they were/are a death trap.

As you go higher, the tree diameter decreases and the angle of the seat changes. To compensate for this, they supplied them with a thin piece of plywood cut in a triangular shape. You were supposed to use this as a brace between the stand and the tree by placing it in EDGE-WISE to level out the stand.

If you leaned left or right too much, this piece of plywood would slip and fall out, allowing the stand to drop.

A member of my deer-hunting club in Selma, Alabama died this way when the plywood slipped, the stand dropped, then caught, acting like a springboard and pitched him out. He dropped 30 feet to his death and I and another member found him dead after dark.

The dead man had removed his safety belt so he could do the roll-reverse technique necessary to get ready to climb down so there was no tether to the tree at the time.

The company had no assets and just shipped out stands "owned" by a dummy corporation so it had no legal liability.

In my opinion, anyone using one of these stands is asking to die.

 

[wattlebuster]

Mine did not come with a thin piece of plywood an if it had I would have not used it. Mine had an aircraft aluminum wedge angle adjuster or I think thats what it was called. A huge T screw adjusted the stand an I never had a slip or accident in all the yrs I used it. Only thing I ever had to do to mine was replace the seats after about 10 yrs.
Sorry to hear about your friend

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

can anyone give me some advice?

Summit Treestands + Hunter Safety System harness + follow included instructions. :hatsoff:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Can't stalk a deer from a tree stand.... :haha:

 

[hoochiepapa]

I had one when I was bow hunting, and the major drawback was the weight. Here in CO the mountains are steep, and if you move around much, the stand gets heavy. Everything has a tradeoff.

 

[azmntman]

Sportsman's Guide shows an aluminum model weighing just 16 lbs with IIRC a 300lb weight limit? I may order one? Have hunted in trees just once and was busted by a herd of cow elk. Like Clyde said ya cant stalk up there and when the bulls started bugling I was down and afoot PDQ! If I get it it will up hill a mile (steep) where I saw me a muley so big I almost shot it through the bush thinking it was a bull elk (had bull tag). Thankfully the dont shoot till ya ID yer target rule prevailed and I was astounded at the rack on a smallish mulie! Betting he would have field dressed about 160 and he had 28-30" spread and higher than that rack! He got to 25 yds before another hiker spooked him.

 

[larry wv]

Some of those Mule Deer racks are huge. :shocked2:

Larry

 

[Spikebuck]

can anyone give me some advice?

Summit Treestands

In my area, trees straight and limbless enough to use a climber AND in the right spot are few and far between. I've personally never used them. BUT, all the Florida/Alabama guys in my lease swear by Summit. I've looked at them and they do seem to be built very well. The link below is one version that looks darned near comfy enough to fall asleep in...not that you'd want to up there! :shake:
http://www.summitstands.com/summit-180-max-sd-climbing-treestand-mossy-oakr-camp

BTW...MISS MARGARET rocked! :thumbsup: Enjoyed her videos. The Tree Lounge sure looked comfy, but as a bowhunter-only back then, I wouldn't want to stand several feet out from the tree and in a demo I saw at a sport show and on the Videos, I thought they looked like they twisted under weight too much to be safe. Like all treestands, the key is to ALWAYS be attached to the tree.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Just stay safe and strapped to the tree!!

 

[Patocazador]

Margaret had to do her little "circle dance" every time she killed a deer.

I wonder if they hunted out of their Tree lounge stands when they weren't being filmed. :hmm:

Back in the 70s I won a hunt at a fancy Alabama lodge. Mr. Baker, the inventor of climbing stands was there. I asked if he had one of his Baker stands with him so I could see how it worked.
He replied that he would never hunt out of one of them because 1) they were too flimsy and 2) he didn't have enough strength in his arms to do pull-ups to get him up the tree.

His company came out with a sit/stand climber the next year but I had already bought the pull-up version. I still have it.

 

[Pork Chop]

I have a Gunslinger stand. It is fantastic. It is a little hefty, but wow is it comfortable. They may have stopped production.
http://deercrossingtreestands.com/

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

BUT, all the Florida/Alabama guys in my lease swear by Summit.

I own a Summit Viper Classic, I love it, it is built like a tank, I wish I had coughed up the extra coin to get an aluminum Summit as it doesn't take long for the extra 10 lbs to add up fast over distance. I would have coughed up the extra coin for the aluminum, if the classic wasn't already almost $100 bucks off at The Fin.

The harness that came with it is just better than "it won't get you killed"...so be prepared to upgrade if you don't already own a quality HSS harness.

I also only hunt deer, so anything above bow, the stand stays at home. I prefer the convenience and versatility of a deadfall tree with the wind in my face. The animals are used to seeing them, and they generally act to funnel them onto certain paths, it is also convenient if they are bunkered down and you need to go and see what you can kick up.

As far as the Tree Lounge goes, seems like the only thing more dangerous would be about six feet of rope.

 

[Howie1968]

I still own one its heavy and bulky and worked well back then. nowadays i love my summit goliath Alot lighter, quiet to carry and i feel alot safer

 

[Archer 756]

:thumbsup: look at the tree walker :hatsoff:

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

I still own one

A viper classic or a tree lounge?

 

[Howie1968]

I still own a tree lounge sir, The climber i use most is my Goliath i also have the Summit Open shot, i have 2 of the viper classic but at 27 lbs they get lent to buddies that come hunt with me. most of my life ive been a hunting guide so ive accumulated quite a few different stands over the years. i kept the tree lounge as it was a gift. i hear people talk about them alot in camp so i show it to other hunters in camp