The dust has finally settled from last week’s Archery Trade Association Show in Indianapolis, and the amount of cool new hunting gear was mind boggling — as always. The new bows, arrows, broadheads and other stuff received plenty of coverage already, so let’s focus for a minute on equipment engineered with mobile, public-land hunters in mind — lightweight treestand gear.
Saddle hunting is nothing new, but it has started to gain a lot more attention in recent years, and the Tethrd booth was buzzing every day of the show. The company had several demo spots set up so that showgoers could actually sit in and try out the Manis and Phantom saddle models (both roughly around 1 pound) and all of the required ropes and carabiners. In addition, the tiny Predator platform (3 lbs., 5 oz.) was available to stand on and test. Tethrd team members were on hand to talk saddle hunting techniques, answer all questions and help out anyone interested in giving the system a try. The strength and extremely low weight of these saddle systems make it pretty tough to argue against the method when hiking long distances in and out of public lands, and there’s no doubt their popularity will continue to grow. For more information: TethrdNation.com
Lone Wolf Custom Gear has also made waves in featherweight hunting gear the last couple of years, the company’s booth was again jammed with interested folks all throughout the show. The D’Acquisto Series Hang-On ( 7.7 lbs.) continues to be a quiet, handy stand for run-and-gun deer hunters, along with the short (1.5 lbs.) and long (2.4 lbs.) climbing sticks to round out a climbing package. Kuhnert’s Ambush (4 lbs., 13 oz.), is the manufacturer’s answer for saddle hunters looking for a base platform. The real excitement surrounded LWCG’s new as-yet unnamed dual-step, compact climbing stick and an even smaller treestand, which reportedly only weighs in at a slight 5.5 pounds. The word on the street is that these products are still in development and will hit the market sometime this summer. Stay tuned. For more information: LoneWolfCustomGear.com
Out On A Limb Mfg. LLC occupied just a small booth space at the show, though the company made big waves and won the Gold Medal from the Archery Trade Association for New Product Launches for its Shikar Climbing Sticks. These tiny sticks are 17-1/8 inches long and weigh a mere 24 ounces each. Available with single steps, double steps or the Scout saddle hunting platform, they can be used with pull-straps, ropes or any custom attachment a hunter wants. The Shikar sticks fold up to pack tight and compact. These are sure to gain a ton of attention this year. For more information: OutOnALimbMFG.com
Not one to be left behind, Hawk is making a play into the low-weight class division with its 7-pound hang-on stand, the Ultra Lite XT, and short, 20-inch Helium climbing sticks that barely tip the scale at 1.8 pounds each. The models at the show were prototypes, with final products expected to be ready to hit store shelves by summer 2020. For more information: HawkHunting.com
Every ounce adds up when you’re trekking deep into public land, and treestand hunters will still need a high-quality safety harness. Hunter Safety System debuted its Shadow Harness with mobile strategies in mind, and designed it to weigh just 27 ounces for folks of all sizes. That will certainly keep it on the wish list for public-land hunters sticking with a hang-on treestand setup. For more information: HunterSafetySystem.com
Aching shoulders and sore backs of public-land deer hunters everywhere are collectively sighing in relief at the news of all of these featherlight treestand options that can take the place of old, hulky gear. As hunting season approaches, real-world tests in the field will be the ultimate proving grounds, and the public-land crowd will be anxiously awaiting their arrival.
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