March 30, 2016
By Bowhunting Online Staff
Whether you're a fan of ladder stands, ground blinds, hang-ons or climbers, here's an ensemble of the latest innovations designed to offer concealment, convenience and comfort.
Summit Treestands
The Vine Series | $299 (Single Hunter)
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Summit Treestands is redefining ladder stand design in 2016 with the introduction of The Vine series, featuring a new ladder
section with a unique "engineered concealment" curved design. The Vine ladder design breaks up straight lines for maximum concealment from any game you pursue, making these ladder stands as invisible as a hang-on setup.
The Vine is available in Single Hunter (shown) and Double Hunter models; both are deluxe stands with weather-resistant mesh seats and backrests, built-in footrests, padded armrests and padded shooting rails. The Vine Single Hunter has a 300-pound weight capacity, weighs 95 pounds and has an 18x16-inch seat and 24x25.5-inch foot platform. The Vine Double Hunter has a 500-pound weight capacity, weighs 120 pounds and has two 18x16-inch seats and a 47x32-inch foot platform.
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Ameristep
Crush Series Blind | $149
Ameristep's new Crush Silencer ground blind is designed to let bowhunters operate in total stealth mode. Developed in partnership with Crush TV hosts Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, the Crush Silencer features a silent-slide window system that allows all window coverings and shoot-through mesh panels to be opened, closed or adjusted with just one hand. A split window curtain design also helps bowhunters fine-tune the openings for each hunt while maximizing concealment and visibility.
The Crush Silencer also features a silent-entry door design, integrated mesh shooting ports, brush loops for adding local foliage to your setup and Realtree Xtra camouflage to help you blend in any surrounding. The Crush Silencer measures 55 inches square at the base, 62 inches square at the center hub and 66 inches tall. Blind weight is 16.5 pounds.
Redneck Hunting Blinds
Sportsman HD Bale Blind | $499
Redneck Blinds has beefed up its popular Bale Blind with the introduction of the Sportsman HD Bale Blind, featuring a stronger, heavy-duty, powder-coated steel frame. And the exterior cover now features three layers — a layer of burlap has been added between the water-resistant layer and the outer natural layer to add even more durability. The Sportsman HD Bale Blind is the perfect 2-person ground blind.
Thanks to the innovative bale design, animals accept the blind almost immediately, recognizing its natural features as part of their environment. As a bonus, the blind also aids greatly in scent containment. The Sportsman HD Bale Blind features five Silent Slide windows — two on the front, one on the back and one on each end — along with four corner "peep windows" that are perfect for shooting when hunting with a firearm. The blind measures 64 inches long, 72 inches wide, 70 inches high and weighs 110 pounds.
Muddy Outdoors
Vantage Point | $199
The Muddy Vantage Point fixed-position treestand boasts a combination of comfort, silence, stability and a lightweight, 13-pound design for easy transport. Compatible with the Muddy Super Mount System, the Vantage Point installs quickly and easily. A removable, waterproof, flip-back, three-inch triple-layer foam seat allows you to adjust the angle for complete comfort. The seat measures 15 inches wide and 11 inches deep. The 20-inch wide, 32-inch deep platform is also fully adjustable, and the footrest can be flipped back when not in use.
The Vantage Point is made of Lynx Expanded Aluminum and features a Fiber Guard Powder Coating texture for a non-slip grip and rectangular tubing for rigid stability. Weight capacity is 350 pounds. It comes with a one-inch, silent-cam buckle strap and one-inch ratchet strap for installation. Additional features include padded backpack straps, orange nylon washers for silencing and a welded bracket on the rear frame to attach Muddy's climbing system. Comes with full-body harness and climbing belt.
Field & Stream
Outpost XL | $249
Whether you are a large hunter, or simply prefer to live large on stand, you'll appreciate the Field & Stream Outpost XL 17-foot ladder stand, which features a 300-pound weight capacity and D-tube construction for added strength, along with a super comfortable, flip-up Ergo-Mesh seat with integrated backrest, padded shooting rail that flips out of the way for bowhunting, padded armrests, removable footrest and 27x23-inch steel mesh foot platform.
The Outpost XL measures 15.5 feet tall to the platform, 16.5 feet to the seat and 17.75 feet to the shooting rail. The stand weighs 79 pounds and comes with a full-body safety harness.
Advanced Take-Down Treestands
Take-Down S2 | $229
The new Take-Down s2 from Advanced Take-Down Treestands features the same innovative, three-piece design as the original i2 but at a more affordable price with a standard ratchet strap tree attachment. Like the original i2, the Take-Down s2 separates into three pieces — stem, foot platform and seat — to make hanging your stand a breeze. Simply attach the stem to the tree and then snap the platform and seat into place and attach the support cables for the foot platform. No longer do you need to fumble with an entire bulky, heavy stand when perched 15-20 feet off the ground.
The only real difference between the s2 and the i2 is that the s2 uses standard ratchet straps to attach the stem to the tree while the i2 features an integrated ratchet strap system. The 16.5-pound Take-Down s2 features a sturdy, silent, cast aluminum frame and 32x22-inch stainless steel platform and support cables. Other highlights include custom "sound killers," an adjustable seat and the ability to level the platform when you can't find a perfectly straight tree. The s2 has a 300-pound load capacity and comes with backpack straps.
Summit Treestands
Back Country | $169
Summit Treestands has included the Back Country hang-on stand and The Vine Climbing Sticks as part of its 2016 The Vine lineup, making it easier than ever to hunt deep in the cover where big bucks lurk via the highly concealed, highly packable duo. Featuring curved lines that mimic the forest canopy, the 22-pound Back Country sports a ratchet strap and bracket system that allows for easy, secure attachment to nearly any tree.
A flip-up, mesh-style, no-shock 18x16-inch seat makes this hang-on as quiet as it is comfortable. The platform measures 24x30 inches. And to match the Back Country's curved concealment lines, use The Vine climbing sticks, which mimic tree vines to conceal the ladder while offering two-post stability while climbing. The Vine sticks come in four sections totaling 23 feet. Weight is 22 pounds, and capacity is 300 pounds.
Ameristep
Buck Commander Deerstroyer | $349
Buck Commander has grown into one of the most popular brands in deer hunting, thanks to the in-the-field and off-the-field exploits of celebrity Buckmen Willie Robertson, Ryan Langerhans, Adam LaRoche, Luke Bryan, Tombo Martin and Jason Aldean. Now, hunters everywhere can hunt in Buckmen style with Ameristep's Buck Commander Deerstroyer ground blind. Built from Durashell Ruggedshield HD fabric finished in Realtree Xtra camouflage, the Deerstroyer will hold up to whatever Mother Nature can throw at it and provide many seasons of service.
Other highlights include a dual window system that features both zippered closures and magnets for silent adjustments during hunts. A removable, zip in/out floor adds further protection from the elements and adds stealth, while an integrated ground skirt keeps light out and human odors in. Ameristep's patented Edge ReLeaf breaks up hard edges for even more concealment. The blind measures 75 inches square at the center hub, 67 inches tall and comes with a custom, backpack-style carrying case and integrated bow/rifle holder.
Millennium Treestands
L100 | $239
Sometimes deer hunters just need to get higher to have a legitimate chance at success, but most ladder stands aren't up for the job. At 21 feet, the Millennium L100 will take your ladder-stand experience to a new level, with plenty of safety and comfort built in. Strong and sturdy, the L100 weighs just 80 pounds and is designed for easy, quiet setup despite its impressive height.
The stand features Millennium's patented comfortMAX seat, along with a fully adjustable, flip-up shooting rail and folding footrest. The L100 also features steel TOUGH construction, a durable powder coat finish and comes with a full-body safety harness.
In Ground Blinds
In Ground Blind | $99
Sometimes the best hunting locations simply don't have a tree suitable for a stand. That's where the In Ground Blind really shines. Literally installed in a hole in the ground, the In Ground Blind can be set up in minutes and lasts for decades. The patent-pending blind has a lockable lid to keep rain and trespassers out, and the swiveling seat allows for 360-degree shooting.
Keeping warm and comfortable while hunting has never been easier. Dig it, stake it, lock it and hunt from it for the rest of your life. Visit the In Ground Blinds website for video of the product in action.
Cabela's
Stealth Hunter 4 Ground Blind | $250
Innovative window slides on Cabela's Stealth Hunter 4 Ground Blind allow bowhunters to take advantage of 360-degree shooting opportunities in total silence. Independent mesh and fabric panel window coverings each slide smoothly and silently open and closed, ensuring you won't spook game when preparing for the shot.
The hub-style blind weighs 25.75 pounds, measures 70 inches square and 78 inches tall and is made of polyurethane-treated 7-ounce cotton/polyester material that resists light rain. Setup is quick and easy, Cabela's Zonz Woodlands camo ensures excellent concealment in the field and a reflective Cabela's logo on one side of the blind helps you find your hide in the dark.
Primos
Club XL | $214
New for 2016, Primos is offering the Club XL ground blind in Mossy Oak Break-Up Country camouflage for the latest in cutting-edge concealment. Constructed using Primos' exclusive DuraMatte fabric, the Club XL also features SS Hook windows that are deadly silent, secure and easy to open and close as shooting opportunities develop.
The Max-View window openings are designed to minimize obstructions and give shooters more flexibility when game is in range. The Club XL measures 58 inches square at the base, 77 inches square at the center hubs and 73 inches tall at the center. Blind weight is 17 pounds, and 19 pounds with the included backpack-style carry bag.
Ol' Man Outdoors
The Drone | $399
The Drone from Ol' Man Outdoors is unlike any other climbing treestand, offering the safest and fastest way to level yourself while climbing. One turn of the wrist allows the hunter to extend or retract up to five inches of cable, quickly
accounting for the narrowing tree diameter as you ascend. Fluorescent cable heads make setting up the Drone in the dark a breeze, and oval tubing eliminates the need to twist cables and align the attachment holes. The Drone also features built-in accessory holders for rangefinders, binoculars and rattling horns.
Packing the Drone, which weighs 25 pounds, is also easy because a pivoting arm design allows the stand to collapse to less than four inches thick when not in use. And an included, adjustable front bar allows users to set it up as a shooting rest, straight bar or footrest — or leave it off altogether. The Drone is rated for loads up to 300 pounds, and its included Comfortech net seat provides all-day comfort.
GhostBlind
Octagon Blind Kit | $399
The new Octagon Blind Kit from GhostBlind lets you build your own, 6-foot diameter ground blind and configure it for your personal hunting style and location. The blind comes with four, twin-walled, fluted plastic wall panels and four roof panels and assembles into an eight-sided design that adds strength and rigidity.
The entire blind weighs only 50 pounds, making it easy to move, yet it is also fully waterproof and can be staked down or placed on an elevated blind platform for long-term deployment. You decide where and how many windows you want and can make them horizontal or vertical, high or low. Whisper quiet sliding window kits are available. The price includes free shipping within the contiguous United States.
Muddy Outdoors
Portable Bale Blind | $279
The new Muddy Portable Bale Blind blends perfectly with its surroundings, offering complete coverage under the guise of an average hay bale. A powder-coated steel frame offers durable stability in the field, while a removable, black-backed, water-resistant fabric and burlap cover conceals you from the elements and the eyes of wary game. The blind features eight, 12x16-inch windows for optimal shooting, and all window openings secure using hooks and loops and are equipped with removable, shoot-through mesh.
Also included is a 47x20-inch top waterfowl window. All window covers are reversible with black or burlap to the outside for additional concealment capabilities. Additional features include a large zippered door for easy entry, bottom wind flaps, brush ties on the ends and brush strips wrapped around three blind sides. The blind weighs 54 pounds and measures 63 inches long, 61 inches wide and 76 inches high.
Redneck Hunting Blinds
Silent Stalker 360 Soft-Side Blind | $399
Redneck's new Silent Stalker 360 Soft-Side Blind has a spacious 6x6-foot interior that offers enough room for three adults or two adults and two children to hunt comfortably. The Silent Stalker sports a heavy-duty, double-stitched, 600 denier, flame-retardant camouflage cover, and the double-zipper design allows the windows to be opened to any configuration for maximum visibility while maintaining the highest level of concealment. The 90-pound blind also features a heavy-duty, powder-coated steel frame that will withstand high winds and heavy snow loads.
The blind has an octagonal shape to allow for the placement of four 10x46-inch vertical windows and three 14x30-inch horizontal windows. The 77-inch high ceiling gives hunters plenty of room to stand and shoot a bow. The Silent Stalker has an open floor and can be used on the ground or mounted to Redneck's new 6-foot heavy-duty portable blind stand, featuring a ladder with non-slip steps and a platform that provides room for safe exit and entry of the blind. True to Redneck standards, the Portable Blind Stand is rock-solid, quiet and comes with ground auger, cable and turnbuckle for anchoring.
Summit Treestands
Sentry SD | $289
The new Sentry SD climber from Summit Treestands features a new, flip-up, mesh seat that sets it apart from other climbers in terms of comfort and innovation. Summit redesigned the Sentry from the platform up with the goal of making climbing as quick, silent and easy as possible. The Sentry's seat position keeps hunters high enough that shooting from a sitting position is as comfortable as shooting while standing.
The Sentry is available in both closed (23 pounds) and open (21 pounds) front configurations to suit your hunting style. Weight capacity on both models is 300 pounds, while the seat measures 18x16 inches and the foot platform measures 20x30 inches. The Sentry also includes Summit's SD Dead Metal sound-dampening technology for added stealth, QuickDraw cable-retention system, RapidClimb stirrups and SummitLokt precision welding.
