Adjusting a lone wolf climber?

Graves14

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Jul 23, 2015
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Sorry if this is in the wrong section, wasn't sure where it fit.

I'm hoping someone here can help me. I live out east and hunt big woods whitetails in New England. I love my lone wolf hand climber for how light and packable it is but I HATE that I can't adjust the platform at all once in the tree. There has to be a better way to level it if you incorrectly guess how much the tree narrows than climbing all the way down and up again. I hate having the platform at a steep incline bc it leaves you no room to stand up.

Anyone found a solution?

Thanks,
Pat
 

Northernpiker

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Nope, it's all guess work. You do get better with experience. What's worse (to me) is when the platform is angled down, it feels like you're to fall out. Use your safety belt!
 
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Set the base as high as you can and still be able to get up into it. It takes more taper out of the equation.
 

manitou1

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Google videos about it. There is a technique that with practice can be done easily. You just have to make sure you are "safed" before doing it.
 

Burnsie

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Illinois
Always err on the side of titling it up too much to start. Unless I didn't climb very high, I've never had a problem of the
platform being tilted up too much when I reached my height. But I've had plenty of times when it it as tilted down too much,
and that is uncomfortble.
 

Brendan

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Aug 27, 2013
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I've detached and adjusted both platforms while up in the tree. It's a little bit of a clusterf**k...

need to be harnessed in to the point you can lean on harness, seat first, then base. Making sure base is supported by tensioning straps while you're sitting on the seat to do the base.
 

Lawnboi

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Mar 2, 2012
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Make sure your strapped in.... But I have many times adjusted the seat by lose interest or tightening the belt.

Iv even done the platform while up there..... Not the safest thing Iv done, but I was strapped in the entire time.

Iv even detached to get around unavoidable branches
 

Grumman

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Jan 30, 2016
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Kentucky
I've done it a lot but gotta admit it makes me nervous every time.


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ST52v

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Jul 12, 2012
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I would think a rock climbing style harness would shine in this need.

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JulianT

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Mar 16, 2017
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SC
I do it all the time. Strapped in of course.

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ethan

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Dec 7, 2013
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I adjust mine all the time as well. The hand climber is easy, just face the tree and sit on the seat, put your feet in the "climbing position" and take the weight off the platform and adjust away.
 
OP
Graves14

Graves14

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I adjust mine all the time as well. The hand climber is easy, just face the tree and sit on the seat, put your feet in the "climbing position" and take the weight off the platform and adjust away.

How do you sit on the seat facing the tree? Legs straddling the trunk?
 
Joined
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Palmer, AK
Once you've climbed the tree once, you'll know adjustments for next time. But like others said, start high and and then it will loosen up when you get up there.

I use a LW hang on and think I'm just as quick as a climber and can go more places.
 

Brendan

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I adjust mine all the time as well. The hand climber is easy, just face the tree and sit on the seat, put your feet in the "climbing position" and take the weight off the platform and adjust away.

This one isn't making sense to me... Sit on the seat facing the tree? First, sounds like there's no possible way to do that in the hand climber - seat isn't big enough. Then, no way I could do that and still loop my feet under the climbing bar on the lower platform. Are you thinking of a different stand - maybe the sit and climb?
 
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i read a tip on AT last year that i thought was a good idea and i'm going to try it out. the guy said he numbers the teeth on his belt starting from the center working out (...5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5...) so he has a reference. if you climb the same trees a lot like i do you'll basically know what number the tree is. there is nothing worse than getting up the tree in the dark and realizing the bottom portion is angled down. i always err on setting it too steep at the start but it typically doesn't present a problem for getting started on the climb.
 

ethan

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Dec 7, 2013
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Nope, I've used the LW hand climber exclusively for about 12 years now. It's kind of like sitting in a chair backwards. (With your arms propped up on the back of the chair, if that makes any sense).
I just set the seat a little lower than normal, maybe 3 or 4 inches below my knees. So once I sit down, I'm facing the tree, my feet are under the cross bar, and I just reach down and open the cam, while holding the platform with my feet, and readjust the cable straps. I apologize if this sounds confusing, but don't know how else to explain it. If I could post pics I would! :)
 
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