Have a handful of the stands mentioned as well as a saddle, and have tried some of the high-$ stands along with the trendy tree-climbing methods like single-stick, drt, srt, etc. They all have their place, but I have come back to using either hang-on stand or saddle depending on location and exact setup, and using 2-step sticks to climb 99% of the time. Novix stands are slightly different sizes than lone wolf. Helo is smaller than either the current assault or the xop small stand (vanish I think?). I have a helo and really like it—i can handle the weight of a bigger stand, but the bulk while thrashing through thick stuff makes a big difference to me (and a few pounds less doesnt hurt if you're carrying it for miles), so I prefer my helo over the assault or the vanish due to size while carrying. I got a set of 2-step sticks specifically so I can rig them horizontally and low on my back, which I have found snags a lot less. I do a lot of 3-hour sits, so if I sat all day I might choose differently. I agree with the above comment that a helo and a set of the novix 2-step double steps are probably the best bang for the buck out there in a smaller mobile tree stand setup. Beast sticks everyone loves, they are just a little more $ than novix last I checked. I ended up With a set of the timber ninja carbon sticks, which I really like but are $$$$$ and definitely not where Id put my $ on a first set of sticks. Just beware that many of the 2-step sticks are just as heavy as the 3-steps, but wont get you as high without an aider.
Only other thing to note is that the way your sticks stack—straight stack versus an offset stack where the next stick stacks a little higher than the last—will to a degree determine your options for carrying them. I like to carry my sticks horizontal, which to me necessitates 2-step sticks that stack straight up without an offset.