Weight Limit When Hunting for a New Tree Stand
As hunters, we put a lot of trust into our tree stands. We trust that the manufacturer has built them right, that they are strong and sturdy, and that they will hold our weight for countless hours while we sit in them waiting on on the game of our choice to walk by. All of this without worrying about it failing and us coming crashing to the ground.
All tree stands come with a recommended weight limit and I’m sure that most of us pay careful attention to it when choosing which stand we buy. But how often do we take into consideration not only our weight, but the weight of us and all of our gear? And by gear, I’m talking clothes, boots, weapon, and anything else we carry with us into the stand. I know I’ve never really considered it before, but I normally go for the heaviest weight limit rated stand just because it makes me feel safer in general.
If you’re a little skinny person, you may not need to worry a lot about it, but for those of us who our wives and/or husbands feed us good, it is worth taking into consideration. Take me for example. I weigh in at around 220 lbs. Now, when you start figuring in the additional weight of cold weather camos, my hunting boots, my bow, and my backpack with its contents, we’re getting close to a common 250 lb weight limit rating a lot of stands have.
Granted, they are probably rated lower than what they can actually hold, but why risk it? In a situation like this, it would make a lot more sense to move up to a stand with a 275, or even 300, lb weight limit rating. And before you say that buying a stand with that type of weight limit rating implies you’re bigger than you want to be, doesn’t making that choice only seem logical since it is our safety we’re talking about?
So next time you go stand hunting, make sure you keep this in mind and choose wisely.
hunting, hunting sense, tree stands, tree stand safety, safety, weight limit ratings
August 16th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
This is a good warning for all hunters who hunt from tree stands. You always want to overestimate the weight that will be in the stand. That way there’s no danger that the stand will fail.
By the way, a Gunslinger weighs less than a pound, so it won’t add much weight to the stand. Just in case anyone wanted to factor that into their weight calculations.
August 16th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
I always look at the weight factor and by the heaviest rated one I can find. Makes me feel much safer.
August 17th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
I’m a big guy and am at the upper end of most hunting stands. I used to (and still do occasionally) hunt out of a 2 man ladder stand rated for 500 lbs. I felt pretty secure, but still a little uneasy because I’m not real fond of heights, and I’m clumsy, so even with a harness I was afraid of falling.
Last year, I purchased a ground blind and it was much more enjoyable. I know you may not see as many deer (I didn’t see that many last year) but with some practice and experience brushing them in, it can get a lot better. For me, nothing beats the comfort of sitting safely on the ground where I only have to worry about falling out of my chair (which I almost did last year, naps are good most of the time). My $.02