The best ladder stands are safe, comfortable, quiet, and offer enough room to move into shooting position.
Whether hunting solo or with a partner, the right ladder tree stands can make the difference between a short, uncomfortable sit, and a drive home grinning from ear-to-ear.
Best Ladder Stands - Top Picks
(Full List Below)
Best Single Person
Best 2-Person
Low-Profile
- Adjustable Padded Shooting Rail – Flip-Back
- Deep Foot Platform – 19” Wide x 25” Deep
- Comfortable Seat – Flip-Back, Flex-Tek, 22″ x 17″
- Supportive Backrest – 22” x 19” Tall
- Secure Fasteners – 1 Ratchet Strap, 2 Stabilizer Straps
- High Weight Rating – Supports up to 350 lbs
- Safety Harness – One 4-pt. Harness Included
- 17′ two person tree stand
- Ready Out of the Box
- Padded, Flip-Back Extras Included
- Flex-Tek Seat – Designed for comfort
- Holds 500lbs
- Two Safety Harnesses Included
- Flip-up seat and large platform for stand-up shooting
- Durable steel frame
- Noise-free washers and pads
- Pinned ladder sections for easy storage and transport
- Includes ratchet, stabilizer, straps, and body harness
- Weight capacity 300 lbs
Best Single Person Ladder Stands
- 18’6 high to the seat
- Spacious foot platform – 23.5″ x 29″
- Comfortable, contoured Flex-Tek seat
- Ready-to-use, padded flip-up shooting rail included
- Lightweight – 61lbs.
- Weight Capacity – 350lbs.
- Full-Body Fall Arrest System
The Hunter HD 1.5 ladder stand from Big Game Treestands provides quality and performance in one lightweight package.
Standing 18’6″ to the seat, allowing for better concealment and visibility than most others that stand 15′. Its platform measures 23.5″ wide by 29″ deep, with a 23″ wide and 18″ deep seat, offering ample space for movement.
The stand features a Flex-Tek seat that contours to your body, while padded armrests give you a little more comfort.
Weighing just 61 lbs and having a weight limit of 350 lbs, it goes up easy and provides plenty of support. It also includes a Full-Body Fall Arrest System. And it comes ready-to-use with a padded, flip-up shooting rail.
The best ladder stands are easy to set up, offer plenty of room, a little comfort, and a good vantage point. The Hunter HD does all that and more.
- Adjustable Padded Shooting Rail – Flip-Back
- Deep Foot Platform – 19” Wide x 25” Deep
- Comfortable Seat – Flip-Back, Flex-Tek, 22″ x 17″
- Supportive Backrest – 22” x 19” Tall
- Secure Fasteners – 1 Ratchet Strap, 2 Stabilizer Straps
- High Weight Rating – Supports up to 350 lbs
- Safety Harness – One 4-pt. Harness Included
Standing at 20 feet, this Muddy tree stand offers a higher vantage point than most other ladder stands. The two-way adjustable shooting rail is padded not just for comfort, but for noise reduction as well.
It can be customized to your height as well. Its spacious platform and flip-back footrest allows you to remain steady while aiming.
The seat is a flip-back Flex-Tek that’s roomy and plush, making it a whole lot easier to stay on stand for those all-day sits.
This steel stand handles a weight up to 350 lbs and includes a 4-point safety harness, so you make it back home after every hunt.
- Supports up to 300-lbs, includes safety harness
- Mesh seat with armrests
- 16′ height, flip-up padded shooting rail
- Flip-up footrest
- Platform dimensions: 17.25″d. x 12.25″w
- Lightweight – Only 52 lbs
The Guide Gear 16′ tree stand is designed for comfort and support while on stand, supporting up to 300 lbs. The mesh seat with armrests measures 19.25″d. x 13.5″w., providing ample seating area.
Towering at a 16′ height to the flip-up padded shooting rail, this stand offers excellent sightlines and optimal elevation for a better hunting experience.
The platform, measuring 17.25″d. x 12.25″w., features a flip-up footrest for stretching out, adding an element of comfort during long stakeouts.
For safety, the stand comes with a fall-arrest harness. Despite its robustness, the stand only weighs 52 lbs, ensuring manageable mobility.
- Flip-up seat and large platform for stand-up shooting
- Durable steel frame
- Noise-free washers and pads
- Pinned ladder sections for easy storage and transport
- Includes ratchet, stabilizer, straps, and body harness
- Weight capacity 300 lbs
The Archer’s Ladder Tree Stand is the perfect platform for bowhunting, designed to facilitate easy stand-up shooting positions.
This stand features a flip-up seat and an expansive foot platform, holding up to 300 lbs.
Designed practically for hunting, it’s built with noise-free washers and pads, minimizing metal-on-metal contact.
Its portability is a huge feature, with pinned ladder sections for straightforward storage and transport. It includes everything you need to get it set and use it safely: ratchet straps, stabilizer straps, and a full-body safety harness.
One of the best ladder stands for minimalistic bowhunting, hand down.
- Flip-up, adjustable shooting rail
- Mesh seat, 25″w x 15″d
- Large platform, 25″w x 25″d
- Powder-coated steel for durability
- 300-lb. weight support
- Stand weight: 77 lbs.
Constructed from powder-coated steel, this Guide Gear 18′ Ultra Comfort Ladder Tree Stand was built with comfort in mind.
This ladder stand stands 18 feet height to an adjustable, flip-up shooting rail. It comes with a unique mesh seat, 25″ wide and 15″ deep, that conforms to your body and maintains its comfort throughout long sits.
The 25″ wide and 25″ deep platform, paired with a fold-out footrest, provides ample room for movement or stance adjustments.
With a 300-pound weight capacity and a 77-pound overall weight, this tree stand combines comfort, functionality, and practicality – all qualities held by the best ladder stands.
Best 2-Person Ladder Stands
- 17′ two person tree stand
- Ready Out of the Box
- Padded, Flip-Back Extras Included
- Flex-Tek Seat – Designed for comfort
- Holds 500lbs
- Two Safety Harnesses Included
The Big Game Spector XT Ladder tree stand is a 2 person stand designed for comfort. With a height of 17′, it keeps you high enough to stay hidden and reduce your overall ground scent, while its wide platform (44″ x 29″) and seat (41″ x 18″) ensure you have enough room for moving when the need arises.
It’s fully equipped with a padded, flip-back shooting rail, flip-back Flex-Tek seats, and an extensive platform, making it one of the best ladder stands for bringing along a child or buddy.
The Flex-Tek seat, with padded and adjustable armrests, allows you to sit for longer periods of time, especially during those all-day rut hunts.
Despite its light weight of 85 lbs, it supports up to 500 lbs and includes two TMA-certified full body harnesses to make sure you go home in one piece after every hunt.
- 18’H 2-person ladder stand
- 38″W x 12″D Flex-Tek bench seat
- 36-1/2″W x 12-1/2″D foot platform
- Padded shooting rail, flips for bowhunting
- Support bar, ratchet strap, stabilizer straps included
- 2 full-body harnesses included
The Big Game Guardian XLT is one of the best 2-man ladder stands on the market, standing at 18′ high.
It’s suitable for solo hunting or for bringing along a buddy or child. It features a 38″W x 12″D Flex-Tek bench seat and a spacious 36-1/2″W x 12-1/2″D platform.
This stand, designed for easy installation on trees with a minimum 9″ diameter, includes a support bar, a 1″ ratchet strap, two 1″ stabilizer straps, and 2 full-body harnesses – everything you need to get rolling.
It also comes with a padded shooting rail, which helps keep you steady when rifle hunting, but can be flipped out for bowhunting. This all-steel stand is lightweight, yet sturdy, and includes everything you need.
One of the best ladder tree stands for the bowhunter who wants to bring someone along for the hunt.
- Waterproof, Flex-Tek seat
- Large platform with Fiber-Guard coating for grip
- Nylon washers, no metal contact
- 500 lbs. weight rating
- Flip-back, silent shooting rail
- Two 4-pt. full-body harnesses included
- Seat and footrest flip back for full platform use
Designed for silence and comfort, this ladder tree stand features an extra-large, waterproof Flex-Tek seat that contours to your body, allowing for longer sits, especially during the rut when time on stand largely determines success.
The 40″W x 33″D platform offers plenty of room and is reinforced with D-Force 3″ expanded metal grates and coated with a weather-resistant Fiber-Guard texture to guarantee extra grip.
Nylon washers make for noise-free operation, combined with spacers and caps throughout the stand, preventing any metal-on-metal contact.
The 17′ high stand, constructed of steel, accommodates a minimum tree size of 9″ in diameter and supports a weight of up to 500 lbs.
It includes two 4-pt. full-body harnesses and a padded shooting rail that can be flipped back quietly. There’s also an optional blind kit available for this stand (not included).
Muddy ladder stands are some of the highest-quality ladder tree stands on the market. They’re designed for safety and comfort.
Ladder Stands vs. Climbing Stands vs. Hang-On Stands vs. Tree Saddles
When it comes to hunting stands, there’s quite a few options out there. It’s like choosing between a pickup, an ATV, or a good pair of boots – each has its place.
Let’s talk ladder stands first. They’re easy to get into, stable, and you can set them up before the season even begins, alleviating the amount of noise you have to create at the beginning of a hunt. They’re great for locations where you’re certain deer will show up. The downside? They’re not exactly portable and they can spook mature bucks that don’t care for the intrusion of a big metal apparatus in his home range.
Now, climbing stands, they’re a whole different beast. They’re like the Swiss Army knife of tree stands. You can move them around as you please and follow the herd if necessary. It’s a bit of a workout getting up the tree, but once you’re there, you’ve got a nice, stable platform. One thing though, you need a straight, limbless tree to make it work. That and they’re weight are the two biggest drawbacks.
Hang-on stands, on the other hand, are light and super portable. You can use ’em on just about any tree, no matter how gnarly. They’re a bit harder to set up, and climbing up requires either screw-in steps or climbing sticks. But once you’re there, you’ve got a quiet, low-profile stand that’s perfect for ambush spots.
And then there’s tree saddles, a newer entry to the game that the bowhunting community, especially, has fallen in love with. Tree saddles aren’t your typical tree stand – they’re more like a harness you sit in. They’re lightweight, and I mean real light, making them perfect for those long treks into the timber. Setup’s pretty flexible, too – if you’ve got a tree, you’ve got a place to hunt. You just need a way to get up to hunting height. I use a set of climbing sticks.
But they’re different. It’s not like sitting on a platform; it’s more like leaning away from the tree. Takes some getting used to, and it’s not for everyone, but there’s no other option that is more efficient once you get used to it. In a saddle, you can move around the tree, getting shots in almost any direction. They’re quiet, too – much less likely to spook deer.
Keep in mind though, with tree saddles, as with any hunting gear, safety’s paramount. Always use your lineman’s belt to make sure you’re never detached from the tree at any point, and make sure your gear’s in good shape.
In the end, choosing between ladder stands, climbing stands, and hang-on stands, and tree saddles comes down to your hunting style, the terrain, and how much effort you’re willing to put into setup and take-down. But whichever you choose, remember, safety first. We’re out there to enjoy the chase and to bring home the venison, not to take unnecessary risks that jeopardize the well-being of our families.
Selecting Ladder Tree Stands for Bowhunters
Selecting the right ladder tree stands can make or break your hunting trip, especially for us bowhunters. Now, what you need to focus on is getting one that allows for a broad range of movement.
You gotta draw your bow without hitting any rails or armrests. Also, it’s worth considering a stand with a flip-up seat and shooting rail. That way, you’ve got space to stand and aim, which can be critical when your target buck comes strolling by.
Best Features of Top Ladder Stands
All ladder stands aren’t built the same, and knowing what separates the good from the great can go a long way in tagging another wall-hanger.
Look for a stand with a spacious, sturdy platform – trust me, you’ll appreciate the extra room and stability. A padded or contouring seat, such as Muddy’s Flex-Tek, isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for those long sits.
Also, a quiet ladder deer stand is a must because the last thing you want is for a creaky stand to ruin a hunt. So, look for tree stands with nylon washers for less metal-on-metal contact. Plus, a solid safety harness can be a real lifesaver…literally.
Most stands come with safety harnesses, but if the one you’re looking at doesn’t, I’d look elsewhere, or at least be prepared to immediately spend money on a quality harness.
Ladder Stands Vs. Ground Blinds: A Comparison
I’ve used both ladder stands and ground blinds for deer hunting. Each has its strengths, depending on the situation.
A ladder stand gives you height, better sight lines, and keeps your scent off the ground. It’s a strong option if you’re stationary and patient.
Ground blinds, on the other hand, help to keep your scent contained, which means you’ve got a little more leeway with with regards to hunting certain wind directions.
They’re also very easy to move. I’d say, match your tool to the task and the terrain when determining whether to use a ladder stand or ground blind.
And make sure that you account for your ground blind needing to “soak in” a lot longer than a ladder stand, given their much larger footprint. Deer are going to be spooked by a ground blind for longer than the thin legs of a ladder tree stand.
Rifle Hunting: Ideal Ladder Tree Stands
As a bowhunter, I want to be up close and personal, but I understand that some folks prefer the range and knockdown power of a rifle.
For you rifle hunters, a ladder tree stand with a sturdy, adjustable shooting rail can really help steady your aim. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of cover to blend into your surroundings and you’re all set.
Importance of Comfort in Ladder Stands
Don’t let anyone tell you that comfort isn’t important in hunting. You’re going to be sitting in that tree stand for hours, waiting for the perfect moment that’s going to require a lot of resolve.
The last thing you want is a numb rear end or a crick in your neck when that moment arrives. So, go for ladder deer stands with comfortable, durable seating and enough room to stretch a bit. Your future self will thank you.
Ladder Tree Stands: Single Vs. 2-Person Models
Now, whether you’re hunting solo or with a buddy can really dictate what kind of tree stand you should choose. Single stands are lighter, easier to set up, and less conspicuous. But 2-person ladder stands offer a shared experience, more eyes on the woods, and someone to chat with during slow periods.
Just remember, safety is paramount, no matter how many folks are in the stand, so always make sure you’re tied off with a safety harness.
Safety Measures for Using Ladder Tree Stands
Deer hunting may be the best part of your life – what you look forward to for the first 8 months out of the year – but don’t ever forget that you’re perched 15 to 20 feet up a tree.
Falling isn’t part of the plan. So, always use a safety harness and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for setting up your ladder stand.
Regularly inspect your gear before the season and never climb up or down with your equipment – use some type of gear rope instead. Arrive safe. Leave safe. Your family and friends will appreciate it.
