To start off this review, I should give a little context in regards to my hunting style, which should hopefully add some credibility to my opinion on the Pursuit platform.
I’m a mobile hunter. I primarily (99% of the time) hunt out of a saddle, using climbing sticks to reach my desired hunting height.
I’ve been using a popular, metal platform that I’ve packed in for the two years prior to receiving a Pursuit platform.
I rarely hunt the same tree multiple sits in a row, and I almost always remove all my gear after each hunt, which means I spent a lot of time packing in, packing out, and setting up this platform on a variety of tree shapes and sizes.
I hunt hot weather, cold weather, frigid weather (when we see it in SC), and rainy weather.
I’m typically not very easy on my gear because it’s there to be used. If any of my gear can’t stand up to what I would call normal hunting conditions, it gets replaced with an alternative item.
The Pursuit Platform was no different, in that it was not babied, nor was it used in any sort of delicate way to make for a good review.
It was just another piece of gear that I relied on for all of the 2022 South Carolina whitetail season.
If, after reading my review, you decide to purchase a Pursuit Platform, use code bowhuntpursuit at checkout for 10% off.
Get 10% off with code bowhuntpursuit
Initial Thoughts
I was prepared for the weight because of what they had been posting on social media, but until you get it in your hands, it’s hard to understand what a platform that only weighs around 1 lb. feels like.
That may scare some people, fearing that a 1 lb. platform made out of thermoplastic could break, but their third-party weight rating tests ended with some pretty remarkable data worth checking out.
At one point in the testing phase, the buckle for the testing strap broke at 800 lbs., but the platform was still in one piece.
Also, the physical size surprised me. It’s smaller than most other standard, popular platforms, such as Tethrd or Hawk platforms. And it doesn’t have the vertical support coming off the top that most others do.
Needless to say, when I put it in my pack where my old platform would normally go, it took up much less space and allowed me to easily put more items in my pack and zip it up effortlessly, whereas my old platform always caused issues with getting it zipped.
Being primarily a mobile hunter, I don’t carry an extra-large pack, so the smaller size was a welcome benefit.
First Hunt
The first time I strapped my Pursuit platform to a tree was during my first hunt of the season.
Because of the smaller size of the platform, it was easy to stay attached to the tree using my lineman’s rope while focusing on securing the platform.
However, the included strap is a different style than the one most often used with other platforms and climbing sticks, and one I had never used before.
I didn’t have the forethought to look back through the instructions beforehand to see how to use it, and without having tried the platform out before my first hunt, it took me quite some time to get it figured out.
I even needed to pull up a picture on their website and zoom in on the strap to try and surmise how it should be strapped.
However, once I figured it out, it was extremely easy to not only strap it, but adjust the tension on the strap to where it needed to be based on the tree size.
Platform Angle
A unique feature of the Pursuit is that one side of the platform is perpendicular to the teeth, and the other is angled slightly downward.
This gives options for comfort. Personally, I prefer to use it standing on the slanted side. I found that it provided a much more comfortable sit because the arches of my feet were no longer digging into the edge of a metal platform.
Instead, my feet can stand naturally in relation to my body, while remaining relatively flat on the platform.
Wide V-Shaped Teeth
Perhaps my biggest complaint with my old, metal platform was that the teeth on the upright portion of the platform were very difficult to get cinched up against the tree.
And instead of having them v-shaped and wrapping around the tree, the teeth shaped away from the tree.
Although the teeth on the step portion shaped around the tree, that didn’t stop it from kicking out to one side when leaning.
This leads me to my favorite part about the Pursuit platform – the huge, one-piece v-shaped teeth.
I never had the Pursuit platform shift on me or kick out to one side when leaning. The teeth are so tall that once you cinch it down properly, it doesn’t move.
Lean all day in either direction and it stays solid.
Platform Size
As I said in the beginning, the platform size surprised me. When I got up the tree and looked down at my big rubber boots on the small platform, it looked like it might be too small.
However, after a full season of use, I never felt that the platform was too small. That really just shows me that having a bigger platform for saddle hunting is really more of a psychological choice than a practical one.
Saddle hunters need room enough to provide support while hanging, and room to lean to draw. We really don’t need much more than that.
Are there some guys whose bodies and feet are too large to comfortably make a 180° shot to the rear on the Pursuit? I’m sure there are.
But the average mobile hunter should be able to, especially with practice. If Pursuit Platforms designed a larger platform just for those with large feet and frames, that problem would be alleviated.
Leaning, Off-side, and Rear Shots
As I said before, the Pursuit platform offers extremely stabile leaning, and the platform is large enough to accommodate small amounts of shifting around.
However, with off-side and rear shots, it takes a little practice to know how much and where to shift your feet for each shot.
If you’re flexible enough to leave your feet flat and facing forward while you turn your torso completely around for a rear shot, you won’t have any issues.
If you’re not that flexible, you just need to practice shifting your feet to be turned, or perhaps have one sideways on the platform while the other scoots up the platform a bit.
The same goes for off-side shots. Most people aren’t flexible enough to leave their feet in position, twist their torso to the off-side, and draw their bow safely and effectively.
Practice gives you the insight necessary to feel confident when showtime arrives, even if you just practice a little right after you get setup to hunt, which is always a good idea.
Performance in Wet Weather
I was actually very surprised when I used the Pursuit in the rain. Even though there are raised bumps to create texture for gripping, I assumed that the platform would become somewhat slippery when wet, especially with worn rubber boots.
Not to say that there wouldn’t be an instance where your boots could slip when stepping up onto the platform when wet, but that wasn’t my experience.
Even from stepping up onto it from beneath the platform when I wanted to gain a little more height than normal, my boots stuck to it while wet.
The Future
I’ve kept up with Pursuit Platforms and know that they have some big plans for future models, as well as some other products they plan on designing.
My experience with their 1st-gen platform has been great, and I plan to continue using it in future seasons. You can find more info at their website, and if you decide to make a purchase, use code bowhuntpursuit at checkout for 10% off.
Questions and Comments
I’d love to hear any questions or feedback you may have. Leave them below, or connect with me through Instagram or Facebook @southeasternbowhunting.
2 thoughts on “Pursuit Platforms Review (Tested)”
Thanks for the review Alex. I bought one of these platforms and decided to not even use it after seeing how small it is. After this review, I will give it a try.
Bob, thanks for reading and commenting! It really is a great platform and I hope it works out well for you.