Best Tripod Deer Stand Reviews of 2021 (Updated)
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A good tripod stand for deer hunting is ideal if there are no trees around for you to setup a stand, and are in need of a free-standing option. You get all the benefits of a tree stand, but you can set the tripod up anywhere you like. As the name suggests, these are essentially tripods with a seat at the top of them. Sometimes there will just be a seat attached to the top of the stand; other models will have a platform which the seat will sit on top of.
Ultimately you want to ensure that the deer hunting tripod stand you purchase is stable, has a comfortable seat, easy to setup, lightweight and have a quality design. With that in mind, let’s have a look at our reviews of the best tripod deer stands available for your money.
Top 5 Rated Models Comparison Table
Image | Stand | Height | Carry Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Editors Choice | 10" | 36 lbs | |
 | 12" | 66 lbs | ||
 | 13" | 112 lbs | ||
 | 13" | 66 lbs |
Reviews of The Best Tripod Deer Stands
Our Top Choice for a Tree Stand is the Millenium Treestands T100. It measures in at 10 feet tall and is built of an all-aluminum construction, with a powder-coated finish. Each of the three legs features a non-sink, no-slip foot to keep it firmly planted on the ground. While all three legs fold up and telescope for easy moving, one leg is adjustable, letting you find the perfect height and configuration on uneven terrain. The patented ComfortMax Seat spins 360 degrees for an unobstructed view in any direction and comes with a footrest for keeping yourself secure. Lastly, the whole thing weighs only 36 pounds – which is the lightest on our list, making it a manageable weight for carrying around and hunting.
The Treestands T100 is easily one of the sturdiest, most durable tree stands you will find, with a capacity of 300 pounds. It can be easily folded up and carried over one shoulder, with your gun or bow on the other. While it is not the cheapest option available, it is a high-quality, sturdy and easy-to-transport tripod stand.
Verdict: Best Overall and Lightest Tripod Deer Stand
Pros
- Quality aluminum construction
- Lightweight – 36 pounds
- Portable
- 360-degree swivel chair
Cons
- More expensive - for good reason
If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, the Guide Gear 12’ Tripod is much more affordable than the Millenium T100. It’s built from sturdy steel construction, stands 12 feet high, and has a capacity of 300 lbs. The 360-degree swivel chair features a cushioned backrest, padded armrests (who said the outdoors couldn’t be comfortable?), as well as a stationary shooting rail, which keeps your rifle steady and helps ensure you don’t miss that shot. The 3 foldable legs fold up for easy transport.
The Guide Gear, however, is not light. Thanks to its steel build and height, it weighs a hefty 66 lbs and can be difficult to carry around frequently. Unlike the Treestands T100, for example, it requires a good deal of effort to carry and setup and is probably best used as a more permanent chair, set up and moved every once in a while. For a cheaper chair that can still handle a good bit of weight, the Guide Gear 12’ is a good choice.
Pros
- 12 feet high
- Extremely heavy-duty, steel construction
- Foldable legs for carrying around
Cons
- Heavier at 66 lbs
#3. Ameristep
This 15-foot tall tripod from Ameristep is one of the tallest hunting tripods you’ll find. With a large, octagonal platform at the top on which to stand, it’s more comfortable than other chairs, affords more room for maneuvering, and gives a full 360-degree view of your surroundings. A shooting rail all the way around gives you some security as well as a stable surface on which to steady your rifle. The seatback and armrests are padded (again, who said hunting couldn’t be comfortable?) with camo fabric. If you’d like even more cover and concealment, you can drape the railing and platform with a camouflage hunting blind.
While the considerable height of this tripod allows for great range and visibility, it also makes it difficult to transport and set up. The whole setup comes in at about 160 pounds – too much for carrying around the woods with you. But that’s not really what it is meant for - It’s much better as a semi-permanent setup, moved periodically, but not every day. And despite the hefty build, it doesn’t hold quite as much of a load as other tripods; some hunters have found it a bit shaky, even at lighter loads, due to its height. It is, otherwise, easy to assemble and has an excellent height for hunting.
Verdict: Tallest Tripod Deer Stand
Pros
- 15’ tall for an expansive 360-degree view
- The platform allows you to stand and move around
- 360-degree shooting rail
Cons
- Very heavy – 160 pounds. Not good for moving around
- Can be shaky for its weight and height
#4. Gear Guide 13”
This 13’ foot tall hunting stand from Gear Guide is similar to the 15’ by Ameristep, only 2 feet smaller in stature. It’s built from seriously heavy-duty welded steel and weighs in at about 112 pounds. A powder coating prevents rust and corrosion; unfortunately, there is no coating on the bolts and nuts, which seem to rust very quickly. Like the Ameristep, it has a platform on which to stand, or rest your feet while sitting in the comfy, padded seat, that swivels 360 degrees around. A rail surrounds the platform for a level of safety and for resting your rifle. Each of the 3 steel legs features 6-adjustable positions, ensuring stability on uneven ground.
Again, like the Ameristep, the Gear Guide 13’ isn’t meant to be carried around the woods with you; it’s far too heavy and too cumbersome. It can take some time to put together properly, but when ready, it’s a solid platform with a capacity of 300-lbs. A good, mid-priced option for a hunting platform.
Pros
- 13’ tall; 300-lb capacity
- Welded steel build, powder-coating
- 360-degree swivel chair
- Each leg adjusts to 6 positions
Cons
- Very heavy – 122 lbs
- Not portable
Coming in at 13” feet tall, the Sniper Sentinel is another sturdy tripod, built from rugged, coated steel and with a weight capacity of 300 pounds. Unlike some of the other taller tripods, like the Ameristep 15’ and Gear Guide 13’, it only weighs 66 lbs, which makes carrying and repositioning it doable, if not a little cumbersome. It features a 360-degree swivel chair, with padded back and armrests. There is a circular footrest, but the Sentinel does not have a platform for standing on, nor is it surrounded by a shooting rail; instead, a flip-up shooting rail swings up and down from the chair.
So while the Sniper Sentinel doesn’t quite have the platform and spaciousness of other tripods, it makes up for it by being far lighter and portable. Assembly and takedown is relatively easy, and you can set it up almost anywhere. The 3 folding legs are not individually adjustable but lock into place for firm stability. In fact, it strikes a good balance between smaller and lightweight chairs, such as the Millenium Treestands T100, and the taller, heftier options, such as the Ameristep 15’. It’s is available for a relative bargain compared to the other tree stands on our list, as well.
Pros
- 13’ tall
- Lighter – 66 lbs
- Flip-up shooting rail
- Inexpensive
- Weight Capacity – 300 LBS
Cons
- Legs are not individually adjustable
Things To Consider When Buying A Good Tripod Deer Stand
What makes tripod deer stands different and so appealing to deer and game hunters, is the ability to setup one of these stands in any location you like. With this in mind, here are all the main points you want to take into consideration before deciding if a model is right for your type of hunt.
Portability
As mentioned above, what sets these type of stands apart from your traditional tree stands, is the fact that you can set them up in wherever you want. Therefore, it is vital that your selected model is lightweight, easy to assemble and take down. Depending on your method of hunting, having a portable model may be a big priority for you, especially if you're moving from location-to-location when deer hunting.
Bow Hunting Ability
Some of you will be big on your bowhunting for deer, therefore posing the question of whether you can comfortably fire a bow from your tripod stand. You can use your crossbow or compound bow with some models, though typically it can be a bit of a squeeze and requires some practice. Some stands have a rail or guard at the top, which can sometimes limit your arm room a little. Getting the bow up most stands can sometimes be a challenge in itself, especially if there's no rest or holder for your bow. However, most models should be more than adequate for aiming and firing at your target.
Something to think about for bow hunters who need that extra arm space and a 360° view.
Gun or Bow Rest
With the assumption that you will be shooting deer or some type of game from your seat with either a gun or a bow, you may want to consider if your model has a rest for your weapon. If you're sitting for long periods of time then holding your gun or bow the full-time may not be viable, so check if there's a rest with your stand. Some models may not have a specific rest as such, but you may be able to turn the steps into some sort of rest for your weapon.
Seat Comfortability
If you go to all the trouble of purchasing one of these stands (they're not cheap), transporting and carrying them around, setting them up and then climbing it with all your gear, only to find out that your seat isn't comfortable enough for you to sit in for a full day's hunt, you might have yourself a problem. Check our reviews above and actual user reviews to ensure that your selection has a seat that's comfortable enough for a long hunting session. If you're a bigger sized hunter, then you may want to check out the full sizes and dimensions of the seat before considering your purchase.
Getting In and Out
This varies from model-to-model, with some being easier to climb up to than others. Some of the top models may still pose a tricky challenge getting into them, so make sure you're aware of this before your purchase, and ensure that you will be able and safe getting in and out of your tripod deer stand.
Safety
As mentioned above, some models may be trickier than others to climb and get down from; therefore it is important that you assess how difficult a model is for your capabilities. You want to be as safe as possible when climbing and sitting in your stand, especially if you're out alone. Consider the safety of your chosen model before taking it out on a hunt.
Weight Limit
As with anything that you sit in each model and manufacturer have their own weight capacity. Remember to take your own weight as well as the weight of your gear into consideration when assessing a models weight capacity. Most models on the market are well constructed and have decent weight capacities, so there should be something for all sized hunters.
Price
Most of the models we listed are all round about the same price as each other with the odd exception such as the #1 choice the Millennium, which we agree is a little bit pricey, however, still remains our #1 choice for the best deer tripod stand overall. Typically these freestanding models retail around the same price as what you would pay for a decent hunting tree attached model. So in terms of price, there really isn’t much comparison between all the models, it all comes down to what each specific model offers, whether it fits your hunting needs and the quality of the stand.
Height
Most of our picks are roughly the same height, though there is one pick that stands out as being the tallest in our reviews list – the Ameristep model at an impressive 15 feet tall. But, there really isn’t much to think about with the other top picks as they are all roughly around the 12/13 foot mark. You should probably decide if this sort of height is ideal for the type of hunting you intend on using the tripod stand for.
Why You Might Consider A Freestanding Model
As mentioned above earlier in this article, there are many benefits to opting for one of these freestanding models.
Firstly, the main appeal to any deer hunter is the benefit of erecting the tripod anywhere you want, and getting into those great locations that you would otherwise not be to access with a traditional stand attached to a tree. Depending on the portability of the model you have selected, you should be able to transport your stand, set it up and take it down quickly. This gives you an excellent opportunity to blend yourself in amongst the trees and stay nice and camouflaged.
It all comes down to whether you want a portable or tree attached stand.
Secondly, they are a great way of getting a good height advantage over your targeted deer or game species. Most models have decent height specifications and can go as high as some of the more traditional treestands that you can buy. Depending on which model you buy, you will also have the added advantage over a tree stand of being able to shoot your bow or rifle without a tree restricting your arm space; this is especially appealing to deer bow hunters who need sufficient arm room to aim and fire the bow. However, check the specific model in question to see it has a rail or guard that could potentially restrict your arm space. You will also have the added advantage of having 360° to scout and shoot from, with some models sporting a swivel chair design so that you can remain seated and still have an open view.
Final Word
You should now gravitate towards a tripod stand for your deer hunting hopefully. As mentioned above, our pick for the best tripod deer stand is the Millennium model. If you’re serious about your deer hunting then this should be your selection, however, if you’re looking for something a bit cheaper and more budget friendly, then there’s plenty of options on the list that are great for the money. Just remember to take into consideration the points we have mentioned above about what to look for in a great model.
Go out there now and give yourself the advantage over the deer with whatever stand you do choose!
