Ladder Stand Weight?

[TexShadow74]

I'm going to build a 10' tall ladder stand from some old pallet rack I have. My wife hunts so I need to make sure the top is large and very strong or she will never climb up. So I had planned on making the top platform 42”x42” with a swivel seat from academy.

I have never put up a ladder stand and my design as it sets is almost 200lbs (I'm not sure I even know how to build anything light). So I was thinking that would be to heavy to stand up easly but didn’t know what would be an acceptable weight. What experience do you guys have with weight of your DIY stands?

Thanks for your help.

[Storm]

Just buy a second man system and it will go up easy sportsmans guide has them.

[Fishndude]

My wife hunts so I need to make sure the top is large and very strong

My childish mind found this funny!

I bought a 15' ladder stand from academy recently and had to carry it a good distance. I'd say it weighed 70-80 lbs. Hope that helps.

[TexShadow74]

Yep I thought about what I typed afterwards and I'm just glad she doesn't get on here.

I have set in some of the store bought stands and I didn't like them. They just felt flimsy and ready to fall apart. I'm sure they are fine but I don't like thing to deflect when I stand on them. We will be bow hunting only and I would like the option to stand if I want to. That’s why I wanted a larger top and it will make the wife more comfortable.

[bowhuntntxn]

If it is going to be that heavy, why not build it like a quad pod, and not a leaner on the tree. The base frame for a large swivel seat is where the weight is coming from. You could make a quad width 2 swivel seats if you wanted and it could be less than 200 pounds. Most ladder stands are over 50 pounds and don't have swivel seats.

[fowlwaters]

Bought a 2 man at academy and the says 72 lbs.

[TexShadow74]

I redesigned it and I should drop about 60lbs off of it. I will have to buy some steel to make the ladder instead of using the steel I have. I don't have enough steel to make a quad plus I just didn't want to have to make all the X bracing. With the way I am making them I can always add to them later (once I have more money) to make them qauds.

This is not a 2 man stand, it will only have one seat. I have seen stands out there like I want but they are very high priced and I have 90% of the material I need to build it.

[TexMax]

Triangles are your friend