As a serious DIY bowhunter, I hang throngs of stands during the late summer and throughout the fall. It’s a tedious endeavor — one that never seems to end. So finding a lock-on stand that's quick and easy to hang is critical. Most of my stand sets, even those close to home, require a lengthy walk. Naturally, this eliminates ladder stands and — because I spend a lot of time crawling around the gnarled, never-straight cottonwoods of eastern Colorado, southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas — climbers do me little good.

I’m a lock-on guy, and I am constantly on the prowl for a packable, lightweight, sturdy and adjustable stand. Over the years, I’ve found several that suit my needs. One of my favorites by far is Summit’s rsxHawk.

Specs: rsxHawk Lock-On

At 13.5 pounds, the rsxHawk isn’t what I’d consider to be lightweight, but it isn’t overly heavy either. The stand folds up and easily attaches to most daypacks, and it comes with a padded seat. The platform measures 20X36, a size that I love, by the way. I will gladly tote the rsx’s weight when I have a platform I’m not terrified to stand up on.

rsxHAWK Specifications:

Aluminum hang-on stand
Base pad attaches directly to hang-on
Weighs 13.5 lbs. and holds up to 300 lbs.
18” W x 10” D seat size, 20” W x 36” D platform
Includes full body fall arrest harness system and all necessary hardware

Complete, Assembled Lock-On Treestand, Includes the Following:

Padded Seat
Folding FrameDurable Powder Coated Steel Construction
Removable Seat for Storage
4 Point FAS (harness) with safety strap, lineman's belt and attached SRS strap
Written Instructions
Safety / Instructional DVD

Hanging It

OK, enough with the specs. The best part about the rsxHawk is hanging it. Much like a tree strap, simply stuff the Talon Bracket System strap in the pocket of your safety vest, position it around the tree wherever you like, and snug it down. It really is that simple. Next, use your pull rope and hoist your rsx up the tree.

Note: When strapped to my pack and pulling it up the tree, I use the green tourniquet buckle strap to keep the platform attached to the frame.

All that’s left to do is slip the cable cross bar, which is located directly behind the seat into the Talon Bracket. It's really that easy to hang. Be sure the cable cross bar seats all the way into the bracket and the aluminum tab comes up and over the cross bar. Now that the stand is seated in the Talon Bracket and the platform is still in the upright position and attached to the main body, you can easily make minor adjustments to the stand’s position.

Once you're satisfied with the stand’s position in the tree, remove the green tourniquet and let the base come forward. The teeth in platform should bite into the tree. You can now adjust the cables independently on each side of the platform to perfectly position the angle of your platform. Lastly, weave the green tourniquet between and under the two triangle like spaces between the teeth and the platform and snug the stand tight to the tree.

Final Thoughts

This easy-to-hang stand is perfect for your backyard woods or for those times when you need to slip into a piece of public ground, hang a stand quietly and remain in it. On a recent Nebraska public-land bowhunt, I packed a pair rsxHawk stands with me. One was toted in a half-mile the day before the hunt and hung, and the other was used for those times when I found the perfect tree and needed to hang a stand and jump in it immediately.

The stand is extremely functional, quiet (thanks to Summit’s DeadMetal Sound-Deadening Technology) and sets up in matter of minutes. I also found that the Talon Bracket System and green tourniquet strap created a rock-solid set. I’m not a hug fan of heights, and I don’t want my stand to shift even an inch in the tree. That was never a worry with the rsxHawk.

If you’re a lock-on guy, this is one stand that should be in your arsenal!

For questions or comments, drop Bauserman a line at jbauserman@grandviewmedia.com.