Mention the Baker Climbing tree Stand and many cringe. And rightly so, for it left a bad taste in many peoples' mouths. Like many, my first Baker came without a seat climber, hence, no seat. I bear hugged the tree and slowly climbed the tree. But it was not always a successful climb for me, ending up still hugging the tree as I slid downward. Some trees, this wasn't great but no blood drawn. Other trees meant sharp bark that sliced and scraped you up pretty bad.

But even getting to the desired height wasn't without risks. You could accidently put foot pressure too close to the tree and lose the stand hold and go zipping down very fast.

I would get tethered to the tree and get set for a long stand because I had no seat. I tried a bucket a couple of times but still managed to be left hanging until I managed to get turned around and cut my strap.

Later, I learned how to hook a bungie strap across the bottom of the stand to help secure it. When I finally did find a seat climber, I had also found a much better climber and jumped on it.

While I hated or was fearful of the Baker climber, it actually served a great purpose in getting me up trees as I found them. I just dreaded the climb up as well as the climb down. I later learned the hard way to make sure that the bottom part of the climber was attached with string to the upper part for if the bottom did lose its grip and drop, it only dropped a foot or so.

We didn't have phones back then and still don't have service in the places that I hunted. So, twice had to figure out how to get down when the bottom portion was sitting down on the ground or near it. I was a lot younger and slimmer back then and after some struggles, finally got to where I could get down.

Back in those days, I really tested my safety strap for real several times. At any rate, the Baker did open the world of mobile tree stand hunting for me back then.

When you live in the sticks a hundred miles from any big city, there were very few places to find anything archery related. We finally got a small WalMart and began seeing some stuff but by then it was all compound stuff.

I had a guy watch me slide down a pine tree 2 times one icy morning. I started to try a 3rd time but my hands and fingers were hurting too much and I just sat on it a couple feet off the ground. The guy told me that he laughed his butt off, he was way across a food plot and could see me. Then climbers of all sorts began being offered and most were a lot better than a Baker and a lot safer.

Yeah, I see it all the time on here..lol There was a learning curve for them for sure, but pretty easy to adjust to.. I actually made a collapsible conduit seat that worked great.. Bolted to the stand and folded away when you stood.. You had to pick your trees wisely, softer bark obviously worked better, quieter than shaggy bark hikory.. Still have mine,and would use it today if I were able.. Loved it..

I owned the Original Baker Treestand and the Pro Hunter Baker Treestand. They were an experience. "LOL"

Had one! Did many slides also. Thought it was ingenious. Even with all the sliding

Dad bought a couple back in 1975..no seat. I slid about 6 ft down a pine tree...got scared up a little. No seat. If you didn't put your feet enough toward the outside it would ratchet down the tree.

Not a safe stand.

I never owned one, because I couldn't justify the cost, but I made my own from scraps I had laying around. And then kill my first bow kill out of it, the very first time I used it.

I didn't have too much trouble on the slide thing, because I sharpened the angle iron on mine to a knife-like edge to dig into the bark. But I also learned the trick about tying off the bottom so it couldn't kick out.

My first storebought one was a Sweets or something like that, and it had a rope between the seat climber and the foot rest, to keep the bottom from ever slipping completely down the tree trunk. That was the best climber I ever had, because it also had spikes welded to it, from the factory, before people got concerned about damage to the bark, and it was rock solid after you set it. Wish I still had it, but it got stolen, and they don' make them like that anymore.

I think we all should get our old baker's out and try to kill a deer using them this year. LOL.

I used the Baker Slim Jim back in the day with a hand climber. Both the seat conversion kit for the hand climber but never liked it.

Shick

I did the slide with one too, but killed some deer out of it. In the end I converted it to a ladder stand ,and some one took it in the off season. I either bought ladder stands, or made them from wood after that until I quit hunting.

Nemo, what year was that catalog? I killed my first deer out of a Baker, but I don't remember paying anywhere near those prices for mine. I think I paid $50-60 for my Loc-On LEM's, which I still have and use. They were made locally for a while and may have been discounted. When I replaced those crappy fold-out canvas seats with the aftermarket padded ones I've never looked at another.

I still have mine hanging in the garage. Been there for decades.

I won one in a raffle, I think in the mid 70's. I used it for years and I still have it in good condition. It was only safe if you made it safe. Like Jimmyjump said, might have to drag it out and use it this year, just for old time sakes.

I would have to replace the bungee cords for holding your feet to the stand, still original, was getting a little worn.. Other than that it's good to go..

The only thing worse than the Baker slide, was the Baker slide in the dark…

My buddy and I couldn't afford them, so we made our own from materials we found laying around. Flimsy as heck and certainly no "quality control". Pre "safety harness". Many a "Baker rash" from hugging trees and sliding. Fate tempted many times.

He left his hanging on a tree one night so it would be ready the next morning. Dew and light rain had iced up the whole shebang and as he climbed he slipped and fell off and cut his leg badly on something when he hit the ground. By some fortune he made it out and drove to the emergency room to get stitched up, but he had lost a lot of blood.

I'm amazed that either one of us are still alive having used that style climber. homemade, with no harness or a lick of sense.

After we saved some money, we graduated to Loggy Bayous and Tree Lounges. But hell, I crashed a Tree Lounge one time too.

I killed a bunch of deer from my trusty Mighty mite. No safety belt included. Just wrap your bow rope around you and the tree and get ready.

Spent many hours in a Baker stand. Never a thought about using a safety strap or harness. And like some have said made me and the guys I hunted with made a few copies from scraps and salvaged material. But choosing a soft bark tree was the key to not riding that thing to the ground. Lots of memories were made in a Baker stand.

my old friend with a baker stand on his back! saw him slide down a tree once! not perty but he kept on tryin'!

I took that slide one time!

You haven't enjoyed life unless you've cut out with a Baker treestand...8^)

My first climbing treestand was the Original Baker Treestand, then I got the bigger Baker Pro Hunter, after that I got the Fox Squirrel climbing treestand, then two Loggy Bayous, then a Lone Wolf, and my buddy Jim gave me a Summit.

I still own and use one of the Loggy Bayou stands, the Lone Wolf, and the Summit (pictured).

Yep, best thing that ever happened to me and my baker was when somebody stole it off of a tree I had briefly left it on to scout around a bit.

Yes, a friend of mine climbed down in the dark one evening, He returned the next morning before daylight and it was gone. I still had an old Baker that needed new plywood so I gave it to him. I was Baker free after that. My favorite climber was an Ole Man climber, always felt safer in it and killed a lot of deer out of it.

You aint lived till you did the baker slide!!! We built them in metals shop in high school. Ahh yes, lots of memories, laughs and scars.

Was thinking about it and I actually had 3 Bakers at one time, 2 regulars, one I modified the plywood platform longer and the other was a Slim Jim... The Slim Jims were lightweight and almost to small to climb with...

Was hard finding a dropped wingnut in the dark so I actually pancaked and glued 2 pieces of plywood together over the wing nuts and cut them to about 3" round discs, it also made them better to grip...

My body starts twitching when I think/read about Baker tree stands.

Well, I didn't see anybody mention that they were torture enough using one with the "treehugger" method, but there was a slight improvement when they came out with the "hand climber" that doubled as the most uncomfortable plastic-covered seat ever invented. It was used by the overhead pull-up method and was unstable as a seat. They were semi-tolerable with the after-market hinged "drop-seat" that you could sit in facing the tree and climb, lifting the stand with your legs from a seated position. The trick was not getting your feet up next to the tree when stepping out of the straps to turn around. That caused loss of leverage and bite of the blade in the trunk. That's when "the slide" usually began!

Yep , I always bear hugged my way up and fireman pole style coming down... Piece of cake..

I once hung a Slim Jim on a wood utility pole. It is nothing short of a miracle that I survived. Every time I shifted my weight the stand would drop a foot or so. Never been so scared.

The Baker led the way to some great tree stands. Like The TSS, The Loggy, Lone wolf.

The Baker led the way to some great tree stands. Like The TSS, The Loggy, Lone wolf.

I wanted one when they first came out but they were for the high rollers

A little history. Before it was called the Baker Tree Stand, it was called The Profane Tree Stand.

The dreaded "Baker Slide".

I had one and had it stolen, sure like to thank that guy.

LOL Bruce!

Never had a problem with a Baker. Kept the blades sharp and always kept my weight on my heals going up and down. When I first saw a seat climber, I made my own.

Had some slides with the Baker climbingstand.Not a very pleasant experience lol.Can laugh about it now. Back then it wasn't so funny.Then came another called the TSS.It came without a seat so i made one, out of a piece of steel pipe One end of the pipe was made with a round padded seat the other was made so it could thread into a coupling that was welded to a plate that was bolted to the climbing stand platform. I had a rope to aid with the climbing process. Then came a safety made API Lots of memories with these climbing tree stands lol.

Baker noise maker. Many a Monday with a scraped up chin.

Tree hugging is the way to go. Only Pignut Hickory for the best ride.

Baker noise maker? That's funny, I have gone up and down trees with hunters very near by, they never knew I was there..

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