Climbing stand or Sticks and hang-on

I've been hunting a few years now, always with a blind or just sitting against a tree. I was looking at getting a tree stand in the next year or so. I liked some of the aluminum climbers (many 12-20 lbs) but was also considering getting climbing sticks and a hang-on stand. Way I see it climbing stand gives me opportunity to pick where to sit the day of, but sticks and hang-on give option of less to carry out the day of and potentially quitter since I only need to bring 2 sticks to get into the tree.

Anyone have suggestions as to whats better/easy? Experience with what they prefer?

A climber is nice if you are always moving your spot, but if you have a good spot, dragging in a climber every hunt can be tiresome IMO. I am getting better at it, but 5am climber setup seems to always make a ruckus.

I am fortunate to have access to private property for most of my hunting. I have double ladder stands there for my daughter and I. I also have a double and single ladder on a lease in NY. Those stands are easy to get into and if I have a double to myself, I can spread out pretty nicely. Lots of room to move. They are only limited by their height. If I am consistently seeing deer out of bow range, I arrive with a climber. More noise and less comfortable for an all day "rut" sit. If I hunt public property, I will take the climber. I am not a fan of loc ons. The nice thing is, you can get them HIGH, and conceal them nicely above limbs etc.... That you can not do with a climber. Each has it's benefits. For mobility, a climber is hard to beat. You also run the risk of having a fixed stand stolen. People can be morons as you know.

Whatever you get, try and practice with it in your back yard before you try hunting with them. I will admit, the first time I descended a tree in a climber, I was just about hugging the tree by the time I got to the ground.

I've been recently been intrigued by saddle hunting setups. They look compact, mobile, and quiet, though I'm not sure how comfortable they'd be hours on end. The mobility around the tree at height and ability to use the tree as concealment is also interesting.

My preference is climbing sticks and a lock on stand. I actually use this in place of a climber, even when hunting public land.
Weight wise it is close to a wash between my Summit Viper or 3 Lone Wolf Sticks and a Lock on stand.
What it does allow for is to get into trees that are either not completely straight or that have branches that would make the climbing stand a no go.

I am still using the Loggy Bayou I got many years ago. I think the platform weighs about 8 lbs.

I never got the climber assist.
I hug the tree up and down.
I still use the original strap for safety as opposed to the decelerator harness rigs popular today.

I'm usually about 20 plus feet up.
My original 2 piece steel climber has teeth that bite into the bark. I think they are not legal to use today although they didn't seem to damage rough barked trees.
Downside, it was 26 lbs. I'd take it in the night before. It was a bit more comfortable than the Loggy but I've spent 11 hours in a climber with no problem.
I'll take the Loggy to the area I hunt up north.
In my back yard, I use this.

I climb onto it. Does that count? It's 20 feet up.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1892/...8ea5c77d_c.jpg2018-09-13_10-17-51 by poofy27, on Flickr