Tree saddles are a convenient and lightweight way to hang-and-hunt for deer hunters. While they’re mostly comfortable, they still sacrifice a level of comfort and stability compared to hang-on treestands.

In fact, when you compare them to lightweight treestands, saddles don’t offer much more than the hide-behind-the-tree claim to fame, but even this can be remedied if you know how and where to position your stand. When it comes to all-day rut sits, there’s no question that I’d rather be in a hang-on.

Lone Wolf Custom Gear’s D’Acquisto Series .5 Hang-On treestand offers excellent comfort, packability, and stealth for mobile hunters who aren’t quite sold on tree saddles. While testing the .5, I’ve been impressed with how simple it makes run-and-gun style hunting, and I’ll be putting long hours into it this fall.  

In short: The LWCG D’Acquisto .5 is a premium hang-on treestand for mobile hunters who want extra platform space in an ultralight setup.

Lone Wolf Custom Gear D’Acquisto Series .5 Hang-On Treestand Review

The Features

The .5 hang-on stand packs a ton of features into a lightweight, streamlined setup. Out of the box, it includes one cam strap for attaching it to the tree, premium backpack straps (boy, are they), and a seat cushion that you’ll want to upgrade.

At just under 6 pounds with platform dimensions of 23 inches x 16.5 inches, the .5 is super lightweight and compact. Super lightweight stands typically exhibit some type of flex, particularly when you stand near the edge of them. However, the .5’s compact dimensions help mitigate this and produce minimal flex.

This stand also has an 18-inch seat post (regular size) that allows you to adjust the seat for sitting or standing. While the .5 requires a financial investment, the compatibility with LWCG’s J-hook attachments and other accessories, like the new Compact Double climbing sticks, allow you to fine-tune your setup and maximize this stand’s utility.

Testing the LWCG D’Acquisto .5 Hang-On Treestand

As a lifelong whitetail hunter, I’ve hunted from just about every kind of stand, saddle, or blind. First impressions can tell you a lot about a stand’s utility, but the LWCG’s .5 contains a load of pleasantly surprising features. Before unpacking all those features, I’ll start with the .5 in its packed form.

Easy Carry

Light weight and premium backpack straps make the trek to your spot a breeze. You can also fold the seat up or down during transport to load the stand with other gear, layers, etc., as needed. Because I typically carry a pack’s worth of gear during my hunt, I’ve been strapping the stand on my Kifaru Shape Charge with zero issues, and it’s not much heavier than most saddle-hunting platforms.

Ultra-Compatible

One of the stand’s coolest feature(s) is its compatibility with other LWCG sticks and accessories. I’m running a combination of the Compact Doubles and Micro Double climbing sticks with aiders this year, and the climbing stick ports and J-hooks allow you to attach the sticks without having to worry about them coming loose or banging around while you’re trying to slip in tight to a buck’s core area.

Attaching the LWCG .5 stand to the tree requires little effort, thanks to its compact frame and light weight. You can run two cam straps if it makes you feel better, but the single provides plenty of stability, and the stand exhibits excellent tree bite. Just make sure you tighten the cam strap before lowering the platform. It’s always a good idea to step onto the platform and drive it down with your foot, so that the stand grabs the tree as tight as possible.

I’m a huge fan of the adjustable seat, which allows you to silently transition from sitting to standing during those all-day rut sits. Though, I do wish the included seat was a bit more substantial. During testing, I noticed that the foam collapsed significantly, so I’ll definitely be upgrading that.

Even at 5.8 pounds, the .5 has a 300-pound weight rating. While testing the stand, I stood near the edge to test the flexibility, which it exhibited minimally. The compact dimensions of the .5 help keep with the flex issue.

What It Does Best

Besides its obvious compact and lightweight footprint, the .5’s compatibility and packability with LWCG’s Compact Double climbing sticks simplify the hang-and-hunt process. Because of the stand’s compact footprint, you can also easily attach it to a daypack like the Kifaru Shape Charge, for those all-day rut sits and not feel overburdened. I also appreciate that this treestand includes premium backpack straps, since you’re shelling out $499.

Where the LWCG D’Acquisto .5 Hang-On Treestand Can Improve

For an ultralight hang-on stand, the .5 fires on all cylinders. Like other premium lightweight stands, it would be super convenient if it already included the silencing materials. When you’re spending close to a grand on a lightweight hunting setup (stand, sticks, aiders, etc.), paying extra to silence it just stings a bit. The premium backpack straps are a nice touch, but I’d like to see a similar streamlined and included option for the seat as well.

While the .5’s compact frame makes it an excellent, lightweight option for most folks, larger framed hunters or those with big feet might want to opt for the 1.0 to have extra room.

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t bought into the saddle hunting hype, but you need an ultralight and stealthy hunting setup, I can’t think of a better option. The LWCG .5 Hang-On Stand and climbing stick options require an investment up front, but if it gives you more shot opportunities, I’d say it’s well worth it.