Latest Updates
Tree Lounge climbing treestands, originally designed by Bob and Margaret Hice near Cumming, Georgia starting in 1981, featured unique climbing mechanisms marketed for safety and comfort during all-day hunting sessions. Industry-wide treestand failures have resulted in recalls when attachment systems failed, platforms collapsed, or climbing mechanisms malfunctioned [1], [2], [3].
Original Design History
Bob Hice founded Tree Lounge in 1981 with an innovative climbing stand design. The company sold stands through direct sales from their Georgia location for over 25 years until Bob’s death in 2006.
Company Ownership Changes
After Bob Hice passed away, Margaret continued the business before eventually selling. New owners moved manufacturing overseas and eventually closed operations, ending the original Georgia-made product line.
The TreeLounger Relaunch
Wayne Prince later adopted the concept and launched the TreeLounger with design modifications. The revived brand manufactures stands in the USA and markets them through treelounger.com.
Climbing Stand Design
Tree Lounge stands use a climbing mechanism that allows hunters to ascend trees and sit in a lounge-chair configuration. The design emphasized comfort for all-day sits, with some hunters reportedly dozing off in the stands.
Square Tube Original Construction
Original Tree Lounge stands used square tubular aluminum construction. Later versions switched to D-tube aluminum with thinner gauge and smaller diameter, which users reported as inferior to the original design.
The Margaret Special Model
The top-of-the-line “Margaret Special” included all available features but came in unfinished aluminum requiring camouflage treatment. This premium model represented the company’s most complete offering.
Height Capabilities
Users report climbing to heights of 30 to 50 feet with Tree Lounge stands. At those elevations, falls would generate tremendous impact forces causing catastrophic injuries or death.
Tree-Biting Mechanism
The design uses a mechanism that “bites” into tree bark for security. However, any climbing stand relying on pressure against bark faces failure risks if trees are wet, icy, or have loose bark.
Aluminum Material Issues
Aluminum construction reduces weight for portability but can develop stress fractures invisible during inspection. Older stands face corrosion and metal fatigue after years of outdoor exposure.
The Comfort Marketing Focus
Marketing emphasized sitting comfort to the point that hunters could “lounge until you want to come down.” Prioritizing comfort over safety considerations may encourage extended time at dangerous heights.
Off-Season Campsite Use
Some hunters use these stands as relaxation chairs around campsites during off-season. Using treestands as ground-level furniture outside their intended purpose suggests confusion about proper equipment use.
Falling Asleep Risks
Despite marketing noting it’s “never safe to go to sleep in any tree stand,” the company acknowledged many users nodded off in Tree Lounges. Falling asleep 30 feet up creates obvious fall dangers.
Manufacturing Quality Changes
The shift from U.S. manufacturing to overseas production and from square to D-tube construction reportedly degraded product quality. Thinner materials and different construction methods may have reduced structural integrity.
Parts Availability Problems
With the original company closed and ownership changes, finding replacement parts has become difficult. Hunters using aging Tree Lounge stands cannot obtain critical replacement components for worn or damaged parts.
TMA Membership History
Bob Hice maintained membership in the Treestand Manufacturer’s Association during his ownership. However, TMA membership doesn’t prevent equipment failures or guarantee individual product safety.
Safety Video Distribution
Bob Hice distributed over 294,000 free safety videos to hunter education programs. This unusual commitment to general treestand safety suggests awareness of industry-wide fall risks.
Contact an Attorney
If you fell from a Tree Lounge or TreeLounger climbing stand and suffered injuries, contact a product liability attorney immediately. Preserve the stand exactly as it was after the fall, photograph the climbing mechanism and any failed components, save purchase records and assembly instructions, and gather medical documentation of your injuries.
References
1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Global-Manufacturing-Company-Recalls-API-Outdoors-Tree-Stands
2. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/hunting-tree-stands-recalled-for-collapse-hazard
3. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Big-Game-Treestands-Recalls-2021-The-Captain-Hang-on-Treestands-Due-to-Fall-and-Injury-Hazards