I have 3 stands that serve me well...
Most comfortable i have (a bit heavy) is a wood bottom
Warren and Sweat Cottonwood with a 4" HD foam pad...Wide platform
allows me to stand and stretch when i need to, and arm rests make it
like sitting in a lawn chair....Good backrest with HD foam pad..
It has lots of room to stand up when you need to..
Next is an ol Man light weight model ..It has a sling seat that allows
you to sit with back to the tree..Wide foot platform lets me stand...
Not quite as comfy as the WS....
Next is a Hardtail Hunter, with drop wood/HD foam seat (similar to Summit)
that lets you sit with good backrest (facing tree)..You can also sit with your
back to the tree....
The HT is the lightest of my 3 stands.....
I have used Summit, Gunslinger, Treewalker, and others, and IF
i needed a new stand i would get a Treewalker....TW has wide
platform and lets you hunt with backrest or sit with back against
tree.....
Good luck....I feel your pain...Been fighting back/hip pain for 8 yrs
but gonna give it a go this year with tree stands after 4 years of hunting on the ground....
After 3 back surgeries, I can feel your pain. The most confortable climber for me is API. Summits are ok but has a bar behind the seat that bothers me. Pick you up a wedge cushion and use with ladder stands ect. They help me a lot
ground blind. I just use the 12 ft cloth draped around trees. I've killed two nice bucks last 4 years and seen just as many or more sitting on the ground. able to stretch out and stay more comfortable too
As many have, I've used a lot of different stands; strap-on ground level, climbers, lock-ons and ladders. The most comfortable, by far, are those made by Millennium. I've used them in ladder form and ground level strap-ons and have yet to have my back act up, even with very long sits. Couple of links here and I'll try to post a couple pics as well.