Bushwhack Flp -
If you are serious about hunting pressured public land where every ounce and every inch of pack space matters, stop fiddling with clunky hand-me-down platforms. Buy the Bushwhacker FLP. Your back and your knees will thank you after the 2-mile hike out.
The platform has a subtle, engineered flex—maybe 1/8 of an inch—but it’s not spongy. It feels like a solid deck. The secret is the angled teeth on the back of the platform. They bite into the bark like a bear trap. I have set this on wet oak, slick pine, and frozen ash. It has not slipped one millimeter.
I weigh 210 lbs before gear. The first time I stepped on the FLP, I braced for the dreaded "diving board" flex. It didn’t come.
The build quality is immediately apparent. This is a CNC-machined aluminum platform (reportedly 6061-T6). The finish is a textured, matte black that looks like it belongs on a military drone. It’s not pretty in a glossy way; it’s pretty in an "I’m going to outlive you" way. bushwhack flp
Most platforms are a giant, flat shovel that catches wind and snags on every branch as you walk. The folded FLP slides into a pack’s water bladder sleeve or straps flat against your backpack frame. It disappears. I can pack this, three mini-sticks, and my saddle inside a 25L pack. That is a game-changer for public land spot-and-stalk. On-Tree Performance: The Grip The cam strap system is robust—a 1" wide, sewn-in strap with a Grade 8 bolt for the cam lever. There is no plastic here.
The weight is shocking. My scale reads . For reference, a standard Lone Wolf Assassin platform is 4.5 lbs. You feel that 1.6 lb difference on a long pack-in. You really feel it. The Key Feature: The Fold Let’s get straight to the namesake: the Foldable Light Platform.
After two seasons, it has become the one piece of gear I will not leave the truck without. It is stable, it is quiet, and when folded, it fits in places your other platforms can only dream of. If you are serious about hunting pressured public
Unlike the common "cam-over" platforms (like the Predator or the Ridge Runner), the FLP uses a hinge system in the middle. When deployed, it is a solid, 11" x 12" rectangle. When folded, it collapses down to roughly 6" x 12".
– Deducted half a star for the stiff initial cam strap and the minor alignment quirk. Otherwise, it’s nearly perfect.
I did have to put a drop of blue Loctite on the cam lever bolt after 20 uses, as it started to vibrate loose on a long ATV ride. That is standard maintenance for any mechanical platform. | Feature | Bushwhacker FLP | Tethrd Predator | OOAL Ridge Runner | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Weight | 2.9 lbs | 3.2 lbs | 3.5 lbs | | Packed Size | Folded (Small) | Flat (Medium) | Flat (Large) | | Surface Area | 132 sq in | 117 sq in | 180 sq in | | Noise | Very Quiet | Quiet | Noisy (Metal teeth) | | Price | $$ | $$$ | $$ | The platform has a subtle, engineered flex—maybe 1/8
It takes about 30 seconds to get this on the tree. You fold it open, wrap the strap, and push the cam lever down. There is a satisfying "thunk" when it locks.
Enter the . I have now put roughly 40 sits on this platform over two seasons, from early October humidity to late December frozen bark. Here is the honest, long-term breakdown. Unboxing & First Impressions When you pull the FLP out of the box, the first thing you notice is the sound —or lack thereof. It arrives wrapped in thick foam. No rattling bolts. No loose washers.
Verdict: 9.2/10 Best For: Saddle hunters, run-and-gun public land hunters, and anyone tired of lugging heavy, bulky climbing sticks. Worst For: Budget buyers and those who only hunt out of permanent box blinds. Introduction: The Problem with Height For the last decade, mobile deer hunting has been dominated by a clunky trade-off: Do you carry heavy, solid climbing sticks for security, or do you use lightweight aluminum sticks that flex and wobble? Do you bring three sticks for a 15-foot setup, or four sticks for 20 feet and hate every step of the hike in?
I have tried everything—from the original Lone Wolf sticks to carbon fiber one-sticks. I’ve been a saddle hunter for four seasons, and the one piece of gear that has consistently frustrated me is the platform. I want a platform that is large enough to pivot around a tree, light enough to strap to a pack for a 2-mile walk, and stable enough to take a weak-side shot at a mature buck.
