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.
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.
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. bushwhack flp
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.
– Deducted half a star for the stiff initial cam strap and the minor alignment quirk. Otherwise, it’s nearly perfect. Enter the
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".
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. Unboxing & First Impressions When you pull the
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 | $$ | $$$ | $$ |
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?
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.