API Outdoors Treestand Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

API Outdoors, the hunting tree stand brand made by Global Manufacturing Company, has been the subject of three separate recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The newest, announced October 20, 2015, covered the GCL300-A “Marksman” climbing tree stand.

Roughly 5,300 of the model year 2014 stands, marked with batch numbers 9G-0114 or 9G-0614, were included. CPSC said the stand’s cable assembly could release, dropping the hunter and posing a fall hazard.

Owners should stop using an affected stand right away and contact Global Manufacturing Company for a free replacement cable. CPSC has not published a closure notice, so the recall remains ongoing.

Latest API Outdoors Treestands Recall Updates

October 20, 2015: Global Manufacturing Company Recalls the Marksman

Global Manufacturing Company’s CPSC Recall No. 16-013 covered about 5,300 model year 2014 API Outdoors climbing tree stands, sold as model GCL300-A (“The Marksman”) with batch numbers 9G-0114 and 9G-0614 [1].

CPSC said the cable assembly was found able to release. The company had received one report of it releasing. That report described a broken vertebra, fractured rib and sprained shoulder. Owners could get a no-cost cable replacement.

October 30, 2002: API Outdoors Recalls Cable Cat and Buckmaster Stands

API Outdoors, then a division of Outland Sports Inc., issued CPSC Release No. 03-027, recalling about 9,000 Hi-Point Cable Cat and Buckmaster Grand Slam climbing tree stands [2].

CPSC said the securing cable was found able to break. The company had received two reports of a cable breaking. In one, a hunter fell and suffered leg abrasions. Owners could get a no-cost replacement chain.

September 11, 2000: API Outdoors Recalls 54,000 Treestands and Treeseats

API Outdoors’ CPSC Release No. 00-179 recalled 54,000 treestands and treeseats, including the Alum-I-Lok, Pro-Lock and Bobcat Treeseat lines [3]. The seat on these models could collapse and drop the hunter to the ground.

CPSC and API Outdoors said they knew of no injuries at that time. The recall was issued to prevent a fall before one happened. Owners could get a no-cost repair for each affected item.

Which API Outdoors Treestands Are Affected?

Three separate recalls cover the following API Outdoors climbing tree stands, ladder stands and treeseats:

• Model GCL300-A “The Marksman” climbing tree stand, model year 2014, batch numbers 9G-0114 and 9G-0614 (2015 recall); the batch number is on a tag on the frame below the seat
• API Hi-Point Cable Cat Climbing Treestand, model CC501 (2002 recall), identified by a yellow “WARNING” label on the frame
• API Buckmaster Grand Slam Climbing Treestand, model GS3800BM (2002 recall), identified by a yellow “DANGER” label on the frame
• Alum-I-Lok treestand (model AL50), Alum-I-Lok Original (model AL100), and Alum-I-Lok Magnum (model AL100M) (2000 recall), each identified by a yellow-and-black label with the model number on the platform
• Pro-Lock treestand (model AL050P) and Pro-Lock Magnum (model AL100MR) (2000 recall), also identified by a yellow-and-black label with the model number on the platform
• Bobcat Treeseat, model AL910 (2000 recall), labeled on the attachment belt below the seat

Why Were the API Outdoors Treestands Recalled?

API Outdoors treestands were recalled because a key part could give way during normal use. Depending on the model, that part was the seat, the securing cable, or the cable assembly, and it could drop the hunter.

In 2000, CPSC said the treestand and treeseat seats could collapse. In 2002, the cable that secures a climbing stand to the tree could break.

In 2015, the newer GCL300-A’s cable assembly could release entirely, letting the platform fall while the hunter was still on it.

Each defect was reported as the reason for that specific recall, separate from the fall injuries some incidents later caused. No cause beyond the mechanical failure itself was cited in any of the three notices.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

The 2015 recall followed a single report: the cable assembly gave way, and the person suffered a fractured rib, a sprained shoulder and a broken vertebra. Global Manufacturing Company received that report before CPSC announced the recall.

The 2002 recall followed two reports involving the securing cable, and one hunter fell from a stand and suffered leg abrasions. The 2000 recall predated any injury report to CPSC or API Outdoors.

These figures include only the incidents each notice describes. They do not represent a full count of every fall linked to these tree stands. A report alone is not proof the product caused a given injury.

What Should Consumers Do?

Anyone who owns a recalled API Outdoors stand or treeseat should take the following steps:

1. Stop using the stand or treeseat immediately and check its model number or batch tag against the recalled list above.
2. For the 2015 recall (GCL300-A), call Global Manufacturing Company at 888-393-9611, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit apioutdoor.com for a free replacement cable.
3. For the 2002 or 2000 recalls, contact API Outdoors’s original phone line, (800) 228-4846, or CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov if you cannot reach the company.
4. Report any tree stand fall or equipment failure to CPSC through SaferProducts.gov, even if the model is not listed here.
5. If a fall or injury already happened, keep the stand, the cable or seat hardware, and any medical records.
6. Wear a full-body harness during every climb and replace it after any fall, following CPSC’s treestand safety guidance [4].

Legal Options

A legal review may help if an API Outdoors climbing stand or treeseat failed and caused a fall, injury or other harm to the hunter.

A recall does not automatically mean a company is at fault. Courts often weigh product-liability, negligence or failure-to-warn claims, asking whether the stand was safe for normal hunting use.

The JPML‘s Pending MDL Dockets report lists no treestand-related docket among the pending multidistrict actions, so a claim would currently move forward on its own [5].

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for a treestand injury claim are set by state law, not by this page. They depend on where you live and when the fall or injury happened.

A claim filed after that window usually cannot move forward, no matter how strong the underlying facts are. Anyone considering a legal review after a treestand fall should speak with a lawyer promptly to learn the deadline that applies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many API Outdoors Treestands Have Been Recalled in Total?

In total, about 68,300 API Outdoors tree stands and treeseats have been recalled. That count spans three CPSC actions: about 54,000 in September 2000, about 9,000 in October 2002, and about 5,300 in October 2015.

What Kind of Harness Should Hunters Use to Prevent Treestand Falls?

The harness hunters should use to prevent treestand falls is a Treestand Manufacturers’ Association-approved full-body harness worn during every climb. A single-strap or waist-type belt can cause strangulation in a fall, and CPSC recommends replacing the harness after any fall.

What Injuries Can Result from a Tree Stand Fall?

A tree stand fall can cause serious injury or death. That same CPSC publication found 41 tree stand-related deaths and an estimated 19,000 injuries nationwide over a three-year period. Most falls happen near the platform.

Is There a Class Action or MDL Involving API Outdoors Treestands?

No class action or multidistrict litigation involving API Outdoors tree stands appears on the JPML’s Pending MDL Dockets report, dated September 1, 2026. An injury claim would proceed as an individual case instead.

Where Were the Recalled API Outdoors Treestands Made?

The recalled API Outdoors treestands were made in more than one place. The 2015-recalled GCL300-A was manufactured in China, and the 2002-recalled Cable Cat and Buckmaster models were made in Tallulah, Louisiana.

Where Should Correspondence About an Older API Outdoors Recall Be Sent?

Correspondence about an older API Outdoors recall – the 2000 or 2002 action – can be mailed to the company’s original address, 602 Kimbrough Dr., Tallulah, LA 71282, as listed on CPSC’s recall notices for those years. The current 2015 recall uses the Global Manufacturing Company contact listed above instead.

References

1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Global-Manufacturing-Company-Recalls-API-Outdoors-Tree-Stands
2. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2002/cpsc-api-outdoors-announce-recall-of-hunting-treestands
3. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2000/cpsc-api-outdoors-announce-recall-of-hunting-treestands-and-treeseats
4. https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/pdfs/blk_pdf_5200.pdf
5. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Pending_MDL_Dockets_By_MDL_Number-September-1-2026.pdf