BBK Hunting Systems Treestand Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

BBK Enterprises Inc. of San Antonio, Texas, working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, voluntarily recalled about 630 BBK 10010 Tree Climbers on January 27, 2004. The climbers were sold under the BBK Hunting Systems name at retailers nationwide.

The recall covers model BBK 10010, marked on the box and on a warning label on the climber. CPSC tied the recall to a defect in the climber’s steel back brace, explained further below.

Consumers were told to stop using the climbers right away and return them to BBK or the retailer for reimbursement. The recall has not been reannounced, expanded, or terminated, and no incidents were reported when it was issued.

Latest BBK Hunting Systems Treestands Recall Updates

January 27, 2004: CPSC Announces Recall of BBK 10010 Tree Climbers

On January 27, 2004, CPSC announced that BBK Enterprises Inc. was voluntarily recalling about 630 BBK 10010 Tree Climbers [1]. The back-brace hazard is explained later on this page. No incidents had been reported at that time.

This recall carries CPSC Release # 04-071. It remains the only dated action CPSC has taken against BBK Enterprises’ small line of hunting tree climbers.

Which BBK Hunting Systems Treestands Are Affected?

The recall covers exactly one product, and no other BBK Hunting Systems model is included. Model BBK 10010 is identified by these specific details:

• Model: BBK 10010, printed on the outside of the box
• Product: BBK 10010 Tree Climber, a 2-piece climbing stand. It has a green powder coat finish, a camouflage padded seat, and an expanded metal platform.
• Warning label: a yellow label on the climber carries BBK’s name, address, and phone number
• Units: about 630 of these tree climbers were included in this specific recall
• Sold: hunting retailers nationwide, including Mattoon Rural King Supply, Johnston Seed, Everharts Sporting Goods, and Sportsradein, and BBK’s own website. The sale ran from August through October 2003 for about $90.

Anyone unsure whether a stored tree climber matches this recall can check the model number on the box. It should read BBK 10010. Checking for the yellow warning label described above works too.

Why Were the BBK Hunting Systems Treestands Recalled?

BBK 10010 Tree Climbers were recalled because the steel back brace on the tree climber can weaken and fail. That poses a serious injury hazard to the user. BBK Enterprises Inc. imported the climbers, which were manufactured in China.

The climber sold for about $90 at hunting retailers between August and October 2003. Hunters then carried it up trees for that fall season. CPSC opened Release # 04-071 once it identified the back-brace defect behind this recall.

CPSC’s recall notice names the weakening back brace as the sole reason for the recall. It does not describe a separate labeling problem or a contamination issue.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

No incidents or injuries had been reported when CPSC announced this recall. The recall notice covers the United States market and does not mention reports from other countries.

That gap does not mean the back-brace defect is low-risk on its own. CPSC opened this recall because the part can fail under normal use. No fall needed to happen first for CPSC to act.

Anyone who experienced a fall, injury, or near-collapse involving a BBK 10010 Tree Climber can still report it. CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov portal collects consumer reports on products like this one, separate from the original 2004 recall filing.

What Should Consumers Do?

Anyone with a recalled BBK 10010 Tree Climber should take these steps:

1. Stop using the climber immediately, even if it looks undamaged.
2. Photograph the climber, the model number on the box, and the yellow warning label before doing anything else with it.
3. Contact BBK Enterprises Inc. at (800) 457-6886, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or through www.bbkhuntingsystems.com, to arrange a return.
4. Return the climber to BBK or to the retail store where it was bought, for reimbursement.
5. Report any fall, injury, or product failure to CPSC through SaferProducts.gov, separate from returning the unit.
6. Keep the receipt, packaging, and any medical records if a fall already happened. That documentation can help if a legal review is useful later.

Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions

Global Manufacturing Company, doing business as API Outdoors, recalled about 5,300 climbing tree stands on October 20, 2015. One report of the cable assembly releasing and causing a fall injury prompted the action [2].

That action is unrelated to BBK Enterprises Inc. It involved a different company and a different product. The hazard was a released cable rather than a failed back brace. No foreign action tied to BBK’s climbers has turned up.

Legal Options

A legal review may be appropriate for a fall, a broken bone, or another injury. It would need to be tied to a failed climber from this recall. A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation.

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation‘s pending-MDL list shows no class action or multidistrict litigation covering treestand recalls [3]. Claims like this are evaluated individually, based on the specific product, the failure, and the injury.

Filing Deadlines

Filing deadlines for a product-injury claim come from state law, not from the recall itself. They depend on where the injured person lives and when the fall and any resulting injury happened.

Some states start the clock on the date of the injury. Others use a later date, such as when the injury was diagnosed. Missing the applicable filing deadline can end a claim even when the facts are strong.

Anyone considering a claim tied to the recalled climber should check with a lawyer promptly. The applicable window cannot be assumed from this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Was Recalled in the BBK Hunting Systems Treestand Recall Lawsuit?

BBK Hunting Systems recalled the BBK 10010 Tree Climber, a two-piece climbing stand imported by BBK Enterprises Inc. It was manufactured in China. CPSC opened the recall as Release # 04-071 after finding the climber’s steel back brace could weaken and fail.

What Is BBK’s CPSC Recall Reference Number?

BBK’s CPSC recall reference number is Release # 04-071, the identifier CPSC assigned specifically to this January 2004 action. That number is different from BBK’s own return line and from CPSC’s general reporting hotline listed below.

Was the API Outdoors Treestand Recall Related to the BBK Recall?

The API Outdoors treestand recall was not related to the BBK recall. Global Manufacturing Company took that action in October 2015. It followed one report of a broken vertebra, fractured rib, and sprained shoulder from a released cable assembly. That is a different hazard than BBK’s back brace.

Is the BBK Tree Climber Recall Still Active?

The BBK Tree Climber recall is not labeled active or closed in CPSC’s notice, which has not been terminated, expanded, or reannounced since January 27, 2004. A February 2023 archived capture of CPSC’s site showed that same notice unchanged, and no newer update has since appeared.

Is There a Deadline to Return a Recalled BBK Tree Climber?

There is no deadline in CPSC’s notice for returning a recalled BBK Tree Climber. The filing sets no expiration date on the reimbursement offer. A separate legal claim, though, can carry its own state-law deadline.

Can I Report a Problem with My BBK Climber Directly to CPSC?

Yes, you can report a problem with your BBK climber directly to CPSC’s own hotline. It takes reports on any recalled product at 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270). That line is separate from BBK Enterprises’ own return line.

References

1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2004/CPSC-BBK-Enterprises-Inc-Announce-Recall-of-Tree-Climbers
2. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Global-Manufacturing-Company-Recalls-API-Outdoors-Tree-Stands
3. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/pending-mdls-0