mauser06

any of you fellow bowhunters use a summit viper stand?? i have 2 cheapo lock ons, and 2 cheapo 15 foot ladder stands, but for as many spots as i hunt, and the fact i hunt state game lands ALOT and cant/wont leave a stand there, and dont really want to leave a stand on my private land thats not so private, i figured a climber is the way to go. my buddy has an older summit, open front stand but it looked comfy and easy to use when i watched him use it. i like the viper because of the front rail. im not afraid of heights..i been rockclimbing and rappeling several times, but sitting 20foot high in a tree when the crisp fall breeze is blowing can be a little scary lol. i just like to feel safe and secure. that bar would help me there, and keep me from walking off the edge of the stand if id ever get toooo excited and forget i was on a platform or anything! lol..so does anyone use a viper?? how do you like it?? pros...cons? looks like a comfy stand..easy to use...easy to climb(easier then a open stand i think you can sit on the bar and stand up, sitstand up etc to climb right?? i was going to go with a open stand just because they are cheaper, but i figured id spend the extra money for something id like and will last me a long while....just making sure its a good stand before i buy

duckdog132

i went to dicks sporting good last weekend and bought the viper clasic for $140. i have used it twice scoutingand really like it. i have used other climbers but this one is defently the best i have used. i got the clasic and not the ss viper only because i cant justify spending the extra hundred dollars for a 5 pound lighter stand. jmo. i dont know what it is about these stands that makes them feel more secure but they do and not to mention they areeasy on the butt, for long hunts/scouts. hope this helped
Jeff Smith

GMMAT

I bought a Viper last year. I felt safe in it.....but I'm giving it to my son, this year....and going with the lone wolf and the climbing sticks. Good thing is....I still have access if I need it......and it's a GREAT STAND. I don't like the rail.....but that's just personal preference.

I didn't ean to talk about other stands in your thread (You asked SPECIFICALLY about the Viper), but I thought I'd tell you WHY I was sort of switching (rail....plus the son needed a climber). I had the rhino linings stuff applied to my platform to give it better grip....plus add a little noise dampening.

Good Luck

Jeff

DougMD

The front rail is good for sitting while climbing too. I have an API with an open front, and have to stiff arm the climb. No big deal for me, except it may make you sweat compared with one with a bar. Also, if you are old or injured, you might have problems scaling a tree with an open front.

One thing to keep in mind when bowhunting, keep the seat as close as you can tothe platform while remaining comfortable. That way when you stand to shoot, you are less likely to knock the bow against the seat portion of the climber.

Amhrdwd

I use the Summit Viper X5 and love it. Like DougMD
said the front rail is good for sitting while climbing. Very secure tree stand. Easy to carry in. Easy setup, easy climbing with. I use the strap to hold it together tight when carrying so that it doesn't make noise. Info video is also very informative and good.

mobow

I LOVE my Viper. I mean, I actually LOVE it! It is sooooo easy to use. It attaches to the tree quickly and quietly, (though it does make some noise, especially if you are really in a hurry) it's very easy to ascend and decend, and man.......good luck staying awake! I would rather sit in my Viper than my Lazy Boy, and that's no lie. The one problem I do have is that it grips the tree a little too good. Sometimes when decending, you have to pull it off of the tree because the teeth have sunk in.

But, like any climber, it's fairly picky of the tree it's in. You can't just put it on any old tree, it won't work. The more uniform the better. Also make sure you start out with the stand at an incline so it can level out as you climb. Climbers aren't w/out their problems, but you'll love it too.

mauser06

thanx alot guys....thats the stand ill go with...i can get the Classic for about 140, or the SS for about 240....i dont know if the 100$ is worth the sumit skin and the minus 5lbs though. i gota dig a little deeper and see if theres any ther diffrences...that 5lbs shouldnt bother me..though i do hunt about a mile deep in a few spots...have to think about it and do a little digging and decide

thank you all for the opinions and advice. hmmm thinking about it..i have a buddy that works at dick's sporting goods and they have both the classic and SS....maybe i can get a better deal.....

duckdog132

the only other difference i seen was one was steel onewas aluminum and a little design difference on the platformbut not enough differencefor me toget the ss...every man is different. i went and spent the extra hundred bucks i saved on other hunting stuff i didnt need..