Forgive me for coming late to the party

[slabchaser]

Ive never had a climber but I broke down and bought one to hunt some metro property. I got a Viper SD. Ive used it twice now and I feel like I have been waisting the last couple years.

Pros:Light, carries well, light, comfortable, light, super easy to use, and I don't know if I mentioned this or not but it is so light.

Cons:Still looking

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Climbers are great. Only Con I can come up with is sometimes it's tough to find a tree that it'll work in where you want to be.

[Powerstroke]

Need to find perfect trees. Branches require trimming.

[Pooh]

I got my first decent climber this year also. I bought a Gorilla Greyback. Its a little on the heavy side, but with the right pack straps easliy carried 1/2 to 3/4 mile. Between my stand and pack, which I strap to the stand to carry in and out, my gear minus the bow weighs in at about 35lbs. I love it, its comfy and easy to climb. the biggest drawback I see in it is thats is not the quietest climbing stand to climb or pack, but like how flat it folds for an inexpensive stand, but price was right. Some day I will take the dive and buy a higher quality stand. As for now it works and like you wish I would have bought on sooner.

[Toba]

I bought a treewalker climber this year and it is my first climber as well. I am wondering why I didn't have one before now. I also hunt areas that are heavy with tree that work well, but the stand is 18lbs and is roomy as well. This has opened up my hunting opportunities. Great purchase I know have 3 ladder stands and a hang on to store until I get my own land to put them on and not worry about taking them down.

[mnguy152]

depends on the property I love my climber at ripley now think may need to bring hang on too

[Bran32]

I also bought a Treewalker this year and I love it!! Had never got a deer with the bow and on my second time out with the climber I nailed a nice doe!! Just had my mom come up from Colorado and she had to try the treewalker out; 59 years old and she went right up the tree!!

[huntnfish]

I was borrowing an API bowhunter climber and liked using the climber so yesterday I bit the bullet and bought a Viper SD. By far the most comfortable stand I have ever sat in. Took it out last night and sat for 4 hours and never once had to adjust to get comfortable. Mine did do a little creaking which was disapointing. The tree I was in required the cables to be as tight as possible and I don't know if that had something to do with it but Im going to try again this week and see what I find.

[mabr]

I just got the viper SD as well and noticed the same creak. But I think its coming from the seat. It bothered me so I searched on you t--- and may have found the solution ( I hope) this guy mentioned putting the bungie cords for the seat back lower than you would think. Like at about where the cable hits the tree. Putting it higher makes it creak. Havent tried it yet but Im hoping it works.

The only other complaint I might have is in climbing. Maybe my legs arent long enough (5'8")but again watching the videos your supposed to sit on the guard rail correct? It feels way to far out for me to climb like that. I ended up sitting in the seat and climbing, awkward but it worked. Am I missing something, Ive used ALOT of climbers in the past and where you usually sit is not as far away from the tree as the Viper is. Thoughts?

[huntnfish]

I thought the climbing was easy once I figured out that I had the seat section tipped too high but I am a bit taller at 6'3". I didn't realize that it was tipped too high until I got to the height I wanted to be at. It was a much easier climb down than up after I discovered that. I will check the seat next time I take it out. It would be nice to figure out what is causing the sound and eliminate it. Even with the squeak I a very happy with the stand. It will be nice for the all day sits coming up in November.

[rbs]

Is it the seat or is it where the teeth go into the tree. My viper has done it but it was that the paint on the teeth were squeeking. I took a file to the teeth and no more squeeks. I just bought the blade and that was the first thing I did to it...even before I put it on the tree. Look up third hand archery on the net. He has some awesome side straps for making the climber rock solid when in it.

[NELS-BELLS]

rbs - you beat me to it. When I bought my Summit 5 years ago, I think the manual said that you should file the paint off the teeth, only where it touches the tree, if there is any creaking noises. I did it to mine before I even tried it for the first time, just to make sure. It has never made a sound.

Nels

[huntnfish]

Is it the seat or is it where the teeth go into the tree. My viper has done it but it was that the paint on the teeth were squeeking. I took a file to the teeth and no more squeeks.

I will give that a try. Thanks. There was some sound there also. Must have been too excited and not read everything.

[tracker x-2]

Guess im coming to the party late aswell just bought a summit climber yesterday.

Thanks for the ideas on silenting them. One quick question do you guys carry some sort of saw with you cut off limbs or just avoid cutting in the morning?

Any other tricks or tips would be appriciated.

[DooWap]

I always pack a small folding saw with trimming. Might not hurt to bring pruners too.

I bought the side bags for my Summit climber this weekend so I don't have to bring a backpack as well. That was one thing that always bugged me about the climber. I'll have to see how these work.

[rbs]

After I attach my Viper to the tree I fold the seat up in a "V" and put my sierra saw in that "V" and that way when you are going up the tree you can just reach down and grab it and cut the limbs as you go.

I bought 2 fanny packs from walmart and cut the straps off and zip tied them to the sides of the upper section. I think they were only $5 a piece or so. They are great because all the stuff in my pack that was small goes in there, release, rope, knife, bow hanger, saw, etc.

I also bought a can of "Great Stuff Foam" and a 3' chunk of clear hose to fill the tubes with foam (not the cable tubes) so mine are just like having the new "SD" (Sound Deadening) versions.

Another thing I did was to go on e bay and order Molle II pack straps for packing the stand in. They were $30 but worth every penny on the trip into the woods.

If you look at Third Hand Archery on the net you will also see the side straps I have on mine. They work awesome! You will not have to worry about your top section moving when you get up at all. It is basically held firm by your weight on the bottom platform.

I know it seems like alot of things to do to a stand but every time I buy something I always have to tinker with it. It is just my way I guess. You can also just hunt with it the way it is also....lol

[Meat-Run]

RBS this is exactly what I've been looking for. I'm tired of trying to screw in bow hangers, and excessory hooks and steps just to hang my back pack and quiver thanks for sharing.

mr

[rbs]

Its alot of "extras" but well worth it. I use the small front pockets in the fanny packs to hold my rope for my bow and also a pack if I bring one in.

[Pooh]

I also just addd a set of molle straps to my gorilla. WOW is that a difference. I saw a military surplus store in central MN and stopped in. 2 zip ties and its attached, best 15 bucks I spent on that stand. Im wating for wally world to have after season sales to look at some bags to attach to mine so I dont need a pack. I also want to do the foam thing to mine. Which foam did u use, just the regular red can great stuff?

[rbs]

yep the red can super expanding. I actually drilled a hole in both ends of the cross bars for your feet to get them also. It makes a BIG difference. Just be careful that the long piece of clear plastic tubing that you buy doesn't come shooting off...makes a HUGE mess! lol...experience!

[Meat-Run]

I did just that, I used the red can to fill my tubes haven't had time to test it out and put on a bow holder that i had sitting around.

Great ideas on here thanks guys.

mr

[huntnfish]

I need to do something for storage on the sides. I normally just use a large fanny pack if I'm close to the vehicle but during rifle season I plan to sit all day and will need more space for lunch, ect. I didn't think the shoulder straps were too bad but I only carried it for about a half mile. I looked at those stabilizer straps and they just looked to me like the strap that hold the 2 pieces together for carrying. Is there more to them?

[hollerman]

Climbers are great for mobility and hunting new areas, but a little to noisy climbing in and out of a tree you hunt in regularily. My regular go to spots I want to get in and out as quietly as possible and it can't be done with a climber.

[rbs]

What the stabilizer straps do is they hold pressure down on the top section. If you put the stand on a tree and after you get to your height you put the green strap around the top section and tree like it says in Summits directions, then bump the top section up once. You will see that it will move around. The stabilizer straps make it rock solid! Also if you go to your farm stores etc you can find straps that you can modify for this same purpose. When I am packing my stand up I use the straps to cinch everything up tight together, strap my pack on etc.

The backpack straps that come with it are fine if you are only carrying the stand in. If you strap a pack with 15# or more of clothes and stuff in it then they are very uncomfortable.

Oh and also about them being loud...I guarantee that if you have to bring in a stand and pegs or sticks that you will be just as loud as I will be setting and climbing with my climber. I have it down to a science to be as quiet as possible. If I try to do things fast...thats when I make noise! If I take it slow I am very quiet.

[hookjunior]

I'm just joining the party too. After looking at them for past few seasons I finally pulled the trigger on a summit viper sd. Boy am I glad I did, It is by far the most comfortable stand that I've ever sat in. Granted It doesn't work in as many trees has a hang on stand would but it sure is a lot faster when there is a tree that works. I definitely need to look into new shoulder straps for it though.