Bought a Summit Viper SD this past weekend and it came today! Wondering what kind of tips you guys have for first time climber users? Trees to look for and stay away from Tips to make climbing easier Transporting easier Must have accessories Anything else with any relevance to climbers whether it is this one or a climber period
look at third hand archery. they sell stabilizer straps for climbers that make the stand rock solid. also their footrest is nice. when i look at trees i always look for something with bark, no smooth trees for me.
The stand by itself is a great stand! I would just set it up like it tells you and learn the ropes going up and down and taking it on and off before you hit the woods with it.
Soft bark trees for climbers is a good choice,good safety belt for climbing is a must at sometime your going to need it.
oh and by all means practice with it. climb a few different kinds of trees. shoot from it, just get comfortable with it before the season starts.
make sure you have a really good safety harness that you are comfortable in. I got a vest type HSS harness and love it. The first time i went up a tree (i have a little issue with heights lol) i only went up like 10-12ft and i was like holy cow I'm way up. Next couple times i went out, i went to a different tree and ended up about 18ft up and got adjusted to it. It feels a little weird in the wind when the tree is rocking but you get used to it. Every time i go to my tree, i pass that first one and just chuckle when i look how high i actually was. By the 6 or 7th time climbing, i was even sleeping in my stand. sitting down of course
3rd Hand Archery bow holder+stabilizer straps. Molle pack straps (way more comfortable to carry). Hazmore seat (it slides back silently and gives you more room to shoot and it's super comfy) I also took the grinder to my Summit and made the teeth sharper no slippage on any tree now. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Make sure the second thing you put in your pack is a tree saw!! Oh, the first? Well make sure you use a safety harness all the way up and down. I've heard of many who say they are so contained in a climber like that one that they don't feel the need. First time it slips some on you and your butt puckers you'll know why. Some of these are repeats from above: Also, the top seat section if it does not have a ratchet type of strap to secure it in place on the tree once you reach your desired height then make sure you take one with you. A few times on older models I've stood up or bumped the seat portion and it dislodged from the tree and hit the platform. Oh and always make sure you have a tether that ties both sections together, just in case the platform slips down the tree so you can retrieve it.
Thank you for all the advice so far. I got it out of the box last night but haven't taken it outside yet. So far it is definitely intimidating! I will look into some of the third hand accessories. Please keep the tips coming!
I have a summit and i really like it. I like to have my seat adjusted all the way up so i can have the top part of the stand lower so i can make shots that are underneath me. I also had an extra summit strap and it helps keep the stand from making noise when carrying it. I put the straps around the stand like a t. The stock summit backpack straps are a little poor and dig into my shoulders, So i got some padded straps and it helped alot with long hauls.
The Third Hand stabilizer straps keep the seat attached to the foot platform, as well as keeps your seat rock solid, no slipping if you stand and bump it. A must-have if you ask me.
Don't try and climb up poplars. They really suck with a climber. I've done it but it is scary. Your normal Ash, sugar maple, work great.
Man. My climber never seemed to grip the bark well at all. Agree on the hickory. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah any slick barks are a little scary, Sycamores never get a good grip on the tree. Pine tree is probably the best kind of tree to climb.
Another vote for thirdhandarchery straps and bow holder. Not at home to send a picture but I also secured a weight belt to mine to take the weight off my shoulders for carrying on your back. Much like quality backpacks do.
