Hey guys, just ordered the summit viper ultra from cabelas and was needing some general tips. I'm a first time treestand user so i'm just curious about the best harness to use. Also i've noticed that some people have done some modifications to quiet it down and improve grip and i'm wondering what seems to have worked best with everyone. Any information that you could provide would be great as I'm a little intimidated. Thanks
Don't mean to hijack you thread, but I also just purchased a summit viper ultra, and I was wondering if people recommend putting on the footrest or if it is unnecessary bulk?
if you read the description on cabelas page, it does say it includes the foot rest....foot rest is so comfy....
I use a Muddy harness. Its lightweight, easy to use, everything you want in a harness. www.gomuddy.com As for the footrest, I put it on mine. I like it personally. It makes it a little more comfortable on my knees. Is it needed? No, but it is a nice luxury.
Shouldn't need to sharpen the teeth much you'll find it'll been solid right out of the box. Be careful of metal on metal contact when setting up. Also once you get the bottom attached to the tree you don't want it to be flat you want it going up at an angle most of the time trees will get skinner as you go up so adjust accordingly. Do a search on YouTube its better to get a visual ... if possible avoid smooth bark trees as your more likely to slip, and after each move upward shift your weight back to dig the teeth even better! I own a viper myself I have never had any problems at all! That's all I have for now just be careful and calculate every move.
I have had my viper for 8 years now and wouldn't own anything else. 1. make sure botom of seat is at an angle when attaching around tree 2. make sure that the safety rope from the top to bottom piece is always in good shape. ( have had the bottom fall and the line break you will only let this happen once) that is the only advice I can give, the stand is extremely quiet and haven't had to make any real adjustments to the stand. other than replacing the seat, cables.
Most harnesses are adjustable. In the early season, I put it on over my clothes. Late season, I'll put it on over my base layers and put my jacket on over it once I get set up. As far as the Summit stands, I have the Viper as well, and love everything about it. Its quiet, secure and I am always comfortable up there. I opted not to put on the foot rest because I like having the extra room on the stand being 6'5.
Sounds like i made a good choice on this stand. Does the harness it comes with work ok or will i want to invest in a vest type? Also. It comes with a screw in type ez-hanger. Are those okay? Guess i want to be as comfy as poss
I took the footrest off this season because I bent the crap out of it, it was nice but really not missed. I put non slip tape on the base, not that slipping was an issue but my rubber boots seemed to squeak when wet against the paint. Other than that the teeth from the factor eat in quite well, I wouldn't ever both sharpening like I've heard some suggest at times. The only other thing I've done is put a bow holder on it, it's nice to be able to have your bow out of your hands from time to time. As for harness, I used the harness furnished by summit, you should get one with the stand. Great stand!
I was just about to ask the same. Which bow holder would you recommend that attaches directly to the stand?
Not to hijack the thread but has anyone tried out the Summit Blade SD? Is it worth the extra weight being that it folds completely flat? Also looking at the Razor and the Viper. I can't decide which one would be best... Leaning towards the Blade as its suppose to be a upgrade to the Viper.
I've been using Summit stands for years and unless something ground breaking comes out, don't see changing. There are lots of little things you can do to these stands to make them better, or better fit your needs. Here is a list of what I've done with mine. 1. Buy that footrest kit. It really does make for a more comfortable sit, especially if you plan on doing any all dayers. 2. Buy a roll of that non slip tap and put it on the rungs. I've also put it on the section where my feet go as I'm climbing (the outer rail) I figured it can't hurt and will help reduce noise in that area. 3. Get a good bow holder. I don't care much for the hanger styles you have to screw into the tree and its one less thing you have to do once you climb. 3. Get a couple cans of the spray foam and fill the tubes with it. It really does help greatly reduce noise. Just becareful with that stuff, its messy and expands EVERYWHERE. DO NOT take your cables out when you do this. If you do, the foam will end up in those tubes and then you'll have issues. 4. Instead of using that green strap to secure the seat to the tree, go buy a set of Lone Wolf Stabilizer straps. They cost about 10.00 a set and really do a great job of locking the stand to the tree. Plus, it doubles as the umbilical cord that keeps the plateform from falling down the tree. Again, once less thing. 5. If you're feeling really ambitious in the off-season, you can paint the stand a bit to help break up its outline. Here is mine http://autumn-encounters.blogspot.com/2011/06/pre-season-project-one.html 6. Pad everywhere the stand makes contact with itself while packing or unpacking it. This will help reduce metal on metal noise. 7. Get a gear retracter that you use to pull your bow up the tree. I like the Strapper Retriever brand. I took mine apart, drilled a couple holes in the base plate, put zip ties through it and put it back together. Then, I just strapped it fast to the side of my seat section of the climber. Now, its always right where I need it as I climb, never leave it at home and reels up once I get into the stand. 8. Practice in your back yard. Get used to it. Practice at night, in the dark so you know what to expect when you get into the woods with it. After a while, it will become second nature and you'll get good at it. 8. Finally, the most important thing. Wear a safety harness. Use the one that came with the stand or buy a better one. I know, they're at least $100, but hospital and funeral bills are much more expensive.
