Found a Summit climber for cheap, might use it actually.

[HuumanCreed]

Well.....good news and bad news, was in WV for family (and a little hunting). Whole family got nasty stomach virus and we stay an extra week so everyone can recover. While there I got my hand on a Summit Viper SD for almost free because previous owner ran over the top with his truck and forgot about it for years. Cables definitely need to be changed. But the bottom platform look like it is in great shape. Just the bottom scaled at 11.5 lbs. Which honestly is not that bad, and I realized I'm ok with some weight for those under a mile hunt. The open area that I plan to hunt with it has a lot of straight trees. I'm really attracted to how much room the bottom platform has. Shooting from the saddle is honestly one of my weakest point. I always said that I'll never use a climber again, but I might do some hybrid method for next season.

 

[MattMan81]

Well.....good news and bad news, was in WV for family (and a little hunting). Whole family got nasty stomach virus and we stay an extra week so everyone can recover. While there I got my hand on a Summit Viper SD for almost free because previous owner ran over the top with his truck and forgot about it for years. Cables definitely need to be changed. But the bottom platform look like it is in great shape. Just the bottom scaled at 11.5 lbs. Which honestly is not that bad, and I realized I'm ok with some weight for those under a mile hunt. The open area that I plan to hunt with it has a lot of straight trees. I'm really attracted to how much room the bottom platform has. Shooting from the saddle is honestly one of my weakest point. I always said that I'll never use a climber again, but I might do some hybrid method for next season.

I sold a summit I had before I got into saddle hunting. Kinda wish I never sold it. But not enough I want to buy another.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I would definitely replace the cables and give it a really good looking over. That said, give it a try. Make sure you have it connected to you, so the platform doesn't drop out on you at some inopportune time.

I used Summits for quite a while and drug them all over that old lease I was in. They are still the go to option for most people around here who hunt mobile.

 

[brydan]

I bought an older Summit Open Shot one time at this ladies boutique shop kinda place. I was driving down the road and saw it sitting on the front porch so I went in to ask how much it was and the old lady that owned the place said she didn't know what it was (other than it was for hunting), it was just part of some stuff she got at an estate sale. She asked if I'd take it for $40...I didn't have the heart to offer her less

 

[mschultz373]

I heard a story of a cat in Georgia climbing in his summit around midnight, getting 40’ up in a pine, and shooting a monster buck in the morning. So, get after it!

 

[Center Punch]

Pics of cables, please.

Unless they're rusted beyond belief, you should be able to replace the shrink tubing.

 

[Exhumis]

That’s a great climber. I sold mine to fund my saddle purchase, kinda wish I hadn’t sold it. Get a hazmore net seat. You won’t regret it. Like a hammock for your rear parts and when you stand up it just slides out the way giving you even more room.

 

[HuumanCreed]

That’s a great climber. I sold mine to fund my saddle purchase, kinda wish I hadn’t sold it. Get a hazmore net seat. You won’t regret it. Like a hammock for your rear parts and when you stand up it just slides out the way giving you even more room.

So the upper was definitely ran over by a truck. I'll take pictures later but I'm not sure how confident l am in using it even if I'm able to bend the aluminum back to the original shape. I'm actually thinking of cutting off the rail section and turning it into an open shot model. Not a metallurgist, but from what l understand aluminum get weak and snap, steel stretches.

 

[Westfale]

Forget about bending back the aluminum and go for the open shot.
Or just take the platform.
If the frame breaks, it will be under load of your body. And the torn ends of the frame will be sharp.

 

[Exhumis]

So the upper was definitely ran over by a truck. I'll take pictures later but I'm not sure how confident l am in using it even if I'm able to bend the aluminum back to the original shape. I'm actually thinking of cutting off the rail section and turning it into an open shot model. Not a metallurgist, but from what l understand aluminum get weak and snap, steel stretches.

Ah it’s like run over run over. I figured just kinda clipped it. Bummer.

 

[MJH]

Well.....good news and bad news, was in WV for family (and a little hunting). Whole family got nasty stomach virus and we stay an extra week so everyone can recover. While there I got my hand on a Summit Viper SD for almost free because previous owner ran over the top with his truck and forgot about it for years. Cables definitely need to be changed. But the bottom platform look like it is in great shape. Just the bottom scaled at 11.5 lbs. Which honestly is not that bad, and I realized I'm ok with some weight for those under a mile hunt. The open area that I plan to hunt with it has a lot of straight trees. I'm really attracted to how much room the bottom platform has. Shooting from the saddle is honestly one of my weakest point. I always said that I'll never use a climber again, but I might do some hybrid method for next season.

I hunted out of a summit for several years and thought it was great. Then I started saddle hunting, and it has sat unused for 5 years now. This past fall, I took the climber up to my moose hunt with the intention of setting it up in one spot as an option - and then to use my saddle and various ground positions elsewhere. I sat in the climber 2 or three times, and I just couldn't get over the restriction it imposed on my movement. I had forgotten. I won't be using again (as a complete unit)

 

[Halfstep]

I have a Summit Clearshot. The Clearshot is a newer version of their original design. It has the seat mounted to the bottom platform and the hand climber is just strictly a hand climber. I bought it new around 05 or 06 and put lots of miles on it. I will not sell it has I still use it from time to time. I like the concept of a climber and it is a great option for me in the environment I hunt. But as I get older, the climber gets heavier, so I have made the switch to the lightweight and mobile saddle hunting equipment as my primary method.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I would replace the cables regardless. They are like $60. That's pretty cheap insurance. You don't know what kind of life those had before you got it. One of my friends has had two falls while hunting. The first one was from some random 2x4 home build treestand that fell out from under him. He was beat up but not seriously injured. After that he started wearing a safety harness and staying hooked up. The second fall was from his brother's Summit climber. He was about 10 or 12 feet into the climb when the top cable snapped, and he went backwards. Luckily, he was tethered to the tree and got a little skinned up. His brother left that climber out in the woods 24/7/365 and water had gotten in the rubber cable covers and allowed the cable to rust through. He now hunts off the ground exclusively.

 

[tylerray378]

Used a summit viper several times this year. Got one from a buddy for cheap and upgraded it with new pads, cables, camo hockey tape, and a hazemore seat. I still love one sticking and being in a saddle, but boy do I like the comfort and quick climb of the summit. I second the comment on getting a hazemore seat. Also, once the season is over I’m going to cut the bar off the front to make it open shot style also.

 

[BuffaloBill]

I picked up a steel Viper recently for cheap. It’s a bulk heavy beast. But I replaced the stock seat with a Hazmore and added the Thirdhand stabilizer straps. Wouldn’t carry it real far. I think adding some molle shoulder straps and waist belt would make it manageable.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I picked up a steel Viper recently for cheap. It’s a bulk heavy beast. But I replaced the stock seat with a Hazmore and added the Thirdhand stabilizer straps. Wouldn’t carry it real far. I think adding some molle shoulder straps and waist belt would make it manageable.

They are heavy (28 to 30 pounds) but from experience putting a good set of molle straps and a waist belt makes it a lot better. It was usually the width that made them hard to manage walking through the woods for me. They can be set up very quietly with practice. The real thing to look out for it when installing the cables about a tree and working the cables into the tubes. There is a lot of potential for metal on metal noise. With practice it is doable. I used one quite a bit, but they would make my back and shoulders really sort after a while. The actual climbing noise is ok. I think I have had deer come in to investigate the sound of climbing and crunching bark.

 

[GreginPA]

hmmm, maybe I should sell mine to you guys lol

 

[Center Punch]

So the upper was definitely ran over by a truck. I'll take pictures later but I'm not sure how confident l am in using it even if I'm able to bend the aluminum back to the original shape. I'm actually thinking of cutting off the rail section and turning it into an open shot model. Not a metallurgist, but from what l understand aluminum get weak and snap, steel stretches.

Of course, you can do as you like, but I would still like to see pics of the cables with the shrink-tubing removed.
If they aren't rusted and haven't been damaged from being run over, then they can be kept for backup.
I personally have three Summit Platforms and two extra sets of cable w/ new shrink-tubing. All ready to go.
All my tree stands are kept indoors unless they're in the truck or out in the woods with me.

To quiet down the cable interaction of your Summit Stand, some Stealth Strip on top where the cable drops into the slot, and some para-cord wrapped where the cable would hit the metal prior to entering the internal channel will quiet that whole area down. There's also a small rectangular cut just inside the lower part of the channel which cuts the hell out of the shrink-tubing. I covered that with a couple layers of tape. That seems to have helped quite a bit.

Another modification I made was on the cables themselves. At the end of each cable is a length of cable extending beyond the last lug.
When climbing skinny enough trees, that Pig-Tail would poke out of the channel of my Open Shot and catch on my Turkey Vest and torso while climbing. Very annoying.

The Fix?
After wrapping the cutting area in electrical tape, I'd cut a few inches off that tail - while still leaving 3-4" of pig-tail past the last lug. No more cable poking me.

The NEXT cable modification to alleviate excessive noise is to affix a valve stem cap which is typically used on all bicycles, motorcycles, and automobiles.
I affixed this cap with the shrink-tubing and it stays put just fine.

To save a little money on shrink tubing, I don't remove the shrink-tubing in the big area that loops around the tree. I only replace the tubing where the lugs are.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[brydan]

Also, once the season is over I’m going to cut the bar off the front to make it open shot style also.

That’s basically what the old Summit Cobra was, a Viper without the cross bar. That’s my favorite Summit ever, old style aluminum flip tabs, Hazmore seat, and the padded seat with quick release buckles. Hazmore seat during bow season. Bungee it back and put in the padded seat for gun season. Very versatile.

 

[EricS]

I’ve got a 180 max. I climbed a lot of trees with it over the years but it hasn’t been used at all since I got serious about saddle hunting. The webbing on the seat is falling apart and while I’d like to replace it I’m afraid it’ll be dry rotted before it gets used again.