Climbing Stand

[tkstae]

I've been using a Summit Viper for the past couple weeks. I have a bad shoulder, and its causing me problems. Does anyone know of or use a sit down, stand up type climber. Any advice would be helpful.

[kendo kid]

tkstae,
Climbers are a love hate kinda thing. I love to sit in them and I hate to lug them. I have an old River's Edge that is 27 lb and is the heaviest SOB. But when I am in it I am very secure and never worry about detaching from the tree. It is a classic V-Bar style and it scoots up and down or around the tree as you command. You can adust to your shooting lanes up one inche or down twenty inches. The climber isn't picky. It is heavy and at 58 it is not my favorite thing to carry around.

The second climber is a North Starr. Light as a feather and you can haul it all day. Cable system which has driven me to distraction more than once as the pins do not aling always with the holes in the frame. It has huge effective teeth that grab really well. It's draw back is that it may be too light. The positive attributes of the heavy stand is that the weight works for the stand when it is on the tree. The lack of weight for the light stands work against it. The Light stands do not climb as easily and they can come detached easier.

So love hate. I love them both and hate them both. If I am doing deep wood hunts then I take the light one. Shallow fingers of creeks flanked by corn or soy, the choice is the heavy one. Where is it easy walking I take the heavy. Billy goat mountains give me the North Starr.

I hope it helps you. by the way the North Starr has a really great light fixed stand that straps to the tree. I really like that stand a lot. Same with the Cabela portable chain system stand. You put the chains on the trees and move the protable from location to location. It has male unit that fits into a female unti that is chained to the tree.

Wear a safety harness or lanyard system. Be safe and have fun.

Kendo Kid

[tkstae]

Thanks for the help. I like the hang on stands if I can put it up and leave it. I use climbing sticks to get up. Theres so much public ground close to me that its a waste to not take advantage of it, but I have to take the stand down each day or risk having it stolen. So the climber is the way to go. It's hard to believe that a man can't leave a stand in the woods. It's a terrible time we live in. I'll buy an API or Summit sit and stand climber, depending on weight and the best deal.

[icthus153]

i have an api grand slam bowhunter that i love but it is a hand climber that can get rough on the shoulders so when my dad bought one i told him to get the grand slam (not the bowhunter) he has a bad back and has partially torn a rotor cuff and still uses that stand, sit down stand up and very comfortable . i am usually too lazy to tote a stand plus i like to move throughout my hunt so i usually hunt off the ground, but if you want a climber the grand slam is a good choice

[daniele nli]

I used an API BOWUNTER GRAND SLAM for three years, i am 55 years young, it got to me to climb with my arms pulling up my body, now i use a VIPER, my 14 year old son uses my old API ( 3year old).
Shortly the API is going for sale at a decent price stay posted.
Congrats. to all that have already bagged some this season.
Daniele

[Fur & Feathers]

Hi tkstae,
I just received my first climber. I bought the Summit Viper X4. It is a lightweight sit & stand climber. My right arm is mostly paralyzed & I had ACL surgery last yr. Never thought I was a good candidate for a climber until I saw the X4 demo at a Gander Mountain opening. I have not hunted out of it yet but have been up a tree in my yard 4 or 5 times. I can do it without any trouble. The hardest part for me is getting it on & off my back. This stand may be just the ticket for you. Good luck

[tkstae]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'am going with the Summit Viper X4. Its a couple of pounds lighter than the API. My Son uses the API hand climber and I know its a good brand, but with the new features added to the Summit this year not to mention the 3 lb. difference, and the fact that I have sat in the Summit hand climber for as long as four hrs. at a time and find it very comfortable sort of has me sold. What i'd really like is the Lone wolf climber, but man what a price 350.00

[Guest]

Here is the best---the heck with the rest--18 pounds..holds 350 lbs..

just pricey--but you get what you pay for..

http://www.lonewolfstands.com/sit_climb.asp