Does anybody have any thoughts or experience with climbers. I have been looking at the summitt viper stand, but have always been skeptical of climbing stands. It sure does seem alot easier than fixed stands. :coffee:
had my summit 10 yrs...safe if you use your brain.
I have used climbing stands over the yearsd and just like any other kind of stand, you need to pay attention and follow good rules when climbing and standing.
My first climber was called a "Profane" stand---I guess it was the first of the climbers. It later became the "Baker" climbing stand. It was first called the "Profane" stand in advertisements becausze supposedly when anyone saw you climb a tree with it, they'd say "will, I'll be d*****!" First time I used that stand I killed my first nice buck from it within about 45 minutes of going up a tree.
Use a safety harness/belt by all means.
Joe
I have hunted from climbers since 1980. Pine trees are very noisey to climb up or down and you have to keep your back off the tree while sitting so you don't get sap on you or flake bark off.
Use trees with a rough texture like an oak, hockory or something like that. Trees with slick trunks can cause your stand to slip.
The best stand that I have found is the Equalizer. The ability to level the stand as you climb is priceless to me. Every other stand that I have used requires you to readjust the cables, bars, chains or whatever while off the ground by disengaging them adjust and then reengageing them.
Use a fall arrest harness everytime reguardless of what type of stand you use.
Have some sense about what and how you climb and they are as safe as any other stand, maybe more so. I attach my harness to the tree and push it up as I climb. You are secured from the moment you leave the ground.
Don't climb wet or icey trees. Take your time.
It's all relative, some people get very nervous going above the ground, thereby heightening the potential safety problems. I think they are very safe and have predominately used them when hunting the last 14 years. I have hunted very often during those years and have never had a bad problem.
I have used summit stands in the past but don't use them anymore as I have found other stands that suite my needs more.
Though in the past I never used a safety harness, as I thought they were too restricting, and I felt very sturdy in my stands and still do, I always use one now since I am getting older and my sense of balance isn't what it use to be.
I think the only advantage a climber has over a fixed stand is that one can go to different spots at a moments notice. That advantage has been minimized quite a bit by the new lighter more sturdy fixed stands, along with the safer more sturdy and easily used climbing sticks.
I presently only have two climbers, very sturdy and comfortable top of the line both of them are.
I will probably never get rid of them even though I mostly use a fixed stand with sticks now as I find them more adaptable, lighter, and if I decide not to hunt from a tree they are carried easily or taken off my back at a moments notice when stalking, and I don't have to settle for a second place tree when it comes to location.
Hope this helps
P.S. I had to add this in, I agree with Pac's statement. I have found that the Equalizer treestand is the most convenient and sturdy of the stands I have used.
You never hear about climbers letting go and somebody falling to the ground, it always seems to be a strap or cable breaking on a fixed stand. So....I say they are safe. Mine hasnt let me down (pardon the pun!) in 15 years of using them. Be sure every time you make a move upward or downward that the stand is dug in and posistioned correctly and you wont have issues.
I find they're as safe as the operator. The Summit Viper is a solid stand and you can probably take a nap in one without falling out (I have one). However the Viper has been hanging in the garage ever since I bought a Lone Wolf hand climber several years ago.
Always use a safety harness.
P.S.
I have a Lone Wolf as well, they dont get any better. I have owned most all of the major brands over the years.
Not very safe at all without a "Safety Harness ON"!
WEAR IT and their great. jmo :thumbsup: :p
yes they are safe the summits are rock solid. I did have a major issue with my lone wolf but it had nothing to do with sliding down or coming off the tree it tope sit portion folded flat on me this year just about taking my finger off! it was a brand new stand and i have plenty of experince the stands are now made in china the sit and climb wide uses a plastic bracket that non of the others use but i still say climbers are safe
I am apprehensive with heights but can use a climber. Just use common sense and NEVER NEVER use one without a GOOD harness fullbody or vest. No hunt is worth life or limb. Your loved ones will thank you.
Magnus
I love my climber. They are as safe as the operator. Check cable, straps, wear the safety harness at ALL times and replace anything that looks frayed, rotted.
I tell our bowhunting students to imagine they are going to let their husband, girlfriend, wife, children etc use the stand. Would you let them use the stand as is. people are worth more than a few bucks for a cable, strap etc.
I was really afraid of heights before i got my Summit. Now I have no problem going up to hunting height and I am quite comfortable.
Give one a try , they have their place and are a good tool in the right situation.
There was a climber that was state of the art around 10 or 15 years ago. It was endorsed by an ex football great. I had the most thick comfortable seat ever! I never owned this stand but borrowed and hunted out of it a bunch of times. It would hold you on the tree by leverage between smooth rubber pads that were a bit slippery on smooth barked trees, especially if a little wet. If climbers have a reutation as being unsafe I'll bet that stand had something to do with it. Ive slipped on smoothbarked trees like beeches while coming down and gone down a few feet in a hurry!! SCARY STUFF! I was a fool and never used to wear a safty harness then either. I never go up a tree without one now. I saved up a couple bucks 3 years ago and bought a lone wolf hand climber and i cant imagine feeling any safer in a tree! I love it! It was +/- $325 then but condiering how much time Im in the thing, how little it weighs, how thin it packs, and the fact that I'll probably hunt the thing forever i can justify the price.
I have used a climber since the mid 70's with only a few problems that were self induced. Tie your stand to your climber, bungy off both when you get to your hunting height and always use a saftey harness.
They are as safe as any other product out there, most accidents, but not all, are usually the fault of the operator in some way. ALWAYS wear a safety harness with any stand! Before I take my viper out I carefully inspect each and every inch of that stand from the cables to the welds and anything in between. Make sure you practice and understand how the stand works before you go out on your first hunt. Read the owners manual! And don't forget that safety harness!
Rodney
I agree with most folks, I have a Lone Wolf, I think climbers are the safest thing around. You can be attached to the tree from the moment your feet leave the ground.
Too many accidents occur with people climbing up and down fixed stands. Very rarely do stands fail or someone just looses their balance while in a stand.
With fixed stands, once you climb up then attach your safety harness, you have already assumed 95% of the risk, so why bother putting on a safety harness. Ladder stands would be he exception to this theory tough.
Anyway, you asked if climbing stands are safe, the answer in my opinion is yes. However they do take some getting used to. If you buy one, the first time you put it in a tree you will probably hate it.
as long as you use a harness and a haul line for your gear they are great!JMHO
Climbers are safe until you have a wreck. They take awhile to get used to. Safety harness might be a good thing.
I'm not going to name a anything other than the brand I use ,But I have tried them all rather hand ,Or sit and climb ,And some of the others the one I use now I would not replace or have any other if I was going to be in a tree .
I was hunting on my land yesterday, I was noticing how many straight white oak trees I have and I thought this is the best option I have a climber
The one I'm using is called "Treewalker "
At first I was worried about if it would do damage to the tree ,It does not .I use a muddy safety harness ,Doesn't even feel like you got the thing on .But when you purchase it, it comes with two climbing belts and a tether And a deer drag .
As far as the climbing stand I spent from 12:00 noon to 7:30 PM in one tree Yesterday ,And I did fall asleep for a while .It is really comfortable .I use no foot straps, The climbing stand is designed with bars right in it for your feet .It is balanced so that when you put your feet in it and pull up the other in automatically goes up .I am up the tree in about 5 minutes .And I am not huffing and puffing when I get there .The seat is wedding .So you slide it back push the top part up slide the seat forward ,And you're good to go .I had a rope between the two of them ,But I've never had an occasion where one has dropped because of the way it's designed ,It will stick with a tree before it goes down all the way to the bottom.
It's the most comfortable climber or Treestand I have ever been in .I went all out with mine ,I got the gun rail ,Mainly because you can flip it to the back or the front ,And with it you can slide your seat to the front and set facing the tree .I wish I would have had this one years ago .I think I paid $350,Because I also got the concealment camouflage leaves ,Which I don't even use .
Give Don a call,He will talk to you about your needs ,Oh by the way I use a 62" Longbow ,Never has given me troubles .
I have the one with the removable bar in the front ,I've never removed it and the one with the permanent bar is 2 inches longer .Great stand and comfortable
Carl
QuoteOriginally posted by JamesV:
I have used a climber since the mid 70's with only a few problems that were self induced. Tie your stand to your climber, bungy off both when you get to your hunting height and always use a saftey harness.
Just as James said, I've had my share of blunders and all were caused by me. Climbing stands are only as dangerous as you make them, use common sense, and trust your instincts. If something feels like it's just not right, then it's probably not. With that said, be safe and good luck. :thumbsup:
Thanks for all the comments guys. Im gonna get one, I have alot of locations in which it can be very useful. Just wanted to check before i bought.
I met a man two weeks ago who was climbing down a ladder stand when the top strap broke and he fell backwards coming down on his heel on a cyprus knee. Destroyed his foot and though he miraculously survived, he lost his leg knee down. I've used every type of climber, ladder, hang on, saddles, etc. and it is by the grace of God that I have not had a bad experience. Started with homemade models in the late 60's till today. Buy the best you can get, use your harness and anticipate potential exposures and problems. Think safety.
I met a man two weeks ago who was climbing down a ladder stand when the top strap broke and he fell backwards coming down on his heel on a cyprus knee. Destroyed his foot and though he miraculously survived, he lost his leg knee down. I've used every type of climber, ladder, hang on, saddles, etc. and it is by the grace of God that I have not had a bad experience. Started with homemade models in the late 60's till today. Buy the best you can get, use your harness and anticipate potential exposures and problems. Think safety.
Take a look at the TREE WALKER stand's.Very light and comfortable.I have tried every major brand and a few of the minor brands.And hands down in every aspect the tree walker i superior.Thanks,Jim
Was looking at a LW the other day and was surprised that the bases aren't painted. Tough for me to swallow at that price tag, although I'm sure they're well worth it in features.
Magoo hit the nail on the head- they are as safe as the hunter using it. I myself had a scare at 20' taking short cuts, never again.
Like a loaded gun, attentiveness to safety is key!
Climbing stands are as safe as the people using them.
I've been using a climbing stand for over 15 years & like others said are quite safe if you pay attention to what you are doing & use a safety harness.
I started with a climber -- Baker. I replaced the platform on it at least twice. Frankly, compared to climbers today I'm happy to have survived those days!
I've had a Summit (Viper or Cobra) for a very long time (10 years?) although I rarely use it -- I probably use it once every 3-4 years once. Most of my stands are lock ons because I like trees with lots of cover which usually means lots of limbs and the climber doesn't climb in these trees.
When I use the Summit, with requisite climbing rope and harness I feel very safe because the climber completely encloses me. I don't feel quite as mobil in the climber to turn around and take shots from the opposite side though.
there are probably a lot more dangerous lock on stands out there that have been left in the tree for years with the same ratchet strap. I replace or add ratchet straps nearly every year.
Borrow a friends and try it in the back yard. you have to get used to the mechanics of it. Most of the accidents are from rushing and carelessness.Try one out at home first.
I have tried a lot of climbers never found the ultimate climber but I think with proper use and a harness they are safe.the user has to do their part and keep cables and belts replaced according to manufacture.as far as safe and ease of use and price the summit is a good stand my biggest issue with them is the teeth that bite into the tree need to be sharper I sharpen mine.
I've been using climbers since back in the Baker days (nightmare of a stand BTW). I watched a buddy practice climbing a tree with his. He weighed maybe around 230 or so at the time. He got up around 17 or 18 feet when the stand let go and he did the express elevator thing for about 12 feet down. It was the sudden stop that was probably the most dangerous aspect of that incident. Quite exciting to watch (and he will never forgive me for laughing so hard!!!!!). It took him a while before he actually used it again. Those Bakers certainly did change the way we hunted whitetails though.
Although I mostly use fixed Lone Wolf stands these days, I do own a few climbers. I believe the Lone Wolf S&C is the best I've ever used. I do have a couple of Summits (Viper and Cobra). The only scare I've ever had was with the Cobra. After that, I pretty much decided I didn't care for hand climbers. Also, the Summits are a bit on the heavy side.
The Lone Wolf climber is expensive, but it is also probably one of the best and safest out there. Then again, as said before.....all of them are only as safe as the user. Tie the top and bottom sections together and wear a harness. Stopping every now and then to move the tie-off rope up the tree is a minor inconvenience considering one's safety.
I have an older model Summit. I have never had a problem that was caused by the stand.
I tried to go up a crooked tree one time, ( and it will be the last) as I was going around the crooked part of it, my bottom fell out from under me. I got lucky and caught myself. IT STILL HURT!!!!
I only clime strait trees now, and have not had a problem since.
As has been said before, try out a buds at the house first.
Yeah, definitely wear a harness. When I was about 16 (25 years ago), I was using my dad's tree stand for the first time. He and one of his buddies had made several out of angle iron and sheet metal. They were strong, but very basic. The back of the platform, the part that touched the tree, was just a curved portion of the sheet metal. You had to make sure you kept your weight out to the front of the stand.
There was also no hand climber, so you just put your feet in the straps and hugged the tree to pull yourself up.
Being young and stupid, I attached it to a tall pine, put my feet in the straps, reached around the tree with both hands firmly gripping my Winchester Model 94, and started inchworming my way up.
At about 25 feet, which I figured was high enough, I started to turn myself around. I still had my grip on my rifle, but as I shifted my weight on the platform I got a little surprise. I found myself skidding down the tree with a fair amount of speed. I practically peeled the bark off that pine.
I did have the sense to start hugging the tree tighter as I got near the ground and I slowly ground to a halt about 3 feet off the ground.
Now, most folks would have probably gotten down and hunted from the ground. Not me. I immediately shimmied right back up that tree. I just made sure to keep my weight away from the tree.
Ah, the recklessness of youth.
Come to think of it, someone stole that treestand out of our garage not too long after that. I think I may have actually felt a little tinge of pity for that thief.
I have an Equalizer. I love how safe I feel using this stand. I also use a safety belt while climbing up and down the tree and you can get pretty fast at it. I have used 3 different climbers and the Equalizer is the best I have used.
The downside to a climber----clearing the tree of all the branches on the way up---It leaves you naked up in the tree. I strap branches to the bottom, but that makes it a little harder to climb. Also, make sure you choose a tree that gives you cover by being in another group of trees, if that makes sense.
Started with an old heavy steel Ammaker. Think it was finally outlawed for killing trees...& people. Take any slight weight off your platform & it was off to the rodeo.
I have an API,I use on large trees and I have master locks in the pin holes so I can leave stand.I have an Lone Wolf that was my favorite,quite and the seat locks to bottom of stand to keep from shifting,but Ben is a little worried about me using it because someone said there was a problem with the bolts braking.I have a new one called the Equalizer,this is my new Catalic it has so meny features and accessories it would take a page to list look up on line EqualizerTreeStand.com
I too had a Baker at one time. I can honestly say
I'm lucky I did not get seriously hurt with that stand. Typical scenario up the tree the platform drops and you come down, HARD. I raked the flesh off my hands, face and stomach trying to hold on in the black dark. Just a kid then and really no one to show me the proper way. I'm not sure anyone knew the proper way back in the 80's.
I just sold a LW Hand Climber. Execellent product and safe, but too small for me.
I just received a Ol MAN via UPS yesterday and will practice climbing today. It's larger than most people would want to carry but it only weighs 21 lbs and they claim the mesh seat is comfortable. We'll see.
The main thing about any stand is you practice and get comfortable with it. Take your time and NEVER EVER go up with out a safety harness. Watch the DVD included with your stand follow the safety procedures. It will give you a tremendous sense of confidence.
I have a friend who also purchased a Ol Man this week. He's never owned a climber. He asked me if he could come over this week and practice climbing. I told him absolutely. I wish someone had been available to help me when I started.
As mentioned, wear a good safety harness, they are fantastic. I have a summit Goliath, and by far the most secure stand I have hunted out of.
I have been climbing with the same Ol Man stand since October 1994. I always use a safety restraint harness. I think climbing stands are very safe as long as yoiu learn how to use them properly and take your time.
I have a tree lounger that's as safe as sitting home in my recliner!!!! As long as I have my climbing harness on and I dont leave the ground without it!!!! Frank
I also started out with a Baker climber and have the scars to prove it. Most of the newer climbers used to be relatively safe; then I turned 60 and they (?) got too dangerous for me anymore. Ground is good.
However to answer the original question; with careful use and the correct use of a safety harness from start to finish, the Lone Wolf climbers are about as good as it gets.
My first climber was a Baker and I hated it..left it on a tree in Ocala Forest. The Baker cured me of climbers for quiet a few yrs. and when I did get another one was really surprised how improved they were.
Right now I use an old Shoot'n Star Api, Equalizer, 2 Summits..Open Shot and the other one with open front but has rails on the side and my favorite Lone Wolf Hand Climber that I hacksawed all but the back bracing and side rails off the seat. I put straps across rail to rail and attached a Gorilla foam seat to it.
The Lone Wolf is rock solid in a tree and makes absolutely no squeaks or any type of noise when you move around on it. Only thing I don't like about it is it won't fit in bigger size trees, but the best thing I like about it is it will fit in very small diameter trees.
So will the Equalizer an I like it a lot, but not with my 64" recurve and the rails that go all around it. Even when I ajust the seat level with the rails. I mainly use the Summit Open Shot and Lone Wolf Hand Climber...they are climbing Loc-On's. I also put straps on the Summit Open Shot like the Lone Wolf has. One on each side that goes from top section to bottom section with snap buckles. I can pull the top section down tight with the straps and not worry about it falling when I stand or raise the seat up.
the equalizer is excellent and probably extra "safe" because it is always level. d
Used one in the my early years (Loggy Bayou back then). But- how are you going to get down if you fall and now hung up with the new style tree-stand harnesses that make you face away from the tree? I guess some guy in PA just died hanging there recently. Makes no sense to me.
I would rather climb sticks and use a climbers rappelling seat.
My 2C
Dan in KS