What Climbing stand do you use. I have migrated mostly to ladders but find myself needing a climber mainly for bow hunting.

I use an older version of the Summit Goliath. I find it very comfortable, can sit all day. I added the foot rest which makes a big difference for all day comfort. I have used it for bow hunting and it works well. It does have a shooting rail all the way around so you need to stand to shoot but the shooting rail makes it feel more secure.


Summit Goliath

X2 Summit...

Summit Goliath here as well bow hunting

On those Summits how sturdy is the cable that goes around the tree meaning do they have a tendency to slip some or not?

I haven't had an issue with it slipping.

Not sure if you mean once the length is set slipping out longer or on the tree and sliding down. The cable isn't what holds the stand in the tree, it is a lever point that forces the teeth on the stand itself into the tree to hold it in place. As far the length adjustment, once you set the length it is very secure. Haven't had issues with it slipping in the tree either, even climbed birch trees a couple times.

It's not the cable you need to worry about. It's the "V" at the bottom. You can get into all kinds of trouble if you try to climb a slick hard bark tree like a red oak or poplar.

Unless your cable is rotted or you fail to lock the cable, or the lock is rotted, your not going to slip because of the cable. Sometimes if you put side pressure on the stand, it can cause the stand to kick out from you. Not an issue generally but odd shaped trees it can happen.

forget a climber. get a tree saddle

yep. got one during covid and havent looked back.

Saddle guys one question. How do you get up the tree?

Think I know. Involves carry bunch of steps. No way a saddle is as comfortable as a summit Goliath

Summit Viper. Had it for probably 20 years. Replace the cables every 2 years. I hunt mostly pines, but do go up a few slick trees with no issues. It’s never slipped on me yet. I’ll be honest I probably need another climber, one that isn’t as comfortable, lol. Real easy to doze off for a while on those warm afternoons. Never once have I ever felt nervous or scared and I have a 30ft pull rope for my bow and generally climb until I reach limbs or the bow gets tight.

Lone Wolf alpha hand climber. Lightest, quietest, most well built stands ever made.

I climb using a rope with single rope system or two tether. Safest and most secure ways to climb

Summit SDs (aluminum) for me. I have a Viper and a Goliath. Very safe (no slip) and comfy. All day sits possible.

I'm 60 years old. No more screw-in or strap-on steps for me. I do still use stick ladders and Millenium hang-ons, but time with those are slowly fading away for me.

I strip the plastic off the Summit cables every other year, inspect the lugs, re-paint with Rustoleum, and put new shrink tubing on 'em. Can buy enough 3/4" tubing on Amazon to do both cables 5 times for about $20.

Never had any issues with slipping with mine. Mine is a 20+ year old viper.

My viper is 20+ years old too. On long sits it does get a little uncomfortable as it has a bar under the front edge of the seat, and no arm rests. Sleep quite a few times 20ft up and no harness, should have fallen out numerous times. But that was in my young and bullet proof days.

So something else to carry. You use lineman spiked like climbing a telephone pole?
No way a tree saddle is as comfortable as a stand. Do you carry a platform to stand on? How do you attach it while hanging with your nuts shoved up into your intestines

I can honestly say I HAVE NEVER fallen asleep in a stand or on the ground deer hunting. Is you’re going to sleep go back home. Or at least sit in the truck

No. Climbing spurs are fairly expensive and illegal to use on most public land and some private landowner's nan them as well.

My climbing system fits in my pocket. (30ft of rope, a hand ascender , F3 device and some carabiners). Platform attaches to my backpack. I think you've confused a saddle with a safety harness which puts pressure on things you don't want pressure on if you have to use it. Platform is easy to set. Throw the strap around the tree and tighten it down. Stand on top of the post and can the platform down. When set properly, you can stand on the side edge of the platform and it won't even wiggle. If you do come off your platform for any reason, it's pretty hard to unless you do it intentionally, you just swing like in a swing set. If there's slack in your tether you'll drop a bit just s bit to shock yourself but no real chance getting suspension trauma like a fall in safety harness.

Once you figure out the bridge length and angle, saddles are very comfortable, some more so than others and getting better every year.