So my Summit broke.... wear a harness people

[irish_redneck]

Looks like the same thing that happened to me last year.  Except I went down with the stand.  I slipped right when I was adjusting my harness so the harness wasn't attached to the tree.  Glad you're safe.

your one didn't bend though until hitting the ground if I remember correctly, wasn't it something to do with being too loose and standing too close to the pivot point?

[Elmo]

your one didn't bend though until hitting the ground if I remember correctly, wasn't it something to do with being too loose and standing too close to the pivot point?

Yeap. I stood too close to the pivot point.

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[WNYBuckHunter]

This seems to be something that's happening more and more. Chinese welding techniques have yet to be perfected. I could never understand how you can have a society manufacture goods that they never use themselves.

Summits are made in this country. Besides, from the pic, there werent any weld failures. Looks like a stand put past its weight capacity to me.

[MrGroundhog]

Looks like the same thing that happened to me last year. Except I went down with the stand. I slipped right when I was adjusting my harness so the harness wasn't attached to the tree. Glad you're safe.

That happened to me and my buddy last year...slid right down the tree a few feet... The teeth don't grab at all, and I can only use it on certain barked trees... Super scary

[MACHINIST]

The viper is rated at 300 pounds.I usually climb with my harness attached because friends have had the stand slip on them before.Climbers are not just for small people either.When I was heavier I went out and bought the Titan so I was in the weight limits if the stand.Get out there and hunt and be same with a safety harness.The OP had a bad time,wasn't ridiculing Summit for shoddy work,I feel the only thing that could have helped the OP was attaching the top and bottom together.Then again I wasnt there and can only guess what happened.Glad your safe and keep us updated as to what summit helps you with.They are the only stand I will buy because they stood behind their product when I had a small problem and they are like having your favorite recliner  in the tree!!

[WNY_Whitetailer]

Wow...Glad everything turned out ok. I love my Viper so much that I bought a second top half for it with an open front for archery season. I always put my harness on as soon as I step on to the platform, ground level...This just reinforces my decision to do so.

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[Deerthug]

Glad it turned out ok. I was thinking of picking up a climber for the longest time but this story solidified my decision not to go that route. I think I'll stick to my ladder stands and ground blinds.

[MACHINIST]

I feel safer in my climber than most of my ladders.I definitely feel safer in my climber than any loc on I have ever been in.

[irish_redneck]

I have the viper SD , both halves tied together, I wear a harness. Gotta say it's one of my favorite stands, and by far my most comfortable. Had trouble going down a tree once, but that's cos I went up a tree that was leaning, it was easy going up, not so easy going down.  Using my harness / linemans belt / the stand I made it, but it was slow going.

[GreeneHunter]

Glad your OK .... Very Timely Story !

[moog5050]

I hate hearing these stories.  Glad you had the harness on and it turned out OK. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

NYbuck50, glad to here that your ok. Balancing for an hour, didn't you start looseing circulation in the legs?

 

Sitting in my Summit many times looking at that one cable, and how it fastens to the stand and viewing the structure,  the thought has crossed my mind how close one should go to the weight limit of 300 lbs.. Once viewed a Summit promotiom video, and how testing is conducted, but they never said how much weight force has been is actually applied to the stand before it buckles.

[NYbuck50]

bought it before last season

How old was the stand?

 

[NYbuck50]

i think what happened was only one or two teeth on the v section of the bottom grabbed in, the tree was kind of oddly shaped. because i didnt get a full grip on the v bar, all the pressue was put on the very edges of the bar causing the bend.  The stand is 350#rated, me with all my gear is around 330#.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Yep, you pushed the weight limit and it bit ya because you didnt have it bit into the tree properly. You got lucky. Why arent you lowering your gear to the ground before you start down? That would relieve some of the weight, and add some cushion to the load capacity.

 

Live and learn, right? Glad you are ok.

[NYbuck50]

the only gear i had was my bow and a gatorade. i leave everything else in the truck for these short morning hunts..  20#'s under the manufacturers weight limit isnt really pushing it i dont think, as they understate the limit instead of overstate.

[Danny]

just curious now looking at the bend (was it adjusted to large for the tree?) was the platform level or slightly angled down? this sometimes happens and you climb higher and the tree narrows, i always set my summit so the platform is angled up when it's first put on, as you climb up the tree it levels out

 

from the way it is bent in the image, it looks like the platform was angled down and the weight applied pulled the V bar and bent it rather than applying the stress to the cable and upper bars

 

Next time try starting with the platform a bit tighter (it will level out as you go up)

 

 

[WNYBuckHunter]

the only gear i had was my bow and a gatorade. i leave everything else in the truck for these short morning hunts..  20#'s under the manufacturers weight limit isnt really pushing it i dont think, as they understate the limit instead of overstate.

 

It is pushing it if you arent using the equipment properly. Having 2 teeth out of what? 8? in contact with the tree is not how the weight limits are figured out. Sorry man, Improper use.

[NYbuck50]

im not arguing improper use. it was.  i should checked in the dark but i didnt. the tree was the right size but i had the stand on a kindof flattened out section of it so it wasnt getting good enough grip.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Oh Im not arguing with ya, just discussing it. Like I said, the most important part is you werent hurt.

[jjb4900]

how many of you guys tie the climber part to the base? I started doing it last year...........it turned out to be a good idea, as it keeps you from totally losing the platform should it ever slip.

[MACHINIST]

I never do truthfully but I think I am going to start

[Danny]

I use the Third Hand Achery stabilizer straps, best thing ever secures top to bottom, makes it rock solid and you no longer need to strap it to the tree

[Lawdwaz]

how many of you guys tie the climber part to the base? I started doing it last year...........it turned out to be a good idea, as it keeps you from totally losing the platform should it ever slip.

 

That's an idea that has been around for quite a while and ain't an option!  They all (as far as I know) come with a piece of cord/rope that you MUST MUST MUST MUST use to attach the base and the hand climber/seat section together.

 

It is not uncommon for a person descending too fast to take too big of a step down and for the stand to drop from their feet.  If the safety line is attached between the sections, no problem.  (as long as your using a sit & climb type stand) If it ISN'T attached, your SOL.

 

In the past, I have purposely (when someone is near) dropped the lower section and had to haul it up by hand just for practice.  No problem..........

 

[Lawdwaz]

I use the Third Hand Achery stabilizer straps, best thing ever secures top to bottom, makes it rock solid and you no longer need to strap it to the tree

 

As seen in your picture I assume.   How does it work?