Summit Viper SS Review
I managed to get my hands on a new Summit Viper SS climbing treestand last week. 
Previous to purchasing the Viper SS I spent a fare amount of time reviewing climbing stands. Like most hunters I like to spend time up front reading about products before I even step foot into a store. I knew I wanted a higher end climbing stand with high end features but I also wanted to make sure the price made sense. Before I give you my feedback I want to give you a bit of background about myself. I have never, ever used a climbing stand before. While I hunt out of a treestand most of the time, I typically carry lock on stands out on to public land or hang permanent stands on private land. I am also the type of guy that doesn't mind spending top dollar on equipment if it is justified. I am a firm believer that, within reason, you get what you pay for and I hate paying for something more than once.
After quite a bit of research I settled on the Summit Viper SS. I looked at some higher end stands from Summit and Lone Wolf but decided the significantly higher price wasn't justified as the additional cost was for features I particularly didn't need. I really wanted a treestand that was easy to use, easy to pack in (I hunt in some locations that require a 3/4 to 1 mile walk into the woods), and comfortable enough that I could sit in all day.
I picked up my Summit Viper SS at the local Gander Mountain outdoor store for $279.00. I found out today that Cabelas had the same stand for $259.00 so thanks to Gander Mountain's price guarantee policy I received an extra $20 off the original purchase price. The Viper SS included the treestand, five-point safety harness, and a instructional DVD video.
Assembling the treestand was very easy but I would caution anyone that purchases this stand to watch the instructional video while reading through the directions. In total it took me 10 minutes to assembly the stand. Overall I like the construction of the stand as the welds were solid. The stand is very light (about 21 pounds) but definitely not the lightest of the bunch (the Loan Wolf Alpha is about 18 pounds). This is an area that I didn't mind sacrificing a bit since three pounds doesn't make a difference to me and I can definitely use the exercise. The upper and lower pieces of the stand fit nicely together to make a backpack setup for carrying the stand through the woods. Summit did a very nice job of making all straps dual purpose so as to not have multiple loose straps hanging off the stand when not in use. For example the backpack straps also serve as the tether for keeping the lower part to the stand from falling down the tree.
The first time I used the treestand it was dark as I was setting up for a morning hunt. I didn't plan on doing my first run in the dark but I couldn't resist trying this bad boy out! I managed to get the treestand mounted and climb up to about 20 feet in less than 10 minutes. Not using a treestand before I didn't know what to expect. What I found was an extremely solid climbing system that anyone could easily figure out on first use. The teeth of the stand dig into the tree to create a solid mount and ensure limited slippage. The stand has nice balance so you don't feel like you are fighting with it on every step up. The shooting rail doubles as a place to sit as you climb the tree providing an solid support that will give anyone confidence.
After getting settling into the stand I spent some time adjusting the seat height. One thing I noticed quickly is that the Viper SS is a very comfortable treestand. I can easily sit (or stand) in the treestand all day. The platform is large provide plenty of room to move allow you to make shots in all directions. The shooting rail gives you a sense of security so you easily can turn around and make shots behind the tree if necessary.
For all the positives things I have to say about this treestand I do have a few complaints. The platform teeth will begin to squeak as the paint begins to wear away. The instructional video actually addresses this issue and provides a recommendation to file the teeth flat after several uses. The Quickdraw cable system works well but I can tell you that the cable is going to have to be replaced after a season of use. The cable has a plastic coating on it that wears easily exposing the wiring underneath. I can tell you that this will cause issues after some wear and tear on the treestand.
All things considered I would definitely recommend the Summit Viper SS treestand. The price and features make it a top choice on my list.