Climbers are so nice because you can move around and hunt several areas with just the one stand. So from a price stand point, climbers are really cheaper than 4 or 5 ladder stands. So I would suggest going with the climber, no questions. The Viper is a good one also, so no worries there. As far as how noisy are they. You may bang around and make a little more noise that normal when you first start, but once you get to "know" your stand, you will be flying up the tree, making almost no noise at all. In fact, I think I get in a tree quieter with my climber than I do with a ladder stand. As far as how early do you need to start climbing. Well that depends on where you are hunting, type of habitat, and the schedule of the deer you are hunting. Like I said, once you have gotten to "know" your stand and learned how to climber quick and quiet, there is no need to get up the tree any earlier than you would get in the same tree if it had a ladder stand. Practice climbing this summer, but fall you will be ready to go.