I have the Viper XLS and agree with the above posts, it is a great climber. As far as the gun rest, for me, I did not feel that it was worth the extra $$$. It was not nearly stable enough and noticeably sagged when I laid my gun into it. It also was not high enough for me to get a good look through my scope. It was removed after my 2nd outing with it. The foot rest on the other hand is a worthwhile addition. It allows me to stretch out a bit more than if I had the platform only.

The bar does give you a more secure feeling, especially when standing to shoot.