If I haven't said it before, I'll say it again:

SUMMIT STANDS RULE!! [8D]

I absolutely LOVE my Summit Viper X4! I have been playing around with it and practicing over and over how quiet I can unpack it, set it up, and climb.

Yesterday, I did a "dry run" and quietly hiked into my special, secret spot. After double checking a "Trees of America" book, I discovered my "perfect tree" is a Sweetgum tree (big, straight, and roughly 22 feet before the first branch). The woods are a mix of pine, oak, elm, overlooking a big field of briars, thickets, and tall grasses.

Anyway, getting back on track: My Summit Viper X4 was totally silent on my back the whole way in and very, very, quiet to unpack. It fit perfectly around the Sweetgum tree and the teeth of the Viper X4 bit hard into the bark of the tree - so hard in fact, that at one point, I had to reach under the platform with my toe and give it a little kick. The new foot stirrups are awesome and really make climbing easy. The front railing provides a touch of security, but does NOT interfere with bowhunting, as I have the adjustable seat raised up. When it's time for general firearms, I'll lower the straps on the seat and gun hunt out of it.

In a nutshell: My $229 was well worth the money spent!!

Butch A.