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RE: summit stand failure
 

To me, it looks like the bend is opposite of the way I would've expected it to bend. If you have weight on the platform, the cable has a lot of weight pulling on it, and the bottom tree grabber portion should also have a lot of weight bearing on it, but it seems to me like the tree grabber should want to bend down, not up, when weight is on the platform. I mean our body weight on the platfrom is pushing down, but the opposite is true of the tree grabber, it's being pushed up, so it should bend down, not up. Wierd!

Glad you didn't get hurt.

RE: summit stand failure
 

Alright here are my thoughts.

With today's liability towards companies I am sure that a "300lb rated" stand should be "actually" rated at least 100lbs more that it is labeled. Or would hope so.

There have been some cases where metal just gives. Hard to explain, but it happens.

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

I have a very old Summit Viper. It is made of steel and is very heavy. I weigh approx 250 and have never had a concern with the structural soundness of this stand. I don't believe you could put a dent in mine with a 12 pound sledge hammer.

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

Not quit sure if this is the way to add things up, but this is the math. Hunter+all gear+part of the stand=total load. I knowI pack in sometimes fifty on my back. That along with dressed hunting weightadds up fast.It's not just dead weight either, stresses from different forces can over load the stand. Favoring one side over the other when climbing is an example.

I've always gone by the x3 method in calculating what was needed to carryX load. Meaning if you need 100 to carry a load before it broke, 300 is what you would use. Been told by someone who has something to do with stands that they go by x2 beforebreaking. Over the limit and up to the x's whatever it can fail but shouldn't break.

This problem most likely has been adding up over time until failure happened.

RE: summit stand failure
 

So let me get this straight....you leave you climber in the woods all through hunting season ? I kinda skimmed throught the posts, been up since 4 am....

If you leave themout all through the season, it subjects that aluminum to a lot of stress, especially in the colder weather. Yea, we leave hang-ons in the trees for a long time, but I don't really see a hang on putting up with the stresses of constant climbing up and down the tree like a climber. The angle a climber is working at, with the weight applied to it put a lot of stress on that stand. I can see from the pics, that you still have the old style boot straps for climbing. I remember those on my bushmaster, and they do force your weight little more towards the v section of the stand(towards the tree), whereas the stirrups kinda forces your weight to the front edge of the stand, (behind you) while climing, that's where your weight should be. I can see this type of bend occuring with everything "wrong" falling into place. The elemants taking their toll on the materials, bendsand welds, and the perfect amount of excessive downwardweight or force applied at the perfectspot causing that stand to bend upward like a lawn chair .

I am in no way blaming you Moose, just trying to figure out why it happened. Glad your ok dude.

RE: summit stand failure
 

i took the stirrups off so i could send the base back to summit.

i usually leave the stand in for the entire bow season. then it comes out for gun (afraid of theft) then back in for the late week of extended bow.

i have used this stand ALOT, in all conditons. i'm sure there is a lifespan to these things, i guess i found mine!

i dont pack anything in with me to speak of. probally 5 pounds of boots, 15 lbs of clothes, maybe 3 lbs in my fanny pack.245 +23=268, still below the rating. i also agree that if the stand is labled 300lbs max it really probally could hold twice that. but i'm too fat allready i wont be pushing that mark!

anyway, thanks for the concern!
MOOSE

RE: summit stand failure
 

Its notihing you did Moose....I worked for John Deere for 13 years, grew up working on their equipment, taught service schools for them starting at age 22...I can tell you right now, they make a great product....BUT....Stuff does happen...No way for anyone to tell until they get their hands on it and run it through some testing....It could be as simple as the welder was set too high and took some of the temper out of the metal and it took time for it to show up....

I will say, before I hung my API this afternoon, I sure looked it over well, before I went up...So, thanks, for reminding all of us that this can be a dangerous sport...

Good Luck with it....

RE: summit stand failure
 

I'm sure they'll look after ya moose

The recalls listed is not summit stands but rather the safety harnesses that went with the stands. I think it was 2005belts need the tether taking off and sent in for replacements...

RE: summit stand failure
 

That's really weird, I don't understand how it could have bent the way it did.

I backed over my summit with my truck and it didn't get that mangled. (I'm still usingit too.) [:-]

RE: summit stand failure
 

I had a weld pop on my viper the second year I had it. I was 195 lbs. at the time. It did cause the metal to bend slightly. This happened on a Saturday. I called Summit on Monday morning and explained the what happened. They were genuinally concerned, made sure I was OK, and asked when I planned on hunting next. I told them that I was heading for out of town Friday afternoon. I received the new piece on Wednesday and shipped the damaged piece back with the shipping label they provided.

Their customer service was great. I am a Lone Wolf guy now and still use the Summit in certain situations but would consider them in the future if I was in the market for a new stand; however, it is hard to beat Lone Wolf stands.

I am glad you weren't injured.

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

I had one of those also...no chance of having one of them fail on ya unless the rust bugs get it..lol. Those were the tanks of the tree stand world. Traded it for a new cuddeback dig deer camera..lol.

Im sure Summit will make it right...their customer service is among the best outt here.

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

well, summit has some of the best customer service out there, i had a good conversation with a rep today. i will post a complete review later, but they seem to be very helpfull

thanks,
moose

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

First I just want to say that I'm glad you're OK. It's always an eye opener when something goes wrong in the field. Secondly, I've been using nothing but Summit stands for the last 11 years, never anything wrong. IMO they make some of the best and strongestproducts out there. As HNI Christine said, she backed over hers with a truck and nothing went wrong. Lastly, I'm in no way pointing fingers or anything, but I have to agree with Jeff(GMMAT). It just seems like the stands has had some previous injury. It's not that I don't believe you, I just have to be skeptical because of my past experience, and others past experiences, with Summit.

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

just for the record, summit replaced the defective platform at no cost. this was on a stand that i purchased a LOOONG time ago.

they did not have to do this.

it speaks VOLUMES on thier service and commitment to thier customers and thier products. I am VERY pleased and will stick with SUMMIT products.

for those who believe i was b.s ing about the incident, pound sand. for those with genuine concern about the issue, thanks for the interest.

RE: summit stand failure
 

Thanks for the update, moose... throughout the years, I've always heard similiar feedback about Summit's customer service; it's good to know nothing has changed. :)

RE: summit stand failure
 

And a Very Merry Christmas to you as well.

RE: summit stand failure
 

that thing looks like i was using it lol

RE: summit stand failure
 

Sometimes metal will bend/break after it has been stressed over time and use so you never know when it will happen.....glad you didn't get hurt Moose!

RE: summit stand failure
 

ive had one for 5 years been perfect!

RE: summit stand failure
 

two words safty harness

RE: summit stand failure
 

had my top section api bowhunter model bend on me this year a little......and that was before the standard 5 lb. holiday gain!

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

I have the 20004 Viper and the 2007 Viper Classic and I love them both!!!

RE: summit stand failure
 

That is scary!!!!! I have heard of a lone wolf doing the same thing but never a summit........

RE: summit stand failure
 

I've been a welder now for about 5 years. The company I work for has been pinching pennies since I got there, and one short cut was getting cheaper metal. Makes me wonder if your stand was made from a lower grade metal, which isn't as straight/strong as the higher grade.

At least you got down alright, and got everything worked out.

RE: summit stand failure
 

it looks more like to much stress on it !!

RE: summit stand failure
 

My hand climber folded up on me last year, just as you described, i e-mailed Summit, they sent me a brand new Razor SS (minus the shooting rail)and a postage sticker to send mine back. No questions asked other than the details of what happened. I'm 5'10" and about 155. Great CS from Summit.

RE: summit stand failure
 

What I don't understand is why you would leave a climbing stand in the same tree for the whole season. Isn't a climber designed for mobile use? If I was going to hunt the same tree over and over I'd want climbing sticks and a hang-on. Faster to get up and if I drop something I don't have to work the climber back down or go fishing for it. Why pay $200 for a light portable stand and then treat it like a $30 hangon? Just asking. Totally unrelated to the topic but it struck me as odd.

On topic, it looks like a weld seam where the weld may have popped and allowed the two parts to seperate causing structural failure. Glad you didn't tumble. Did you have your safety belt on?

RE: summit stand failure
 

Jeff I have seen more than 1 summit buckle like this at Cabela's.

RE: summit stand failure
 

Get a Lone Wolf and forget about it!;):D:D

RE: summit stand failure
 

Just a thought, but do remember that aluminum does stress crack over time due to metal fatigue, and the amount it flexes during normal use may have alot to do with it. Ever looked at a 10 year old aluminum car trailer? Kind of scary. Not saying this is what happened, but it could have contributed. Just a characteristic of the metal itself, and something to keep in mind.

RE: summit stand failure
 

I saw a guys Viper fold in half. He was climbing a telephone pole and the top part folded. I believe it says in the warnings not to climb them for some reason. Maybe they are too slick? Maybe the wood is too dense to bite with the teeth so the weight is carried on the cross bars and not transferred to the teeth portion. My pennies worth anyway.

RE: summit stand failure
 

LOVE my Goliath...........one of the reasons I bought the Goliath though was I wanted to be WELL below the weight max (350 goliath). I hover around 190 and with max gear on probably 225 during gun season. I always wear a harness and honestly have ZERO fear in my Summit..........and I don't like heights.

I have been up skinny trees and monsters, smooth bark, frozen, wet, straight, crooked, windy, and every height up to 30 feet...........even been in a telephone pole. If I have any problem with my stand it is that I have so much faith in it that it clouds my judgement and I feel like I can climb anywhere with it.........I readily admit to MANY stunts while climbing that you would never see Tom Miranda do in your instruction video (does he still do the video??).

I also have nothing but 100% praise for their customer service.


I'm sure I would feel VERY differently if I had a stand crumple under me like you did though. Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you are OK.

RE: summit stand failure(pics added page 2)
 

I owned a summit once and i always felt unsafe in onenow this year i bought a lone wolf sit and climb andf i am extremely serious when i say i have never felt safer in a treestand. The platform is a little smaller but it's the quietest, lightest and most solid climber I have ever owned.

RE: summit stand failure
 

well, it is kinda wierd i guess. but i HATE lock on stands, and i feel VERY safe and secure in my summits... also, i know i could remove steps or ladder sections, but people in this area have about 0 respect for other peoples stands, so when i lock my climbers to the bottom of the tree it deters them from using my stands.

i'd love to have a ladder stand , but clowns would use it while i was in another spot. that would just annoy me.

thanks,
moose

RE: summit stand failure
 

ps, talondale: i do have a few different trees in the general vicinity, but like i said they are the same ones i've been using for years. one particular area i hunt i might have 2 or 3 trees in like a 50 yard radius that i use as conditions warrant. sorry for the confusion!

RE: summit stand failure
 

WOW, I use the same stand and weigh around 270.....might have to rethink my tactics. A couple more donuts and I might be stuck in a ground blind for life:D