I bought a climber 5 years ago that I found very difficult to use because of various reasons but the biggest thing that bothered me was putting it on the tree. It could be I just didn' t practice enough to learn how to competently use it - but I' m really hoping there' s a better system out there now. In an ideal world I would love to have a climber where you set it against the tree and from one side, pull a cable of some sort around the tree and hook it in tight on the other side. I see descriptions of some stands on the web of that might work like this and hopefully I' ll be able to check some out in the store soon. Before I do though, I' d like to get some ideas since it sounds like many of you use climbing stands. Thanks.

They all take some getting used to. Though I think Summit has one of the easiest cabling systems at the moment.

My Summit is pretty darn easy to set up - even in the dark

Can make a little noise though if you are not carefull

I have a new Ameristep Grizzly that is easy enough to hook up. It is the sturdy 300lb capacity model (the welded steel version, not the high tech aluminum one). Mine weighs around 35 lbs versus about 20 for the aluminum ones.

Anyway, like Rack-attack said, you have to be quiet with it. That is an understatement!

Butch

a summit !

That' s the problem I' m having with mine. They say you can quiet them down by using a file on the " teeth." Not sure what the proper term is...but it' s the two parts that look like teeth that grip the tree. You can file the finish off with the file exposing the aluminum...suppose to eliminate the " creak." I haven' t tried it yet but plan to.

Other than that...Summit' s are perfect.

Chalk up another vote for the Summits. No bolts, no pins, no nuthin to drop in the snow in the dark, just insert the cable to the proper " nub" and close the cover.

I bought a Summit about 5 years ago and I can hook that to a tree and shimmy on up with my eyes closed or in total darness. Plus, it has got one of the sturdiest platforms to stand on and I feel very secure and confident due to how well it' s built.

My Summit Goliath goes on the tree very easily and like Rack said it is no problem even in the dark once you' ve done it a couple times.

The Summit cables will CLANK if you are not careful with them........again once you know how to do it right it can be done quietly.

I think what I like best about my Summit is that the cables are so stiff that if you want to you can climb almost silently.......just watch your lower cable and make sure it isn' t scraping the tree on the way up and you are golden

I think just about any of them are pretty simple once you' ve used them a couple times. I' ve been using an API for several years now. I never use a light putting it up or taking it down. It' s become some routine that I can do it with out any muss, fuss or noise. It can be pitch black dark and from the time I get to my tree until I reach 20 feet is no more than 8 or 10 minutes. This includes removing my quiver and putting it on the bracket I attached to my hand climber, pulling up my bow, hanging things that need to be hung and nocking an arrow. To me the API is a snap.... if I had a Summit I' d probably say the same thing. My recommendation would be base it on weight and comfort. The seat on the API sucks in my opinion. I don' t like the Summitt seat either. The best seat I' ve seen on any of them is the Buckshot.