Summit Stands
 

I recently was the victim of some peice of garbage who sabotaged my Summit Goliath when I left it set up on the base of a tree on private property that I hunt. The stand was damaged when someone pried the metal cable clip holders back to where they actually dug into the rubber coating of the cable. It took me some time before I could straighten the clips out to get my stand detached from the tree. I only found out about the damage when I climbed down after a mornings hunt and tried to take the cable off. I e-mailed Summit about the damage and what parts to order. Several days later I received the clips in the mail from Summit, free of charge. It's nice to know that companies like Summit still exist. Although I heard that the owner of Summit is a former Marine so this kind of service shouldn't surprise me.
Thanks again Summit,

bmott

RE: Summit Stands
 

Sorry to hear of them damaging your stand. Luckly they didn't steal it though.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Nice stand BTW..........have you done anything to hush the climber's cables from clanging inside the tubes? I'm getting ready to try to modify the tube by pouring liquid rubber coating material down each side. I wanted to hear what others may have done.

Fritz

RE: Summit Stands
 

I have not attempted anything Fritz but would be curious to see how your little experiment turns out. That little bit of "clanging" is probably the only negative thing I have noticed about my Summit. Great stand and great customer service.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Does it not stop that little bit of clanging if you push your cables all the way in to the last stop? This works for me, as I don't have a bit of noise when I do this.

Yeah, Summit's customer service is top-notch. Will from Summit used to be a member of this board, and he was great at taking care of anything, and helped quite a few of us out with different situations. I don't see him on anymore, but he and the rest of the crew are still tops!

RE: Summit Stands
 

Your situation is a perfect example of a comany going above and beoynd the call of duty. To bad every company doesn't think that way.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Carrying the stand isn't the issue since the cables make no noise whatsoever while moving. What we mean is that when you climb a tree requiring you to set the cables with 1 or 2 barrels still inside the tube, the climber tends to clang as the cable slips up the back of the tree. This is avoidable with the seat because most people's dexterity with their hands is better than their feet. You can disengage, pull, then re-engage silently the top portion. However, with hunting boots on it's not as easy to cleanly engage the climber. The result is a cable that slides up the back of tree intermittantly causing the clang. I will fix it yet -- I swear!

I heard someone suggest a bottle cleaner brush on the end of the cable to keep it centered, but I haven't tried it yet.

Some other tips for the Summits:

1. Buy a set of aftermarket straps to replace the ones that came with the stand. Cabelas makes a decent set.
2. Go to an electrical supply store (the kind electricians go to) and get some 3M rubber insulation wrap. Wrap this around the front bar of the climber and the two inclines you often have to step onto to start climbing. It takes the slipperyness out of it and quiets the front bar from twigs rubbing against it as you walk.

Any other Summit modification tips? Let's keep this thread going...........

Fritz

RE: Summit Stands
 

As for mods to summit's, I don't know about anybody else, but I can't stand those elastic heel straps that you have to fuss with to get behind the heel of your boots. It's especially annoying with a big set of pacs. So I just cut those elastic heel straps off, left the green straps in place, and I use a 12" or so bungy cord. I just reach down with the bungy cord behind my ankles, and hook each hook onto the green straps on the outside of my boots. It holds a lot tighter than their elastic cords, and allows more control of the stand on the way up the tree, not to mention it's quieter, the tighter hold means no drag on the tree.

RE: Summit Stands
 

That would be Will Woller, aka Summitman, and he does still frequent these forums...even if he does not post. Will is a real down to earth guy and very easy to talk to. A real asset to the company in my opinion.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Exactly. I won't say exactly how Will took care of me once (don't want everyone bombarding him with similar requests), but let's just say I think he went WAY above and beyond the call of duty -- at his own suggestion. I'd offered to pay for something I wanted extra, and ... like I said: Class act.

RE: Summit Stands
 

summit also sells the shrink tube to cover the cable ,if the covering is worn off .

RE: Summit Stands
 

How much is that shrink?

RE: Summit Stands
 

I have a Summit backpacker and find the footstraps useless. My feet go into the "V" on either side formed by the stand base and the support leg, so if you sit on the climbing portion, you simply hook your feet, while flexing your toes upwards, then engage the stand up the tree.

I guess it's not easy to explain, but believe me, amnipulating the stand this way is much easier than using the supplied straps.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Mrfritz44....try this:

Buy some neoprene gas line hose and cut it into about 2 1/2 inch pieces. Simply slip a piece of hose over the cable (under the gate) after you have attached the stand to the tree.

The hose will "press down" on the cable as you climb and prevent it from clanging inside the "guide" that it slips into.

Like you said you usually only need it for the base since the top portion doesn't seem to make any sound.

Email me with any question that you have and let me know on this thread if you sort of understand what I mean.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Also I bought an old army ground pad, a sort of bedroll that you lay your sleeping bag on. It is sort of a green sponge rubber material but a bit harder and very durable.

I cut it up into the appropriate sized strips and wrapped it around the areas of the stand that are not covered. I then attached the padding with cable ties. Works great and pads those areas nicely.

RE: Summit Stands
 

vc1111......got any photos of that set up? I kind of understand what you're saying, but I'm having a hard time seeing how it works so I want to be sure.

Thanks for the tip!

Fritz

RE: Summit Stands
 

No I don't have photos and my website crashed, so even if I take them, I cannot post them. Let me work on this and I'll try to post pics.

RE: Summit Stands
 

Actually I think pushing the cables in all the way make them rattle more when you are walking because more cable is in the tube to rattle. Yes it rattles for me when walking and not climbing. I sprayed some tool grip down the tubes to no avail. I'm thinking about maybe cutting some innertube to slide down there. Make a slit down the side and then push it down the tube to insulate it on the inside.

RE: Summit Stands
 

That's odd ShadowAce.......my cables are usually pushed farther up than they should be because when I set the stand down it's in the upright position. This pushes the cables well past the last barrel on each side. That extra length inside the tubes actual quiets the cables further for me. Maybe I don't have the right picture in my head?

Fritz

RE: Summit Stands
 

Will is a great guy, too bad he can't hit a big 10 point standing in front of him:D:D:D:D:D If you saw last years Monster Bucks video, you know what I am talking about :D

Will, along with everybody at Summit, are great guys that really care about what the customer thinks. Will e-mails me regularly to see how everything is going and to update me on how he has been doing. He is just a great guy.

I havn't noticed this noise of the cables. When I place my cables into the slots, I always pull them down tight. The cables are bent in a cresent shape and they ride up the edge inside the steel tube. They don't clank at all because they are naturally against one of the inside edges!

RE: Summit Stands
 

Buck, it usually only occurs when climbing trees that require you to hook up the cable on the second to last barrel. This leaves a single barrel inside the tube and when you pull up on the climber portion the cable inevitably rubs against the back of the tree. This is most dramatic when wearing rubber boots or heavy clothing - anything that makes your ankles and/or feet less able to cleanly disengage the climber.

It's really the only negative I can say about the stand. It would be great if a solution were found. Like I said, I plan to dump a quantity of liquid rubber coating material down the inside of the tubes, but I have a feeling this will only have marginal results.

Fritz

RE: Summit Stands
 

You guys do know that you can spray the home insulating foam down the tubes,that really takes care of a lot of noise.Yes, I have also used the pipe foam insulating wrap,but if you really want to be slick,take your stand to the people in your area that do the spray-on truck bed liners,and have your stand sprayed.Be careful about the area(along the arms)because it is tight in there when the stand is together.I taped it off so I'd have the clearance.This makes your stand dead quiet.I have the Viper,great stand,and it is quiet!!!!.....Bob

RE: Summit Stands
 

mr fritz ,sorry i didn't answer sooner ,i haven't been on in a couple days, to answer your question , 14.99 for two full length pieces to cover the entire cable or 9.99 for 10 small pieces to fix nicks and cut , go to summitstands and the info on how to order is there.

RE: Summit Stands
 

No apology required xibowhunter..........mine was a dumb question anyway. I could have easily found the price myself. Have you or anyone else tried repairing the cables with liquid rubber coating? I think I may give this a try.

Fritz