Leaving your steel Summit Viper out

• Apr 22, 2015

• #1

HarryPagetFlashman

Member

How do they hold up if left out for a while?

I hunt on a large ranch here in Florida. Its a family and friends affair, so theft isn't an issue, nor are burst tubing from freezes. I'm thinking about getting a couple of classics to compliment my SD, coating them with bed liner and paint, and just dropping them off in certain spots where I don't want a permanent stand (mainly because I don't want to advertise exactly where my little honey holes are). I know the SD is perfect for this, but I can get two classics for the price of another SD.

Thoughts?

 

• Apr 22, 2015

• #2

uturn

Senior Member

I've leave my alumium vipers, goliath and gunslingers out for the entire season. Season after season although it is hardly recommended besides the squirrels and sap I've never had an issue been doin it this way for years.

I hang them all over my lease think I had 9 it was out last year n forgot one remembered her opening day of Spring Gobbler..so she went a couple additional months!

Again, not recommended but, other than the cable rusting if there is a break in the plastic cover and the seats fading or being made into or use for bedding for tree-rats...hadn't been an issue for me!

 

• Apr 22, 2015

• #3

HarryPagetFlashman

Member

I'm thinking about sticking the seat in a plastic bag, its easy enough to remove and attach. The armrests are easy to replace with pipe insulation. I look at the cables as something to be replaced from time to time anyways.
If its something I can do and get 4-5 years of use out of them, then its a pretty good bargain. Our metal ladder stands stay out all year and usually have to be replaced every 3, and they obviously aren't nearly as flexible about placement as a climber. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has horror stories about doing this, or sees a problem that I'm missing.

 

• Apr 22, 2015

• #4

GTHunter007

Senior Member

I don't see the issue with removing them between seasons. Just carry them in first hunt of each year and leave them then. But I would bring them out after season. Thats just me. No reason to waste money because of laziness. Besides, you have a good reason to go spend the weekend down there a few weeks after season ends.

 

• Apr 22, 2015

• #5

HarryPagetFlashman

Member

I'd just be leaving them out during season.

 

• Apr 22, 2015

• #6

elfiii

Admin

Staff member

I don't leave any of mine out for more than a weekend. I'll place one Friday night for the Friday night hunt, carry another one in for the Sat am hunt and then Sat night carry one out after the hunt and Sunday am grab the other one after I hunt it. I just don't like taking chances with welds, cables etc. leaving them out for long periods of time but that's just me.

 

• Apr 22, 2015

• #7

GTHunter007

Senior Member

I leave all of my climbers out season long. My newest viper is my favorite. So it comes out IF I will be hunting a new property or want to change locations for a quick hunt or move around a bit. The rest of my stands make it into spots when the first hunt in the spot takes place and then remains there if I know they will be used later if the wind dictates. I mix my climbers (high climbs) in with my loc-ons (bow spots or lower heights where permanent is sufficient). Together all of these stands give me the opportunity to hunt any spot or area I want depending on the wind. All of my loc-ons however, are in areas fine tuned over the years from utilizing portables to observe and pin point stand location.

The Summits you are talking about would be fine for 4 months in the weather. I wouldn't leave them year round. Just always be sure to pay attention to welds, especially if we have had a deep freeze.

You can save even more money if loc-ons would suffice in some of these spots. Climbing sticks or screw in steps plus a basic loc-on could get you 2-1 loc-ons per climber price.

 

• Apr 23, 2015

• #8

livetohunt

Senior Member

One thing to consider about leaving Summit portables out during the winter is water freezing inside the stand. I lost a couple of Summit stands this way years ago. I now drill small holes in all my Summit portables in the low areas. Most portables have small holes to let water escape, but the Summits do not.

 

• Apr 23, 2015

• #9

dixiecutter

Eye Devour ReeB

if i was gonna leave it on the tree i'd get the cheapest i could find. to me they all climb and sit about the same: the whole idea with summit is it packs and sets up light fast and quiet. but if im leaving it on the tree- none of that matters. either way/ during the off season, i'd bring it home

 

• Apr 25, 2015

• #10

HarryPagetFlashman

Member

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the input. I just started using a climber last season, everything before that was either a blind or permanent ladder stand. I really wish I'd started sooner.

 

• Apr 25, 2015

• #11

01Foreman400

Moderator

Staff member

Critters love those seats.

 

• Apr 25, 2015

• #12

BornToHuntAndFish

Senior Member

I've seen climber cables get very rusty after being left out for the hunting season, but it's up to you how safe you decide it is. Good luck & hope you & your crew stay safe.

 

• Apr 28, 2015

• #13

BigPimpin

Senior Member

This remindms me, I still have a couple climbers in the woods that I need to get down.

 

• Apr 28, 2015

• #14

Bama B

Senior Member

Becareful about the cables. That would be my only worry.

 

• Apr 29, 2015

• #15

notnksnemor

The Great and Powerful Oz

Steel + moisture + air = rust
They will rust inside the tubes at the joints where you can't see it.

 

• Apr 30, 2015

• #16

D

DrWally

Senior Member

Dont leave it out all year. Season okay. Safety first. Avoid corrosion.

 

• May 1, 2015

• #17

HarryPagetFlashman

Member

The plan is to use expanding foam inside the tubes to keep out moisture, or maybe just epoxy something over the open ends to make it airtight. I want to use the summits because 1) its what I'm familiar with, and 2) welds rather than bolts means I don't have to deal with them rusting, or acting as an avenue for moisture to get in.

I'm still thinking about it, and may end up biting the bullet and getting the SD's, but if I can get 4-5yrs out of the classics in this manner, that's how I'd like to do it.