Summit Treestands Mini Viper SD Climbing Treestand, Mossy Oak

I had a viper steel and wanted to drop some weight. This model is great-quieter and seems like an overall better build. The bottom platform is noticeably shorter and the seat is constricted a bit as well but for the drop in weight it is worth it. If sitting all day I would want a full viper not micro.

I just used this treestand in November of 2019, bowhunting in Oklahoma. I'm 5'6" and 178 pounds, so there is the context. And, I like it so much that I would purchase it again. Very sturdy overall. Platform is sturdy making bow draw easier. USE the umbilical cord. Once while climbing I forgot to attach it. These new stands CAN slide down the tree. COMFORT: Awesome comfort in the stand. As you know if you bowhunt, being comfortable is key. Comfort reduces your movement. SQUEAKING: Yes, sometimes (RARELY) there was squeaking when standing up. I resolved this by slightly moving either the platform or the seat, left or right or up or down. Thankfully however, the squeaking sounded similar to creaking oaks in the wind. Another way I resolved the squeaking was to do nothing. It seemed the stand would "settle" after sitting a while. Another way I resolved the intermittent squeaking was to push my arms against the armrests of the upper portion of the treestand. I did this when attempting to stand and there was no squeaking. Mind you, the stand did NOT always squeak. I added the Third Hand Bow Holder to the left armrest on the upper portion of the stand. Now grabbing your bow is akin to adjusting your rear view mirror (before there were electric rear view mirror adjusters). The Bow Holder does get in the way when packing the bottom into the top of the stand. But, there is no way around that inconvenience. I like the straps for backpacking the stand. They are stretchy which makes them easy to adjust. The instructions could use MORE PICTURES!! And the instructions could be more clear that the same instructions apply to the Summit MINI Viper as they do for the Summit VIPER SD. This was not clear from the outset. 18 pounds is not super light. But you need the weight to make it comfortable. I'd rather be uncomfortable for the walk in to the woods, but be comfortable in the stand. Five stars for the design of the product and its successful use in the field.

Nice climber. Very comfortable. I'm a smaller in shape dude- easy to pack on back, carried it about a mile one way before no issues. Can't speak for harness, I bought a quick snap on aftermarket one. Easy to climb trees, I stick with pines, thick bark, grips well. Fairly experienced climbing stand user, always use caution. Its quiet enough. Slow descent yesterday morning, buck had been on other side of thicket for an hour, scraping, grunting, caught a glimpse. I come down slow and quiet, on ground, start packing stand, hear twigs and brush moving, here he comes crossing by in front of me about fifty yards. Boom. Good stand. The real way to hunt.

Been very happy with this stand after about two weeks of season. Purchased this stand as an upgrade from my Viper SD, and it definitely works in that capacity. The weight difference is appreciable, and the suspension is a moderate improvement over the SD's although still not great. If you intend to pack this stand very far at all, I would recommend fitting something like a MOLLE II ruck suspension to it in place of the straps it comes with. The stand has plenty of room for me, and the seat is comfortable. Also works well if you intend to stand. The padding pieces that come with the stand are comfortable, but the zippers are loud as installed. Easily fixable by wrapping zipper tabs with electrical tape.

Decent treestand. Works ok on the tree and fairly light to pack in. It is somewhat difficult to get the 2 pcs put back together as 'one' so you can pack it and if you don't pay attn you'll leave the seat/back material dragging. Will take some time to learn what's best. It is very comfortable and stable on the tree. Getting the cables to snap into place is easier than getting them to release when you need to take if off the tree. Instructions are easy to follow, packaged well. The safety harness is the basic cheapo that comes with every other climber and ladder stand now rendering it useless to most folks as it is a mess to keep straight. Invest in a quality harness.

I have 2 summit steel climbing stands. I wanted something lighter but still easy to set up with well thought out features. This stand is exactly that. Its comfortable to carry and much lighter. I know the dimensions are smaller but its very hard to notice. I certainly don't feel I gave up anything by going with the smaller stand. Love the noise dampening system and the improved shoulder straps. I would highly recommend this stand to anyone.

This is the first climbing stand I’ve ever purchased. I am 5’5”, 130lbs and the Mini Viper is a perfect size for me and easy to carry around through the woods. I hunted with the stand the first day of the season and killed a nice buck out of it. I found it to be comfortable and easy to climb with. The only thing is the harness and straps that come with it aren’t the best quality. Therefore, I use my own. Other than that, this is a great stand and I definitely recommend, especially for women who are looking for a smaller, light weight stand.

Light easy to use. Up and down trees with ease. Really love this stand. I’m 5-10 160 and found it had good room. Hammock style seat is very comfortable and warm. Also very quiet. No creaking or noise as you shift in the seat.

set up was easy

Why did summit go the China route? It’s too bad because I had to grind down and modify the tube cable insert in order to get this thing to work. Messy welding job at the factory. The tubes were not aligned properly before welding and a screw forced the cable tube to be crushed, not allowing enough space to insert the cable. I had to grind out the crushed portion, ensuring that I didn’t mess with the integrity of the weld. Unacceptable for a freakin 300$+ piece of kit. I read similar on other reviews. Crap made in China. And assembly was like reading a ikea assembly guide. Very frustrating. Let’s hope I don’t fall out of the tree!