180 Max SD Climbing Treestand

I bought this for hunting on public land, so I wouldn't risk having my stands stolen or having to bring a climb pole with me every time I hunted. However, I find that I no longer use any of my old stands any more because of how much I enjoy using this. Pros: It is insanely comfortable. I can sit in the stand all day. When it is windy and cold, I can bunker down in it and it has pockets that I put hand warms in. Heated seats :). It is very easy to use. The instructions it comes with are junk, but it is so intuitive. Only takes five minutes to set up and be in the tree. Secure and safe. I have never had it so much as shift on me while I'm in the stand, and it locks in very solid. It also comes with lots of safety equipment: harness, locking strap. Quite. the stand makes ZERO noise in the tree. For me this was a main seller. No more will a creaking stand give your location away to deer. Cons: Expensive. It cost a pretty penny. Pockets are Velcro. Why any company would produce items for hunting with Velcro on them is beyond me. Although this feature is easily over come by tucking the flaps that cover the pocket into the pockets themselves. For bow hunting, the front bar can get in the way. However, this bar makes a perfect gun rest and is great during the regular season. It damages trees. This is true of all climber stands, but it should be mentioned. it is usually fine on older trees with thicker barks. Young elm, all birch, and most soft wood trees should be avoided if you don't want to see the marks or you care about the trees. if not, the world is your stand :) Overall: I am very happy with this purchase. It cost a bit more than I wanted to pay, but I figure if I'm going to trust my life and safety thirty feet of the ground to a stand, I better get a good one. Being able to set up all over the place keeps the deer on their toes. I always felt that with my more permanent stands, the deer eventually became weary of them and avoided the areas altogether. Not any more; now they never know where I am coming from until it is too late. Because the seat is so comfortable, I can stay out for longer and move less. This stand has really taken my hunting to another level. If I had the option I would rate it 4.75 stars only because of the price.

180 Max vrs Viper SD: Both are excellent stands and if I had the money I would own both but I chose the max 180 to replace my old API Bowhunter. The Max 180 is a big roomy stand with the most comfortable seat found anywhere. It's perfect for those November rut bowhunts and 1st day rifle season where you basically climb up in the dark and come down in the dark (unless you get lucky in between). The trade off: Big and roomy means 6 lbs heavier and bulkier to carry. I'm now 50'ish, avg height/wt and in good shape so the weight is not a real issue. Like others stated though, you won't be able to sit and climb if you are under 6', because the back bar is too far away. I've always had the api bow hunter so I am used to climbing standing up and the back bar is still there if you want to take a quick break. I also added the rapid steps so you can do a modified sit and climb. The viper also does not come with the wrap around seat. That's a $100 add on so there is real value to getting this with the stand. I also added the footrest and I can tell you that once you get set up, this thing is as comfy as your favorite barcalounger you have in front of the TV. The only big negative I have is the seat storage when you pack up. It does not just fold into the stand, you have to do some manual stuffing and I believe Summit recommends removing it but reattaching in the dark would be a pain in the butt and increase the time you spend at the bottom of the tree spreading scent all over the place so that's not going to happen. They also recommend you reverse the seat for climbing and then reverse it back for hunting. I have too many checklist things to think about already so I just make sure my safety harness is connected when I climb and descend and I do the stand up method as I mentioned above. I make time for at least 10 full days in a tree and that is why I picked this stand over the Viper SD. If I mostly just hunted for a few AM or PM hours I probably would have gone with the Viper and sacrificed a bit of comfort and room.

The best thing I have purchased for deer season. Easy to assemble and extremely sturdy. Beyond comfortable. I sometimes struggle to stay awake in it. It’s almost like a tree recliner. Weighs slightly more than others but it’s definitely worth it. Comes with all the safety equipment needed. Great value and investment in my opinion. Would definitely buy again.

This thing is great. I have never been so comfortable while hunting. I have hunted for 15+ years on old platform stands that are rotting and sloping. I have been sitting in creaky chairs that were uncomfortable. I have almost slipped off the sloping platforms many times. This year no more. Once engaged on the tree it is super solid. I don't recommend sitting in it though while climbing because then you will have to turn the seat around when you get to the height you want if you are going to face away from the tree. It is kind of a pain to turn the seat around while up in the tree and it can be noisy. Plus you have to remove the seat entirely which you then face the risk of dropping it as you get situated. I just put my weight on my arms to lift it up. The harness could use an extra couple of feet to attach to the tree. You can't really sit facing the tree with the length of harness they give you unless you add another length of webbing (which I did). Sitting facing the tree does offer some advantages for being less visible, but it is not quite as comfortable because you have the railing across your instead of the tree. It also adds some flexibility that allows you to use a tree that you might not be otherwise able to due to obstructions on the side you want to face such as another close tree trunk. I ordered the front storage bag, which I am glad I did. I could put extra gear in there and a water bottle which meant I didn't have to carry another bag. The bag itself wasn't the best, but it works good. I almost went with the Summit Viper instead and worried this was going to be too big. I am not a big guy (5'-9", 140lbs), but the added dimensions on this and the wrap around seat make it extremely comfortable, especially in bulky cold season gear. I am glad I ended up with this one instead of the Viper. Some reviewers noted it doesn't stack well. I don't think they followed the instructions because when I stack it and strap the two parts together it was very solid and did not rattle at all. It is a bit bulky to carry though. I understand why some people prefer the smaller and lighter Viper, but I figure I spend about 10-60 minutes carrying it in and out in a day, and 9+ hours in it. My preference is for the long term comfort over the short term. On one day I got in the stand at 7:45am and literally did not come down until after dusk around 4:45 pm. I was comfortable the whole time.

First climber I've ever owned and I love it. First trip out with the stand on my back bow in one hand and a field pack in the other my arms went numb from the shoulder straps. Will work on that later. I did however attach my field pack and bow to the back of the stand with clipping nylon straps to free up my hands. Im over 50 living in the ozarks and am able to hike a good mile into and out of the woods up and down rocky hills with this configurtion. As for comfort I have managed a couple good naps while hunting which may be contributing to fact I haven't had to drag a deer out with this thing yet. Let's hope that changes. The pockets in the seat are great for keeping extra hand warmers or anything for quick access. Stability is awesome once your set. Not so much when your climbing and trying to get the platform bite back out of the bark. It tends to grab at times and make you work a bit to get it dislodged. Thats a good thing. As i see it at my age its the first and last climber I'll buy and was worth every penny spent. Purchased the treestand wingman also. If you dont know find out it could save your life.

Cadillac of tree stands

Great tree stand ! This is a very nice and roomy tree stand with all the strength a big guy needs! The only thing I don't like is that they went real cheapo on the wrap around rest! I mean zip ties to secure it.... for crying out load...others in there line use Velcro and Zippers....why the cheap crap?

I'm a big guy (310) and probably don't belong in a tree. I used this stand in the second half of the season to take 2 Bucks and a Doe. It was easy to climb with and never felt unsafe. It is very comfortable for a big guy and very sturdy. Couldn't be happier with this purchase. Get the optional foot rest with it and your biggest problem will be staying awake.