Ladder stands have their place , especiallyon land where you're hunting alone , but they've neverreally been considered portable because of their weight and lengthy set up . Climbers have their place too , especially on heavily hunted public land .

I'm gonna get a couple of ladders, one solo-one tandem , and set them up on my property for myself and my grandkids . Ladders are probably the safest elevated stands around since they are very stable and securely fastened to the tree , perfect for teaching kids to hunt. Height really isn't an issue to me since most of them are at or above the "magic" 15' , and you can always drape a fabric blind around them for added concealment . They all come with fall arrest gear these days , so other than climbing or descending the ladder you're pretty safe .