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As far as I'm concerned, no screw in step is completely safe.
I've had screw in steps break with me and was very lucky to not get injured. I use the sticks now and feel much safer. They are a pain to carry but easy to install and you work up less sweat getting into a tree. When my screw in step broke it happened to be on a tree with a fork in it. I wedged into the fork and didn't fall more that a foot. Looking down though, I saw several steps right between my legs. I'm tellin' ya' boys, I'd be a singin' a higher pitch in church come Sunday!