The leveling issue is indeed the major problem w/ climbers. That's why you'll learn to be relatively picky as to the tree you choose to use. Don't use a tree that is real fat at the base and tapers off quickly, you just won't have enough adjustment to make it work. Find one that is fairly uniform is diameter and start w/ the stand angled up. It won't take you long to learn what trees to use and not use and what angle to start at. I like to hunt high, so I climb until the stand starts to angle down. I then go back down the tree a bite or two and tie in.For me it works out that's always around 25 feet. You'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. Get the stand now and practice w/ it before heading to the woods.