Hanging stands is the most dangerous hunting-related activity, in my opinion. It's hot, strenuous work at high elevation and requires a lot of awkward hanging/bending/reaching. Please, do yourself a favor and be very cautious.

If you want to be on the safe side, go to your local Tractor Supply store. They sell tons of heavy duty rope, pulleys, carabiners and everything you'll need to hoist your stand into place. It's not hard to take good rope and keep tying yourself off, even looping it over an overhead limb and anchoring to yourself and a solid hold to catch you if you should fall. Their rope is reasonably priced, and comes in 75-100' packages.

I always take someone with me when I'm hanging stands - it helps b/c they can man the ropes, hand you tools/steps/straps/stand/etc.

Look online at lineman's climbing gear and rock-climbing gear to see what you really need to be safe. I look back at what we did when we were kids, and I'm shocked that we never killed ourselves. We hung/built stands using nothing but a tool belt and a piece of clothes line. Keep in mind that if you use ebay, you can find some deals on used OSHA harnesses and climbing belts. They have a good resale value, so it's not like you can't resell them when you're done using them.

Learn to tie some good knots, including a figure-eight knot and a prussic hitch. This link is a valuable resource. http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Climbing_Knots.html

Really, all you need isa good safety harness, some good rope and a little know-how.

Like noted earlier, those climbing sticks make things really easy, just be sure to put an extra ratchet strap or two on each one. It will be rock-solid once they're tight.

Tip: When hanging the stand, I always hang a screw-in step right where I want the seat to go. Then, I hang the stand temporarily on the step while I install the straps. Sometimes, it can be awkward trying to hold the stand in place and run the ratchet straps. It's one of those situations where you needfour hands but only have two.