Scott, make sure you have a harness on and are tethered from the moment you leave the ground until you climb down and touch the ground again.

I have a system that works flawlessly for fixed position stands. Shoot me an email and I'll explain it to you. Its simple, easy, and about as foolproof as you can get.

And yes, I fell. Only about 8 or 10 feet but that was enough for me. I will not climb without a harness now.

Everyone thinks it happens to the "other" guy.