You're right, Jeff... I think climbers are about as safe as you can get, provided your sections are tethered together and you've got your harness attached to the tree and keep pushing it up as you ascend.

The way I do it, if you read closely, actually leaves a very small time frame there when I unhook, step onto the platform, then hook back up. I feel comfortable with it due to to my athleticism and the fact that everthing is already solidly attached by that point, and I'm always able to have both hands and feet free as I step onto the stand. Still... I think it's VC1111 who's provided a link the last couple years of an ascension system akin to ones used by mountain climbers which would provide the absolute in safety.

But you don't even need that system with a climber... just push your harness up as you climb.