Or maybe we're all just dumb and stupid when it comes to figuring out all those straps... I don't trust a vest to hold without crushing my chest but from rock climbing, I'm always prepared for a lot harder fall than anyone should ever experience from a treestand. Full body harness with leg loops is still the way I go. I believe you're correct about the stitching being used to convert relatively static (stiff) webbing into something more dynamic (stretchy). A 10' fall on a static line would make you feel like you'd been cut in half.