Drop Tine makes some very good suggestions. PRACTICE!!!! Before you head out into the woods. My dad and I built my first climber back in 1984. I climbed a tree in the yard to see how it would work. I got about 10' off the ground and the bottom section slipped off my feet and rocked itself down to the ground. It wasn't a sit down climber like I have now so here I am hanging in the air. My dad had to get a 2x4 and push the bottom back up to me. I attached a rope between the two so that the bottom section would catch and lock if it ever slipped off again. I bought a new sit down climber last year and it has two straps just for that...use them. You also want to secure the stand to the tree once you get settled. I do this so it won't move around or fall. Some hunters use a bungie but I've switched over to a rachet tie down strap. It takes a little more to hook it up but it is safer. Getting down is just the opposite to getting up but to me a little hairier. You bring the top section down towards the bottom...lock it in...make sure it is secure...and then release the bottom and lower it. Stand up...lower the top...secure it by sitting down...and do the lower section again. You want to practice at a nice safe distance off the ground before climbing a great distance. The hardest part is judging the angle to set the stand so that it will be level at 20' up the tree. I misjudged it once and sat for a few hours holding myself into the stand. Luckily I have the front rail and I didn't have to shoot anything that afternoon.

Have fun climbing
Reid