While you are climbing you must maintain at least a minimal downward force on the seat portion: simply resting your hands on this section is generally enough.

When you reach the desired height you sit on the seat and tighten the straps securing the seat to the platform. This makes for a rock solid seat/platform with no danger of the seat falling.

After spending any amount of time sitting in the seat (usually no more than sitting down once), you generally do not need the straps to keep the seat from falling as the teeth on the seat section have now bitten into the tree bark. Once you prepare to come down you will likely need to raise the seat to break it loose.

The only minor annoyance that I have is when is first mount the platform and seat onto the tree: sometimes the seat falls before I get onto the platform (and sometimes this makes unwanted noise).