RE: climber question
They work well and like crenth is saying they also come with an elastic strap. You just put your heel against the strap, pull back and insert your foot in the stirup.
Like others have mentioned tie the top and bottom together with a rope so if you do loose it you can pull it back up.
Next stand you buy make a more balanced base an option you'd like to have. I can lift my current one with very light pressure under the side rail. No straps. No stirups.
It also fastens to the tree with ropes, the same rope I use to attach each other for the climb