Muzzyman - I've never had this happen to me and I've been using a LW for 2 years now. The only thing I could think is that your traction belt caught on something and didnt grab the tree at the proper angle. Sometimes the belt catches on bark for me and holds on the tree lower than it's supposed to (therfore the belt is bent down), and the stand isnt as stable. I just re-adjust the bottom until the belt is at the proper angle. I went from a summit to the LW and I feel much more secure in the LW, it grabs the tree much better IMO...