It's about judging correctly how much to adjust before you start ascending. It really helps to have a tree that tapers very little, but that's not practical to expect to find them often.

My best advice is to just practice more at setting it up. I've been using Ol'Man for years and it did take a few trees to start to get it right.

Look at the tree, see how thick it is or how it tapers and take your best guess. Always better to have it angled towards the tree, rather than away!

The way you are doing it now is PERFECT for a stand you want 15ft. up. LOL! All you have to do now is angle it further, so that when you are up higher, it will then taper correctly to that height.

Trust me, just takes more practice.

Also, here's a tip: Most often I pre-trim a tree before I actually hunt it. When I go to pre-trim, I will keep a record on the pin settings, so that when I come back to hunt, I'll know better what pin holes to put it on. I use to scribe something like 4/5 on the tree. When I got back there, it means put it on the 4th hole on the top seat part and the 5th hole on the platform.

I didn't use the climber much this year, but the trees I was in, I recall having the lower platform angled quite a bit upwards, so that when I got to the height I wanted, it leveled out right.

If you want, as I have done this a few times, if you get to the height you want and the platform needs adjustment, since it's attached to your feet via straps, you can undue the pin and make the adjustment on the fly. Just make sure you always keep the strap attached to the stand that keeps the two, top and bottom, together... or if you drop the platform, you're SOL.

Good luck,

iSnipe "Love those Ol'Mans!"