personally...I like the lock-ons... usually buy couple climbing sticks and peice em together to get 20" and then hang a lock-on...Simple...clean...safe...I also use climbers too..They got some really nice climbers on the market today...real comfortable...espically for us big guys .. Reason i dislike Ladder stands, Is becuz its hard to get 20" high in a treestand widout the ladder shakeing and being really flimsy as u climb the ladder. I bought a wal-mart 2-seater 15" treestand...Just with 1 person, its really flimsy...But its all up to you in the end.... All of stands on the market are good