I look at it this way, build a safe set of stairs and accidents will be limited to being very rare. Problem is most are clueless as to how to do it or concerned enough to do it right. They however rely on a harness almost betting they have to use it, that isn't good. A safe set of stairs doesn't have the steps anymore than a 1/4" difference in height for starters. I'm not saying the same specks for stairs should apply to trees but the consistency of the climb should be. It's why ladder stands are safer, they're consistent.

Most also only climb when they hunt and that begins in the dark and often ends in the dark, that isn't good either. Many shouldn't even be climbing much less climbing with their gear.

I still think that a harness for most is a false sense of security. Way too many examples like forgetting your rope proves carelessness and a careless person will not use a harness with anymore concern. Check out work place accidents that happened while people were wearing a harness for examples of what I'm getting at.

If a persons honest with themselves and falls into the category I'm describing they should consider staying on the ground and never climb if they do with their gear. For a test take a 25' ladder, lean it up against your house, grab all your stuff and head up. Let your own brain tell you if your nuts. If it doesn't come out in the dark and do it. Your at home then, how about alone in the woods? If you make it to the top climb trough a window, just like stepping off onto a stand. A concerned person will have already strapped that ladder off tight with as many straps as it takes not just what came with the thing. Many will role the ladder right over being careless. If after all that you make it look how much space you needed to stand up inside your 4 walls. Chances are if it was a stand you'd of stepped right off it. After all this keep in mind the consistency of the rungs on the ladder you were clueless about. Put your steps (whatever they are) up to your stand with the same concern and climbing without a rope much safer. Bust a rung or 2 out of the ladder and try and climb with your stuff to simulate how most setup to climb a tree.