RE: What to look for in a Tree Stand?
Comfort, Comfort, Comfort!!! and of course something that's safe.
Besides a nice seat and back rest, I love my gorilla ladder stand which also has a foot rest bar that I fold out once in stand and can rest my feet on. My knees get sore if I'm in a sitted position to long, so it gives me another option to place me feet.
And with regards to a good padded seat, I don't know how everyone else is but my butt gets progessively flatter as the week passes by. I usually hunt from my gorilla stand for 3 or 4 day's and the seat on this stand works for my buns. I bought it at Gander on sale for $120. But it's hard to set up by yourself, but can be done. Comes with nice ratchet straps and is real secure when properly placed.
If you live near a Calelas store, you can alway's purchase a stand use it then return it if you don't like it and try something else. I saw someone return a ladder stand the other day when I was there that looked like it was used for the last 2 1/2 months of bow season here in Michigan. That's where I'll purchase my next hang on stand for this reason.
Good Luck