I have a Summit backpacker and find the footstraps useless. My feet go into the "V" on either side formed by the stand base and the support leg, so if you sit on the climbing portion, you simply hook your feet, while flexing your toes upwards, then engage the stand up the tree.

I guess it's not easy to explain, but believe me, amnipulating the stand this way is much easier than using the supplied straps.