I hunted a climber for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. Even though it was pretty basic and spartan stand, it was easy to use and comfortable enough (Ol' Man stand).

Really, the operation of this stand - and I believe all other quality climbers - is fool proof:

The teeth dig into the bark if there is weight on them. They can't help it. It might slide a couple of inches, but that's it.

But I do feel a safety harness is essential.

Going down, also pretty much fool proof. The coordination/skill to use it is very simple. It's easy to work the very first time, and it becomes very quick and efficient after just a couple of times.

I recommend buying one and then practicing a couple of times. There's many been recommended on this board, but go to a store and physically look at them. Then, after you buy one, just practice a couple of times. This will give you an idea what sort of tree to look for and wll make you a pro at using it (with the safety harness!).

The ol'man climber I used was excellent in terms of weight, convenience and comfort. The only thing I'd change is to have some sort of foam seat (this one is mesh) which would be warmer and more comfortable, especially if breezy.