I free style and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I put my stands in trees of all shapes and sizes which makes using safety equipment very difficult. The young man in the video does a very good job of setting up on a clean tree but how often do you set up on a clean tree? If I was to hunt the tree used in the video it would be perfect for a climber.

I save my fixed stands for odd-ball trees with funny bends or lots of branches. I try to maintain 3 points of contact with the tree at all times. In other words before I move my hand I make sure both feet and the other hand are firmly planted.

I also don't attach myself to the tree when hanging stands. I've found that having a tether above my head gets in the way more than it helps. I do tether to the tree once I'm in the stand, but I believe in maintaining 3 points of contact at all times and taking things slow. The guy in the video does a very efficeint job, but I would be checking each climbing stick before I just climbed to the top of it.

i saw that video and am now thinking of getting those sticks but i need to get a linemans belt like he was using. my dad has some ameristep ones but never used a belt but i feel safer using one

I get my first 2 sticks on, as they are not too far off the ground, then once I get to my 3rd stick, I use my lineman's belt around the tree while mounting the 3rd stick, and then my stand which is usually not much higher if any than my top (3rd) stick. I can do this in about the same time it would take me to setup a climbing stand.

Lineman's belt, even without the safety feature, just makes it so much easier to deal with the sticks - frees both hands.

I have these same sticks and a Lone Wolf Assault Hang On. This will be my first season using them but I have been practicing getting up into the tree quite a bit. I understand everyone's arguments against the use of any sort of attachment on the way up, but I personally will always use it. I wish there was a better way to ascend with the linemans rope when there are substantial branches without disconnecting the linemans and moving it above the branch. I find that I put myself in more danger detaching the Linemans setup when I encounter a branch than if I weren't using it at all. The dexterity and focus involved in swapping the Lineman's above a branch often causes me to choose a different tree which kind of defeats the purpose of sticks and a hang-on over a climber which is unfortunate.

I've never hunted in a stand, but this mkes it look easy enough.

I think I have you all beat!
I DON'T CLIMB!!!!
Spent many hours sitting in tree stands as a younger man.
Also spent many hours pounding sixty penny spikes into oak trees for steps and lag screwing platforms to the tree. That's what we called "hang ons", back in 60's and 70's. No such thing as safety belts. I've even curled up on platform and taken a short nap. No harness! It's a wonder I'm still alive!
I would still like to use tree stands. They offer an advantage that box and pop ups just can't match. My current physical condition doesn't DISallow it, it's just that I don't need to be causing any further damage!! LOL!!

Bubba

When I can do it, I use my climbing stand and work it backwards. I climb to the destination of my stand use a rope to hoist it in the air attach it to the tree. Then attach the climbing sticks on the way down. I am old fat and out of shape to stand on a stick while working and much prefer to stand on my climbing stand platform to work. Also I use the safety harness while doing this. luckily the time I did fall I lived and ever sense then safety harness is the way to go!

I have never seen the need for climbing trees like a monkey. I have hunted deer for over 50 years, have averaged one deer per year, killed 1 from a tree stand (lean on ladder with platform) and 1 from an elevated box blind (5 feet from the ground) all others were taken either standing, sitting or lying on the ground.
Friends who habitually use tree stands tell me that many deer now look up at them, so is the element of suprise lost. The only advantage that I can see for tree stands is possibly being able to see down into brush or possibly see a longer distance. I like to hunt in thickets because I believe that is where the bucks are.

Charlie finally go on a deer lease. Having never killed a deer (he was almost 50) he decided to build his own tree stand.
He selected a nice, straight sweet gum. Built a really nice platform at about 30 to 35 feet AGL*! (above ground level!)
Returns to hunt said "tree stand" while no one else was in camp. Sure enough, Charlie's first deer walks out 30 yards from the tree and Charlie blows him down with his single shot H&R .45-70.
Unfortunately, in his excitement, Charlie becomes altitudinally disoriented and in his haste to "lay hands" on his first deer, WALKS OUT OF TREE STAND!
Thankfully, there were folks in a camp not too far away that heard his cries of help! He only broke one leg!
Charlie hunts on the ground now!! LOL!

Bubba

Those things are fine for that skinny little guy but I'm 6 ft 3 and 270 lb. Don't think that thing would be safe for me.

I never leave the ground, blinds work fine.