Hopefully this will help guys new to stand hunting:
If your considering treestand hunting....take in to consideration where youll be hunting before you go buying equipment. The stuff out there for stand hunting and the different methods can be mind boggling. The cost is highest on the lightest, most packable systems, and the saddle hunting fad, and one stick thing is nutty. But it can be very effective to move around. Howver the lightest most packable stuff is typically NOT very comfortable.
Private land with good access (Atv or truck) - weight of stand and type really don't matter, cheap ladders that weigh a ton are fine. Get the comfyiest setup so you can stay out there the longest. No one should be messing with it, and you can buy a lot of cheap setups and cover your whole area and just leave them there and if you find better spots move them as you go.
State Land - If your not going too far, a climber like lone wolf, or summit will do, and be relatively comfortable. Alternatively XOP and Millenium have decent stands and sticks at moderate prices. I do like sticks, they are lighter and more packable and if you want to leave the stand there pull the bottom one or two and most people will leave it alone.
Deep State land or Multiple Moves - this is the newest fad. Though it is pushing the limits on stand design and packability, which I like and they will eventually come out with cheaper alternatives. You'll spend a ton of money to be light and mobile with lone wolf custom gear, or some of the one stick saddle setups. If you get into the latter, youll have to learn knots, lines, repelling down a tree. I sometimes thing these guys are more into tree climbing than hunting.....but Ive learned alot.
A little of everything - this is where I ended up and I have setups from a Summit Climber, to 4 light sticks (skeletors) and a Millenium M7 that weighs a total of 14 pounds, and carries like a dream, if I need to go deep. I also didn't spend Lone wolf custom gear money on it either. Ive also got some fairly packable XOP sticks and XOP stand for state land or private land where I feel no one will mess with stuff. With sticks, you can pull the last one (as I start up high with an aider) and keep people honest. I don't hunt out of the saddle only much...its hard on my back and not very comfortable for me, and I feel you give up some shots as well as compared to using a saddle in conjunction with a stand where you can shot almost anywhere.
Safety Harness.....I would not waste money on a dedcated hunting harness. I would spend your money on a good climbing harness or saddle. I've incorporated a saddle as my safety harness only now...and that's all I use. Its much more versatile. If I want to shoot backwards off the front edge, or sides of my stand, i can just hang in the saddle and do that....... I also use one sticking tech, to hang my steps, instead of the linemans' rope, and repelling down with a figure 8 to retrieve everything instead of climbing down, especially if Im keeping a few steps and the stand there. There are other more expensive replelling aids but the 8 works for me and its cheap. Make sure you use some sort of back up to your device when repelling and climbing. Alot of these clowns using one sticking don't. I backup with a friction hitch to my saddle.
Tether and Linesmans Rope- Instead of using prussic hitches, look into the variety of rope holders like Kong Duck and Ropeman 1 to be able to adust your linesman rope or tether as you go up the tree. (again, back them up) Look into the lighter styles of 8-9 mm ropes that like Res Tech, and Canyon, instead of using big 11-13 mm rope usually sold in these safety kits. The smaller rope is strong and much more packable. If you are one that runs your tether up the tree like I do when using a climber or sticks, use a rubber stopper or and accessory called the ohm, that keeps your tether loop from falling down the tree all the time. Stupid simple, but it saves frustration of your rope falling down and hitting the climber and clanking.