I bought one. Takes a while to figure out a climbing method that works best for you. There are a bunch of different ways to climb and adjust your saddle to make it comfortable. Tons of not needed accessories. I will never touch a climber again. U don't need expensive stuff. I use an ape canyon baron lite saddle, $105 on sale right now! And made in USA! One 8mm tether with a rope prussick instead of an expensive mechanical device, I think it was around $20. 8 mm predator rope 40 ft long to rappel with a figure 8. Ropes are from Hang Free and also made in USA. I'm not hanging in a tree on Chinese junk. I made a platform with a 2 step aider and use that to climb "1 stick climbing". It weighs 6 or 7 lbs. My son uses sticks but thats more stuff to carry.
U can go around limbs with an extra tether or use rappel rope and always be tied to the tree. Wear your saddle in and the rest of stuff in your pack. No big climber banging off tree limbs.

I never got the ropeman fascination but then again I don't stick climb so adjusting lineman belt is a thing for me. Rope climbing methods for me, static rope and two tether climbing

As far as the ropeman, I don't like the prusik knot. I tried the prusik on my lineman belt for climbing and setting my stand. It sinches up so tight that it's hard to adjust as I go up the tree. It came with my harness and the only thing I can think is that the rope is small diameter causing the problem??? Ropeman is easy to adjust and slide.

I've been curious about saddle tree stands. This thread prompted me to take a look at several videos on you tube. So, I feel partially educated. With what little I know, it seems to me they lack the versatility of a climber. I use a Summit Viper, and really can't see any advantage the saddle has over it. Especially when it comes to standing and switching position. I love my climber.

What am I missing?

Okay, so it's the versatility in the tree itself. Makes sense. The "right" tree often isn't there. I've helped more than a few trees become the right tree prior to season.

But I still think the climber has it over the saddle in terms of changing position once in the stand. Yes? No?

Changing positions in a climber is a good way to come out of the tree . . ..

I do not recall the year I bumped up to the Viper, but have bow and gun deer hunted out of this stand and have never felt like there was a hint of a coming fall. I can sit, stand, turn 180 . . no problems.

So it's personal experience with a climber you're sharing, or something you've read or heard that would cause one to avoid it for that reason?

Okay, so it's the versatility in the tree itself. Makes sense. The "right" tree often isn't there. I've helped more than a few trees become the right tree prior to season.

But I still think the climber has it over the saddle in terms of changing position once in the stand. Yes? No?

Well, I'm probably missing the point. I can sit and face in one direction, stand and face in one direction, rotate 180 standing and shoot behind the tree. I like that versatility. The trunks of trees I'm attached to are not so large in diameter that makes it impossible to do so. From my climber, standing, I have almost 360 degrees of surveillance.