Killed my first deer out of one. Buddy of mine was hunting the same stand not long after that and one of the rails snapped while he was coming down. Other held on and he continued to climb down. Can't do that with a cable for sure. I have found myself heavily doubting the pins that hold the pieces together though. And the foot piece can be a pain if you have big feet, even worse in hunting boots. One thing is for sure, one in good health would grab anything softer than a steel beam and be secure. I like em, just getting to fat for mine lol.