I like being able to hunt new areas and react to season changes in real-time, and our archery season is far, far longer than anything else, so I appreciate the whole "mobile tree stand hunting" phenomenon. I do use some pre-set stands or pre-prepped trees in places I hunt frequently, but many times I need to hang a stand on-sight. it's not any more effective I don't think, but I like it better. After moving to a saddle for a year I also bought a really small hang-on stand because I think they both do different things better than the other. I also am no stranger to fiddly rope-stuff, I was a climbing guide for many years and worked for a climbing gear manufacturer, so the rope work and various climbing and tethering means I can do in my sleep, but I can see how that would be an extremely steep learning curve getting started. The saddle platforms are way less bulk than even a small stand, which is perhaps my favorite thing about them--nothing to catch on brush. I have creaky knees though, and I cant stay still in any position, so I sometimes gravitate to my smaller stand and will alternate between sitting and standing and using it as a big saddle platform--there is something to be said for the largest saddle platforms and the smallest tree-stands (LWCG 0.5 and similar) for this reason even it isnt the lightest option. I also found one-sticking to be louder and require more movement even after lots of practice, and as a result in many cases I find using sticks a more desirable option for me when I am pretty certain I will wind up in a tree. If I think i'll be hunting from the ground and there's a less than 50% chance I'll get in a tree I will bring the saddle and one-stick setup. I bit the bullet and bought a pair of carbon sticks, which I love--they are short enough to not snag on brush the way my longer sticks do, and 3 sticks with an aider each is sub 4lb and gets me plenty high, so very manageable even for a very long day covering miles of ground. If I think there's a good chance I'll sit for a long time, or if I am not walking far or I might leave the stand up for another sit the next AM, then I bring my little stand as I find it more comfortable for long periods of time--in this case I actually use a rock climbing harness as I think it is better and safer for the combo of fall arrest harness in a stand and hanging saddle-style (it is NOT as comfortable to hang in as a saddle though). Ultimately I think a saddle is a good choice as a general-purpose mobile tree stand, but based on my own experience its not so definitive that the choice is crystal clear. You kind of have to try different stuff and figure out what you like best.