Your also right on "easily modified". I have friends who buy Lock-on Tree stands and leave them up all year, but use Rope tree steps like I showed on my web site. They of course use a lock and chain to prevent theft of the stand. Sometimes, in addition to the lock, we take out the first 3 steps of a stand that has a lock-on tree stand, so others can't easily steal it and we then place "Sky hooks" in as the first 3 steps. Removing the 3 sky hooks each time we hunt (see my web site for what a sky hook is).
>>Of course you then have to remember to bring the 3 sky hooks with you, when you hunt the spot.<<
The other method is to hide the first 3 rope steps in some brush near the stand, and place them in when you get there. That works OK for evening hunting, but not so great for AM hunting, since it is 5:30 am and dark as heck and raining or snowing and you don't want to mess with putting in 3 steps in the dark with all your gear on and your gun. Etc.
So what I am trying to say is that the rope steps are SAFE, easy to put in,
economical, and your stand can be made "tamper resistent" (I didn't say completely safe from stealing), since you can easily take out steps keeping a spry young guy from stealing your stand without a LOT of trouble. When someone sees a stand with a cable lock on it and the first three steps missing he must say to himself----"I have to come back here with bolt cutters or a couple of wrenches, a safety belt and 3 steps to get this stand. Boy that is a LOT of trouble, I am going to pass on stealing this."
Oh, Yes I have had steps stolen, but they are $1.20/step and easily made so no big deal. So I am just trying to elaborate on "easily modified".
Good hunting and be safe. Chap Gleason