I'm a backup redundant kinda guy. This coming year will be my second year saddle hunting. I'm still a little leary, but I'm getting there with the confidence thing. I do know I like the saddle much more than my climber. I hate that thing. I feel much safer in the saddle.
I climb with a rappel rope, on a madrock, with a friction hitch above my madrock, hooked to my main bridge. I also use a linemans belt to climb. Once at height, I throw the linemans around the tree like a tether, and hook in to a secondary amsteel bridge. So I effectively use two tethers once at height. The linemans has a kong duck, with a backup swabisch hitch on it.
I'm pretty sure the only single point of failure I have in my system is my saddle, and my one stick. I don't think the saddle is going anywhere though lol.
I know it sounds like alot, but I have a 4 year old at home that is much more important than any deer.
BT