How well it handles side pressure is a combination of factors. Keep in mind that we made these platforms from the size of that grating (from scrapping a factory) that was available to us and size definitely has a bearing on how well it handles side pressure. The original pieces were 12" wide x 24" long. We used those long before we started using saddles so side pressure did not come into play. When we started saddle hunting, we discovered that the 24" length would create too much torque leverage on the platform when we would put all of our weight out on one of the corners. The support post would actually shift, and sometimes shift to the point that it seemed like it could actually slip off the side of the tree (YIKES!). We solved that by adding a 2nd strap around the tree and attached it at the base of the post. The secondary strap was just a cheap cam strap, but 7/64" Amstel daisy chain trucker's hitch worked really well, too.
Then we realized that we didn't need 24" of length for saddle hunting so we cut several in half in order to make double the platforms. The shorter length definitely helped tremendously with the torque, flexing issue. It was no longer an issue and we didn't need to use the 2nd strap.
But another important benefit of camming up (like described earlier) was that since the post stayed engaged with the tree better when we redistribute our weight, it stayed locked tightly against the tree.
I've never had one of these platforms slide sideways on the tree, but I have seen the support post get "off" the crown of the circumference of the tree. You really want that post to remain directly under the side-to-side center of the platform.
One other possible issue, that I've never experienced, but it is possible is a "trap-door". If the post were to slip out then the platform would trap-door beneath you. that issue is easily remedied with a short safety cord that runs from the bottom of the post and connects to the underside of the platform. I made short whoopee slings from 1/8" Amsteel which allow unlimited adjustments the post's angle so I can change the amount of "level" of the platform, yet still insure that post slippage will never occur.
One critical detail about setting these stands is to NOT go past 90 degrees when camming (up or down). As we cam, the chain (strap, or rope, etc) gets tighter and tighter which is desired because it locks the stand rock solid on the tree. The peak of that amount of tightness occurs when the camming is completed just short of 90 degrees. At ~91 degrees and after, the attachment actually starts getting less tight.
Know just how tight to set the chain/strap prior to the cam is an important detail to insure a tight set. If you start out with the chain too tight, you won't be able to complete the cam. And if you start out too loose, obviously you won't get a tight set. There is a bit of a learning curve to becoming efficient at setting these. We've never used cam straps for the main strap, but I'm pretty sure that type of attachment would be the fastest and easiest to obtain the proper length prior to the cam. Chains are heavy, noisy, but they are bomb proof, squirrel proof and theft resistant, but they don't allow minute adjustments because you only have a fixed few links that can work, if I'm explaining that clearly. A high quality cam strap or amsteel (daisy chain, truckers hitch, timber hitch) attachment is more adjustable than chain. I have a few hanging with 1/8" amsteel daisy chain, and a few with 1/4" amsteel timber hitch, and even 1/4" whoopee slings they all work okay but I'm convinced that a strong, high quality cam strap would be the most user-friendly attachment system, but for long term, pre sets when we we might want leave the stand in the tree for months or years, chain is still the most dependable.
Getting back to the direction of the cam...
I think most of us saddle hunters agree that platforms are a bit more comfortable if they are set to lean slightly away (downward) from the tree, especially for leaners ("leaners", meaning the hunter is leaning, not meaning the tree is leaning).
Camming up allows us the stop short of the 90 degrees for more comfortable footing while maintaining a tight set. If we tried to set the platform less that level with a downward cam then we wouldn't have quite as tight of a set and side pressure could possible be an issue.
One last thing I will mention about something I've done with a cam-down set attached chain-style...
After setting the stand, I would attach a short bungee cord to the chain, and I'd run it around the front of the tree. The purpose of that was to allow the platform to be folded up against the tree when not in use. The bungee would keep the chin tight and in place, enough that the chain would remain in the proper position. The purpose of wanting to fold up the platform was to help keep the leaves off of it during leaf drop. Climbing up to hunt only to have to remove dozens of dry, noisy leaves tangled in the grating was a detail that was not desirable. Folding the stand up also makes it harder to see by would-be thieves of squatters. And I swear that some mature bucks in high pressure areas have learned what a stand is and they avoid it.
