I stated that you must keep weight to the front of the stand (Bakers) and the reason of course is entirely about mechanics. Forward weight pulls the rear bar against the tree and pushes the bottom v-bar against the tree from the front. When you step too far to the rear, that pressure is lost and slides can occur, especially on slickm hard barked trees.
I have almost had a slide occur a few times on hard barked trees, but I haven't climbed an Oak or a Hickory with mine in years. I prefer about a 10 or 12 inch soft barked pine and I've never had the slightest problem with my old Baker.
My biggest complaint with it was that having an Accessory seat while using it was next to impossible, and also, even with the handclimber, it can be noisy.
I do think there are much better and safer stands available now though. However I will continue to use my Baker for the time being but as I am in my 70's, it ain't as easy to get up in the tree as it used to be. Everyone be safe and use a safety belt/harness no matter what kind of stand you're using.
Joe