Pupster - just a heads up on something I ran into a few years ago that your post reminded me of.
If you leave chain style stands out year round and the tree grows... Be sure to check where the chain is attached to the stand too!
I had a situation a few years ago where I was helping a friend check his stands out, I don't leave mine out all year, and the maple tree had grown to the point that the weld attaching the chain to the stand was weakened. I would say that if I hadn't spotted that, someone would have been in for a pretty wild ride about 18' down!
Apparently, the force of the tree growing out stressed that weld enough that it was just about ready to give way. If there had been any weight on it, I think it would have.
Also, another little stand safety thing I started doing a few years ago...
I have some chain style and some strap style stands, regardless I will always put a secondary cable around the stand and the tree in case the first line of defense fails. I just use regular 1/4" diameter stranded cable. In my mind, if the primary strap or chain breaks, I at least have a backup system. I also use the proper safety belts and such too.
Good luck this fall.