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Treestand Safety Harness?

I am in the market for a new safety harness and would like to know the good and bad of what you wear. But first, a little background on why.

I had an episode while using a different climber while trying it out after my season was over.

I am 6'1" tall and weigh just under 250 pounds and about to turn 64 during the turkey season. I consider myself in pretty good physical shape and walk at least two miles every evening. Using a climber has been easy for me.

I ordinarily use an API Grand Slam Magnum climber and I've never had a problem with it at any time. I have always felt safer in that stand than any other. So much so, I've discontinued using my chain on stands and climbing sticks.

I've always worn a climbing safety "belt" but just before the season started this year a dear friend and I were talking. He had a safety harness that he gave me. He was no longer going to hunt.

Along with the harness, he also gave me a Gorilla Climbing stand that was two years old and was pretty lite. He had only used it about three times as he'd rather fish than hunt. Because it was different than my API, I hadn't used it until after I shot my muzzle loader buck.

I went to my buddies farm and climbed a maple with it and settled in to get a feel for it. It went up the tree fine seemed comfortable while sitting in the tree but..... when I stood up to start climbing down, the base lost it's bite on the tree. It went to the bottom of the tree and I fell through the opening in the seat portion so fast I didn't know what had hit me.

The safety harness did it's job and as I hung there, eight to ten feet off the ground I wondered how I was going to get out of the situation.

I hung on for a few minutes to gather my thoughts.... no doubt I was in shock at the moment. I was lucky that nothing was hurting.

I decided to test the leg buckles on the harness and I was able to loosen them a little without a problem. I unbuckled my chest buckle and slowly undone my leg buckles one at a time. Then I lowered myself out of my arm straps as far as I could before I jumped the rest of the way down, about five feet.

Once on the ground safely, I thanked the Lord for delivering me unharmed and proceeded to get the rest of the tree stand down out of the tree. I used a tree branch to push up the front of the seat and it came sliding down. Then I headed home with a couple of bruises on the inside of my arms where I hit them as I fell through the seat climber.

Although the harness did it's job, I want to by a better version because the life line portion had been stretched to the max and I feel the need to replace it.

So.... what do you own... or suggest just in case something like this happens again?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. If you don't own AND use a safety harness please stay on the ground and hunt from a blind.

Hunters Safety System makes a great vest. I own the HSS pro series and combined with the HSS lifelines I feel very safe when ascending and descending from all of my stands. And like you mentioned.....EVERYONE that climbs into a stand should be using some sort of harness.

pogo, first glad all went well as to having on a harness, IT DID ITS JOB!second the safty harness once used for a fall, can not be reused. Gorillar also makes a find safety harness as well as Hunters Safety System. Third, safety belts are not legal to sale or to ware. They have been outlawed for 20 years or more. They can KILL YOU! Please keep on waring a safety harness. As a New York Hunder Education Instructor ALL should ware one, THEY SAVE LIVES!

Good thread. A reminder of how easily shoot can happen.

Thanks for the replies.

I think I'm getting the HSS Pro Series for myself. I will not go up a tree without wearing a harness.

archer756..... I wasn't aware that a harness couldn't be reused. Thanks for pointing it out. I did notice the stitching on the life line was busted loose so I had no intention of using it again.

C.Beck..... I'm glad you like the thread. We can all learn from one another either by reading about what to do, or what NOT to do.

I wasn't even going to tell anyone about this fall because it is kind of embarrassing but I also know that if somebody reads this and takes a positive step to providing for their own safety, it might save a life.

pogo it is NOT Embarrassing, it is and should be shared with others so ALL can learn. Yes once a life line is used the shock part is used as you notice. That is what is supposed to happen in order to take up the shock from falling. Thanks for sharing

I use the HSS harness and safety line with the sliding Prussic knot simply because most of my stands these days are ladder type or climbing sticks with hang-ons. Maybe I'm not understanding fully but I'm not sure exactly what kind of "fall" is being referred to. Typically, your harness tether should be attached to the tree high enough that you can just sit down in the stand and it's pretty much taut. The theory is as far as I know, that the idea is to not be able to fall off or below the platform of the stand. I do get it that if you're in a climber and it goes "bye-bye" down the tree you're pretty screwed. My thought was if I ever had a complete stand failure of a chain-on hang on stand I would have to bear-hug the tree, cut the tether and slide down. I keep a razor sharp knife clipped to my pocket that I can open with one hand to cut the tether when needed.

By the way a few years ago I slipped while prepping a stand and I was unattached. I fell about half way down and was raked by screw-in step along the way and believe it or not my T-short caught on another screw in step and held me from falling all the way down. I had damage to my ribs, scars, nerve damage to fingers on each hand and blood all over but I learned from it. The HSS safety lines with Prussic knot slider and harness makes you totally safe on the way up, down and while shooting, etc.

Good thread.

Jdawg, Just a note, get a DVD or go to the internet and see how to use your harness. THe first rule of using one is to have a pland to get out of your fall. The second is NEVER CUT YOUR TETHER!

Great thread. Good advice for all hunters here. I think that the safety lines are just as important as the safety vest. I'm attached to that line from the moment I step off the ground to the moment I touch back down.

Jdawg..... I will try to be a little clearer about the fall that happened to me.

I was trying out this Gorilla climbing stand after the season because it hooked up differently to the tree than my API. I was given this stand two days before the start of the bow season. I didn't trust myself using a strange stand in the dark. (I mostly hunt early mornings)

I hooked the stand to a medium sized maple tree and climbed onto it. I attached my safety harness to one of my climbing straps that goes around the tree and comes back through itself and then attaches to the life line with a carabineer. I proceeded to climb up the tree, sliding and tightening the strap as I went.

I got up about 16 feet and made sure the stand was solid. I turned around and sat down. I sat there about 15 to 20 minutes enjoying the moment. The stand was pretty comfortable to sit in.

I decided to get down and walk around looking at the late season sign to get an edge on next season. I do this every year and I learn a little more about this farm every year.

When I stood up and started to turn to face the tree my weight must have shifted on the stand base. It lost it's bite and plummeted down the tree. The next thing I know I was hanging, very comfortably I might add, about 10 feet off the ground wondering what had just happened.

I know I was taking a risk by getting out of my harness like I did, but I did exactly what I felt I could do to free myself in that situation.

If I was higher up the tree I would have just pulled out my cell phone and called for help. but I didn't think it was necessary.

This harness came with a razor sharp cutter in a little pouch attached to the harness but I didn't feel the need to cut anything. By sliding my leg buckles open and then lowering myself I felt very comfortable the way I excited the situation. I'm over six feet tall and I guess I lowered myself so I only had about five feet left to get down.

One of my reasons for going with climbing stands is I felt extremely safe using my API Grand Slam Magnum Climber. I love the fact that I have a rail around me. It makes me feel secure when I'm up 16 to 20 feet. I also love the fact that most people would never know what part of the farm I am hunting unless they catch me in the tree. Kind of gives me a little edge.... at least in my mind.

Any questions?

Yeah, I now understand the extent of your fall. Archer756's recommendation to stop and consider your plan in a "what if" scenario is a good one. I have to conclude however that if you're in a climber and the climber "goes away" AND you cannot sever the tether, it would appear your only option is calling for ...help on the cell phone. I know some makers provide stress relief straps for a long hang which would cut off circulation in your legs. While I really like the safety line with sliding Prussic knot, if I fall while climbing up or down while on the safety line but not yet attached to the tree strap, and cannot get back to the ladder or stick ladder! I'm in the same situation as pogo and would have to dangle and call for assistance. You're A$$ is saved by hanging attached to a HSS safety line but with your full weight on the Prussic knot I don't know how the heck you're getting out. In all cases though, alive and likely relatively unhurt.

Thinking back, I can't believe some of the crap I did when I was much younger. So comfortable in a stand that I'd dress in the tree in the half-light. I probably had a strap (slip noosed around the tree) around my waist during that process but that still would have killed me in a fall for sure. Now years later I'm using harness and safety line...feel like a Teleco lineman sometimes but I feel like I am not at huge risk.

My wife wanted to go to the mall yesterday and I reluctantly went. While she was looking in the Dress Barn, I told her I was going to look around in Dicks.

I found my HSS safety harness at a close out price. The Pro Hunter with a list price of $129.95 was marked down to $79.97 and it came home with me.

Happy ending!

after almost losing the bottom half of my climber a few years ago, I started tethering the platform of the stand to the climber, that way you should hopefully avoid losing it. Although many people would never think of going into a treestand without a harness, I don't think many have a plan as to what they would do once they are hanging 20' above the ground.......it takes quite a bit of strength to pull yourself back into a stand once you're hanging below it in a less than ideal position and it's probably even tougher if you don't have a stand to try to get back into.

This happened to me last year, I was using my Ol'man climber, which I have used for at least 10 to 15 yrs Ihad unhooked my safety harness, turned around to sit down and lower myself, somehow through some error or whatever the top part of the stand dropped down to the platform where I had my feet both in the straps ready to go down, well it threw me backwards and there I hung with me feet in the straps and the stand behind my knees 20 feet in the air To make a long story short 21/2 hours later my son found me nearly passed out and got help from a farmer with a machine to get me out to a waiting helicopter to get me to a hospital 4 days later I was home and back hunting again, thank God. since then my kids have gotten me arope syatem to connect my harness to. One piece of advice If you have a phone in your pocket make sure your pocket is buttoned!! At 80 yrs old I should have known that!!

I do'nt see any return button on this stupid thing??

@jjb4900.....

I have always tethered my seat to the base on my API. That wasn't the problem. The base lost it's bite and took off snapping the tether.

@NYbob...... I remember that story. I am glad you are here to talk about it.

I also want you to know that Dicks had other safety harnesses on close out too. One by Muddy looked pretty good but the HSS Pro Style was too sweet to pass up even though it was a few $$ more. :)

Yesterday I also saw an HSS 3-Pack of safety lines with prussic slider and carbiner....$70.at Dicks. The better harnesses seem to me to be the ones that are well constructed but light weight and not bulky. I had an older version HSS vest/harness and it was heavy and a pain. Got a new breed of HSS and it's much lighter and easy on-off. I think you're more likely to wear it each time out if its light and quick on-off.

Has anyone tried that "Spider" harness?

I still do'nt know how to make paragraphs someone send me a PM !

Pogo great thread and thank you for sharing. The more discussion on this hopefully more hunters will wear a vest. Love my HSS system as well. I use a lone wolf climber, tree steps, climbing sticks and ladder stands, and all have their dangers at some point. There are three pieces to my emergency plan: 1) accessible cell phone; 2)whistle around my neck; and 3) a strap that came with the vest that if you fall, you wrap it around the tree and you can step in that strap to take the weight off hanging from the tree. I keep the strap in a lower pocket on the HSS vest.

NYBob..... you can make paragraphs by hitting your enter button on your keyboard twice when you want to make another paragraph. Then type what you want. Try it!

Jdawg.... I looked at many harness's and asked lots of questions before deciding on the HSS Pro Hunter.

The Spider harness looked OK. I'd be more interested in the Tree Spider Live Wire system to get out of the tree after the fall.

There are many different harness's out there and I believe they would all work to save you from a fall.

You can spend anywhere from $49.99 to $159.99 at Bass Pro and Dicks. But when I saw the Pro Hunter I loved it. It's functional and comfortable to wear.

HSS has a great reputation as being an innovator and when I saw it priced at $79.97, it was a no brainer. Bass Pro has them right now at $149.99.

ArrowOne..... Thanks for your comments. I love the plan you have. I'm going to do the exact same thing as you.

Is there anyone on here that doesn't use a safety harness?

Is everyone attached to the tree when climbing with tree steps, climbing sticks or ladders?

Please comment. Don't be shy.

Here you go guys: Tree spider live wire descent system for $19.99 I bought one and its the real thing. Hard to believe the price. It does not include the strap that goes around the tree, just the descent system. Coupled with the safety harness I use from summit, I feel confident I could extract myself from a fall.

http://store.radvandamwarehouse.com/categories.aspx?Keyword=live%20wire

Thanks EagleCrg. That's a great deal.

I just went to order one for me but they were sold out of the 200 - 300 pound one. But they still had the 150 - 200 pound available.

Maybe time for a diet pogo? Just kidding..........

Ah! So you've seen my pictures? ;)

HSS Hybrid. Best of both worlds (pro-series/ultralight).

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