recommendation: Safety harness
Equipment
I am finally old enough that I am getting nervous about a fall from a tree stand. I have stuck to an old style belt with a line around the tree for years, but decided to move on this season. I actually have bought some safety harnesses in the past but found them to heavy , noisy or awkward , and the simple nylon strap ones that come with the tree stands seem to beg me to get strangled if I fell. I am 170# and 6ft tall. Would you guys please recommend a lightweight, comfortable, easy to use tree stand safety harness !!!!
I use a Muddy and am generally pretty happy with it.
Rock climbing harness. I made the switch three years and am glad I did did. Prior I had a lead brand in the tree stand harness business. Never was happy with the fit or functionality.
Check out Hunter Safety System web site. You should be able to find something you'd like.
Stay safe.
Hawk has a good one I purchased last year. Elevate lite. I love it.
Go to the hunter safety systems website and make your decision on style and type; they've got several to select from.
They offer a very nicr discount for folks who've completed hunter ed and a better discount if you're a hunter ed instructor.
If I remember correctly you'll need to call their customer service number to get those discounts.
2nd for a rock climbing harness. It fits the bill perfect for lightweight, comfortable, easy to use.
great, and thanks all very much
Rock climbing harness X17. I hated most of the other safety harnesses. They were inconvenient, at best, to put on (IMO), therefore, I would skip wearing them. The RC harnesses are super simple to put on, so I wear them every time now.
Seat of the pants if they still make them.
I used rock harness for years til I figured out you could end up inverted during a fall.
Last year I had a tree step break off clean. The harness held but since I was in the middle of taking stand down made it very difficult to get to the next step. Hung there til almost dark then remembered I had a few extra folding steps in my pocket. That saved me a harrowing night in the woods til family would have got there.
Here is my set up for a rock climbing harness.
Rock climbing harness. I had to stay suspended in the conventional harness as part of training at work. Stay suspended for 5 minutes in a “conventional” tree stand harness, and 5 minutes in a rock climbing harness, and the decision is easy.
Rock climbing harness is they only way to go IMO
For the 4 millionth time on here x to infinity on the rock climbing harness. Black diamond alpine bod.
Yup. rock climbing harness. Black Diamond Alpine bod here as well. Cut off a few of the extra gear loops. Been using it since 2016 I think and really like it.
And always keep a knife on you where you can reach it. My personal opinion is that it would be better to take a controlled fall then hang suspended for any long period of time.
With the Black Diamond, what do you hook your tether to once you are in the treestand? Just one of the cable loop thingies?
A climbing harness is misapplied when used in a hunting situation, where the hunter faces away from the tree. In fact, the waist high tether has to be longer to allow the hunter to turn away from the tree, thus in the case of a fall, the shoulders are more likely to go below the platform and make climbing back up to the platform nearly impossible.
Numerous people have told me the trouble they have in keeping the tether tight to the tree, that is, since many do not like the old buckle style of attachment. Summit came up with the metal snap around the tether line to loop the tree, but without a means to tighten that loop to the tree, slack works back through the metal snap and it slides down the tree. I have a simple solution I use, if anyone is interested, speak up.
Do what you like, but think it through before trouble happens.
Shaft30x, Many people jump off buildings.
Treestand Safety Guidelines. ALWAYS wear and properly use a Fall-Arrest System (FAS)/Full Body Harness that meets stringent industry standards recognized by TMA even during ascent and descent. Be aware that single strap belts and chest harnesses are no longer the preferred Fall-Arrest devices and should not be used.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+type+of+harness+is+recommended+by+TMA&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1-ab
A climbing harness will not insure you hang head up, as a full body harness will. There are reasons why a full body harness is recommended.
I repeat, do what you like, but think it through.
Rock climbing harnesses if tethered correctly will keep you right side up and a fall of no greater than 4-8 inches. Including swinging you back towards the tree.
Shaft30x,
And you are selling climbing harnesses to treestand hunters. It's a modified waist belt, one step above a Swiss Seat.
Just use your old style belt but attach it via a Prussik knot and carabiners to your safety rope which runs from your stand to the base of the tree. Learn how to tie a bowline knot. Easy to set up, relatively cheap, and reliable. I routinely and purposefully step off my ladder to test the system out and swing for a while. Can't believe I'll be 70 soon.
