Safety Harness?
Equipment
I have been going through my gear and upgrading some of it. Wondering what everyone is using for a safety harness for tree stands and what you would recommend?
Thanks, Rob
I’ve used a Muddy harness for several years, and I like it.
I like my Petzl Pandion rock climbing harness. Way easier to put on, therefore it gets used.
I have a couple muzzy harnesses and one I got when I bought my summit climber. Will never go up in a stand without one. Relative died 15 months ago after taking a shot at a deer and falling out of stand. Read a couple weeks ago a similar topic to this. Guy said he stopped wearing one after he couldn’t get a shot at a deer. I’d rather go home to my family healthy than not wear one because it would interfere with a shot. Plenty of good harnesses out there. Sure you will find one that fits your preferences.
I’ve used a Black Diamond rock climbing harness for several years. I’ve been suspended in a traditional type harness in fall protection training at work. Can’t imagine how anyone who has ever been suspended in one of those would spend money on one.
How about going to a Sporting Goods store, and asking to try on one of those traditional type harnesses, and suspend yourself to see how it feels? Bingo, ain’t allowed and ain’t happening. But go into any REI or rock climbing store, and ask to try on a harness and suspend yourself to see how it feels. No problem at all. Step right over here.
My saddle. Whether I'm in a saddle platform or a regular treestand. If I didn't wear the saddle, I'd wear my Black Diamond RCH.
My cruzr saddle… also have a “treestand saddle” from “HangFree” out of Florida…
I don't use a tree stand much but when I do I use what D King uses...rock climbing harness. I like it way better than a full body harness
Always a Black Diamond harness with a lineman's strap I added to it so I can use a lineman's rope for setup/takedown. After setup the lineman's rope becomes the tether on the life line. You can take any shot using this harness and it's lightweight and packs tight so it's great for stands miles from the parking spot if needed.
I usually where a rock climbing harness when I use tree stand.
I got that xop harness thing for my son. It’s a full body harness as well as a saddle.
Just remember a safety harness has a 5-year shelf life from date of mfg.
I knew it wouldn’t be long before someone said they didn’t wear one?????
Black Diamond Alpine Bod rock climbing harness the last 3 seasons.
I hunt from a LW hand climber and I'm hooked up from the time my feet leave the ground until they are back on it.
Stay safe.
" I am don't wear one" how dumb, coming from a guy, who I believe works in a trauma area or medical field of some sort....
Oh well, can't fix stupid...
Now an old guy, I always use my HSS, when I step up.
My friends were iron workers for 30 years. They would not go on their own roofs without being hooked up.
"I knew it wouldn’t be long before someone said they didn’t wear one?????"
Really? Being the op asked for people's recommendations I wouldn't have thought anyone would think it was helpful to post that they don't wear one, but I was wrong. Much like I've been wrong when someone starts a thread asking "Does anyone have an opinion on _______" (insert any word here like ATV's for example) and I assume no one would post the word "No" but that happens more than I would think too. Being this forum doesn't show people's post counts the idea that some folks just like to pump up their post count wouldn't be the motive here so who knows. I use a HSS harness which actually is older than 5 years so this thread was a good reminder to me to update it sometime soon. As for the folks that don't wear one being that most are adults I say more power to them, I'm sure they have their reasons for not wearing one and they have my full support for that decision.
I gave my recommendation. And if you read my original post as someone who carried the casket of his friend 15 months ago because he wasn’t wearing a harness, shot a deer and fell from his treestand and died, seeing what his wife and kids are still going through I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t want to wear one. I wear one. Has never been a bother so i guess I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t rather be safe. But as you said more power to them if they don’t want to wear one I guess.
Rock climbing harness for me also. I have to wear something and the body harness prevented me from a shot on a buck that was 5 yards from the base of my tree. The tether prevented me from leaning out. Plus the big fact is, body harnesses are not good to be hanging from.
rock climbing harness here too, connected to a Wingman
Same as t-roy and others, rock climbing harness
I recently got the Muddy and intend to use it .Can't believe how stupid and lucky I have been .
I think he's an emergency room RN...wild. I would guess at some point in his career he's seen someone with a treestand fall come in.
Oh boy…time for one of my favorite sermons: with another adult present, and just a few feet off the ground, test out your harness by hanging in it, and also test out your heroic “escape plan.” Quite possibly an eye-opener.
How many rock climbers climb with the rock face behind them? Most treestand hunters position themselves for a shot with the tree behind them or to their side. Therefore, falling with a rock climbing harness must invariably turn the falling hunter around in a twisting motion. I'm sure some would say that's a good thing because it then puts their hands/arms in a position to grasp the tree. I say maybe, because the time it takes to drop the bow in that falling motion might not happen in that fraction of a second. You can't expect the fall to happen in slow motion should the platform fail.
The full body harness is designed with falling for whatever reason, to save a life. Rock climbers are counting on always being able to use their hands to recover themselves. With the tether at midpoint to the body, the upper body is heavier than what is below midpoint and head down is a possibility, of course depending on the persons fitness level.
IMHO, a rock climbing harness is only one step above the old fashioned waist belt, which was said to be possibly damaging to the body in a fall.
What happens to a harness in five years of use that a new one is then required? Is that also a standard for auto seat belts?
As life is, risk what you like.
been using a hunter safety system vest for years.
comfortable and convenient and reasonably priced.
ive never put it to the test...and i hope i never have to.
I run a Tethrd saddle for my hang and hunts in the early season. Once it gets cold I use a muddy harness. There are 2 reasons I like the muddy harness. One is the lanyard is a bungee lanyard and the other is the linesman loops are on your side and not towards the back. Makes hooking in a linesman rope easier.
I have a muddy that I've liked, and a SOP from Summit. Both are good... But I have not used them for a few years due to having swapped to a saddle. That said, I really liked the easy put on and take off process with the muddy, and that is my first choice if using the full body harness.
Alpine Bod Harness with a lineman's rope
rock climbing harness all the way, I had a muddy and a HSS, hated them, used my waist belt harness mostly, now I have the rock climbing harness I use it all the time, easy, compact, light, so much better than the hunting harnesses
When I do use a stand, which isn't that often, the rock climbing harness is much more comfortable to me and the tether doesn't get in the way. You can face the tree and lean back to take a shot if you need to, but I'm hunting with recurves or longbows...facing the tree may not be necessary with a compound?
I use muddy ,less bulky and more quiet than my HSS that i used for years.I havent fallen yet so i cant say that its the best for that
I still use my loggy bayou but since reading the 5 year shelf limit I may be shopping for one. Mine stays in drawer and is never left in sunlight so it sure feels strong. Either way, I am getting a new one.
Hawk safety harness for me
For those who use rock climbing harnesses, is it just around your legs and waist? I looked at few online and it doesn’t look like there is any straps over the shoulders.
Rob, correct, no straps over the shoulders.
I use the Hunter Safety System vest. I add the Descend device because at my age and back condition I doubt I could get back into my stand if fell. It is supposed to lower a person to the ground slowly if they fall.
Rock climbing harness for about 8 years now with a added lineman's belt hook up.
I use the HSS hybrid vest. I love the pockets. I use them all the time. I put my pull up rope in it. Grunt call. And I roll up the tether that goes around the tree and stuff it in the pockets when I’m walking in.
This also doubles as my drag rope. I loop that over the head of the deer and use it to drag. Plus I love how this tether simply attaches to the tree behind you completely out of the way.
I couldn’t imagine anything trumps the versatility and ease of use of this system.
Been using a Muddy for the last 10 years or so. Before that just a belt system, and before that nothing. Gotta remember us old guys started out just climbing into a tree and sitting on limbs. Would never do that now.
HSS Hybrid harness but I keep my rope tight so when I sit I feel it. The most I'll ever fall is less than two feet and even if my stand collapses I've got my steps right there and the strap in my pocket to relieve any pressure.
