Why would anyone not wear a safety harne
Massachusetts
Contributors to this thread:
I came across a hunter in Western mass 20 feet up with no harness.
I'm guilty of not wearing a harness in a ladder stand with a safety bar. I do wear one in my climber tho.
I hunted for years without one when I was young and dumb. No one wore one then and when we finally did we wore belts, which will kill you as fast as a fall. For many years now it’s a harness anytime I leave the ground. Some guys think they’re invincible. Why else would they chance it.
Anyone know anything about the tree spider bobs harness? I can’t figure out why you would combine pants and a harness.
Nuts. It's not "really" a personal freedom. If he falls, he impacts his family massively. No harness, no climb. Without a harness, I'd never leave the ground. BC, my old belt is now an awesome deer drag aid :) That's all it's good for...
Don't get made at me but I prefer my belt than my harness.
I had my harness potentiall save my life last year in the pitch black get settled in the cliber after a snow and i turned around at the top where i stopped and lifted a foot and proceded to slip and hang by my tether. thank god i still had a stirrup cling to my left foot as my face smacked the tree...... where a F$&@$(: harness!
I was young and dumb too. Then you hear the story "hunter breaks back". Then again. Then, "hunter falls to his death". Its the same with seat belts in cars. I wear one, but many don't. I'm personally done gambling with my life because of convenience.
I would rather wear one than chance be disabled or dead. Its a no brainer.
When I was in school I never wore one at all most the time I just climbed up a old hemlock or beech and and stood on to limbs and waited. Now I’m older and I put it on under my cloths don’t even kno it’s there I still climb trees from time to time but I tie in now . I actually like it cause in certain situations I use the rope to lean against
I never used to wear one but now I will not get into a lock on without one under any circumstances. I will sit at the bottom of the tree if I don't have one. I will say that I don't wear them in enclosed ladder stands though because I really don't see how it would be possible to fall out of one. Open face ladders I will wear one though.
DeanMan...not mad...but I do implore you to switch from the belt to a full body harness. its been proven that, in the event of a fall, all that belt is going to do is compress your diaphragm and make it impossible for you to breathe (if it stays around your waist), or slide up and compress your thorax - again make it impossible for you to breathe. if you're conscious, panic will set in, and who knows what will happen.
we were all young an dumb once....heck, I was a steel worker for years and NEVER wore ANY fall protection at all. I fell about 15 feet onto frozen sand in January back in the early nineties. luckily I was able to control my body enough to get my feet under me and did a 'tuck-n-roll', only injury I got was a bitten tongue. a month later a coworker fell backwards off an 6 foot stepladder and broke his back, in now a paraplegic. I was lucky! I don't intend to rely on luck anymore. nor should anyone.
Dino - swing by and try my muddy. Heck, I have an older one that's very similar, you could try it for a few sits or keep it. I remember thinking: "Ill only wear a harness in the climber..." But so quickly you realize it doesnt create bulk or any issues. It's worth it. Especially with how easy to use the newer (last 10 years) models are. I put it on, then put on whatever jacket I'm wearing and never even realize it's there.
I am terrified being in a stand without one.
As we all get older we get smarter and safer. I never used to wear safety glasses - but now wear them religiously. There's been a couple times since that they saved serious eye injuries. Same thing with Harnesses - Why not wear one? Once you get hooked in - there is no bother, you don't even know you have it on. Remember to put the safety strap high enough - too low and the shock of it getting taught from a fall could be what hurts you. The harness strap should be slightly taught when you are seated. I actually lean out of the stand using the harness as support.
I don’t wear one. What, like I’m the only guy who can fly?
You guys are weird.
For the guys who say they are comfortable in a harness, can you please share what type you use? I have a Muddy Safeguard and it is not comfortable for me personally. Don't get me wrong, I will wear it every time and be uncomfortable, but if there is something more comfortable out there it is worth a try. To this point I have just chalked it up to, yes it is uncomfortable, but too bad gonna wear it anyways.
I wear a big game platinum. As an ex-sailor I can tell you that all harnesses suck. Nothing is streamline, or really comfortable. The best you can hope for is quiet and easy to move in.
Here’s the trick. When going for a harness, get the strongest one you can, and your main consideration should be the comfort of the leg/thigh harness. Most harnesses feel like piano wire across the inner thigh when you drop. It freaking hurts! So, I would look for comfort in the crotch and strength.
It just kinda sucks.
SoTP...the most comfortable I have ever worn. many years ago Pat L did a comparison and actually tested them by stepping off a stand and hanging. SoTP came out on top for comfort and safety.
that being said..I mostly hunt out of my Kestrel Saddle now-a-days, which is sort of the best of all worlds....stand and harness in one convenient and ULTRA comfortable package.
I’m afraid not to in fear of falling asleep and falling out.
I have the Muddy Magnum harness. Got it this year after wearing the seatbelt types that usually come with new stands. The Muddy is so much better. Easy to put on and I forget I have it on after a while. Take naps in my stands all the time.
I bought a vest harness this season and if my other harness isn’t expired someone can have it. It is a good one and not the ones that come with a stand it’s just too big for me.
I wear a Tree Spider and love it.
Tree Spider here too Fran
I was wondering about that tree spider that has pants too is it okay?
I was guilty of doing some stuff my first few years hunting that was downright stupid: unclipping all the time while on stand, not wearing one at all, not practicing with my climber then having to jump out of the tree. I've suffered from thinking I'm invincible most my life, my long medical history should tell me otherwise. Anyway, all those problems are fixed with my saddle. I'm hooked in 100% of the time with my lineman's belt or tree teather. If you're new to hunting, don't be like me. Everything turned out fine, but it could have ended far differently, really selfish on my part.
I really hope I don’t try the saddle. I told myself I was done buying hunting stuff but it seems somewhat safer.
I was using the cheap harnesses that come with tree stands at first for the climber or for hang ons, but never really wore one in my ladder stand..... finally bought a decent harness it's a muddy, even makes hanging stands 100 times easier with belt loops and the prussik knot lanyard for a belt so you can be hands free to work, I love it and wear it every time now!
Tree Spyder here also. I don`t fall as good as I used too lol.
Frankly guys, I'm amazed AF that guys are still not wearing harnesses and not hanging stands with a linemans belt. just seems utterly ridiculous to me now.
That being said, I'm also the guy who pays someone for the opportunity to hurl himself over 10 foot walls, climb 15 foot climbing ropes with nothing but a little hay on the ground underneath, and doing monkey bars 20 feet in the air. lol
That’s nuts. Awesome, but nuts.
Everyone should be aware that more than 80% of falls from 10’ or higher result in fatalities. Yes this is an Stat. I’d link the data but my safety engineer buddy is in a meeting....and I should get back to work.
But no shit, it’s one of the first things I go over in my classes during the safety lesson.
My buddy’s stand failed last week, both cables broke and he fell like a brick. Instead of breaking his legs or ankles or worse... getting paralyzed, his harness caught him and he was swinging in the breeze 20 feet up. After some quick maneuvering, he was able to grab his ladder stick and pull himself back up.
Two things he said make me think more about why it’s important to use a full body harness.
1. He said it was a like the floor dropped out and the speed was violent, he didn’t have any time to react
2 he said if he had on his old belt style, he thinks he would have been injured badly. The speed of the fall and the abrupt stop was still painful with a full harness.
Hope everyone has a successful and safe season.
I use a rock climbing harness. works well. Upright if you fall too
At 18 I took my dads homemade climber without asking . The day before the season opens I go on a journey to find a good spot and figure this thing out. Never even seen on in use. I knew nobody to reach out to and there was no internet back then. No problem how hard can it be. I find my spot get set up and here I go. Get strapped in harness up and up I go 25 feet up in a good size oak. It was awesome. Until I go back down and my foot comes loose and the base fell. It was an open face so I’m holding on to it with my toes holding the base.i held on as long as I could. about 2 mins the the base fell a good 3 feet and locks in sideways. I was able to pull myself up to the top. NO ROPE ATTACHED BETWEEN THE TOP AN BASE. Didn’t know I needed one until then. I was able to hang from the harness slide the top down enough to jump onto and straighten the base and get down. Scared me enough to wear one every time.
Steve - was that an old Baker stand? Those things were scary as hell. They were to modern climbers as the Pucketts Blood Trailer was to Mechanical broad heads :)
Xman - great to see you on the board! Hope all is well! Have you been to the mid west this year? You had a lease in KY or IL correct? Very glad your buddy is safe - that's scary as heck!
I bet it looked a lot like mine. baker copy a friend made me when I was a kid lol shot many deer from it. Still have scars to prove it