Treestand Safety

[bruc]

#2352

I am wondering how most of you treestand users are tying yourselves into the tree once aloft? Do you use the harness or another method? I presently use a 2″ web material that goes around my waste tied to the tree. Wondering if this is goods or bad? Kind of feel the harness a little to restricting? Your comments appreciated:!:
Bruce

[MCuiksa]

#8493

Bruce, I stay on the ground while hunting so I cannot speak to treestands. However, my job requires I work off the ground quite often. OSHA outlawed belts for high restraint years ago because of the severe back injuries that can occur during a fall. If you have enough slack in your setup that you could even fall 3 or 4 feet before the belt “catches” you, go to a full harness as that is enough to produce a life-altering injury. If you keep the tie-off short to where the belt let’s you lean but not fall you might be ok but it’s still not recommended. Be safe. Mike.

[jmsmithy]

#8512

Bruce

I’ve been hunting on/off out of trees for 30 years, bowhunting as well. Straps etc around your waist are a proven death trap. If you fall, and your spine doesn’t snap from the fall, you will suffocate without quick help as your body weight pushes up against your diaphragm. A harness keeps you level and distributes your weight evenly across your body, enabling you to hang, upright, for hours on end. I have a friend who has unfortunately proven this as he hung for 4.5 hours before rescue. He wouldve been dead with a strap.

I use Hunters Saftey Systems but there are a host of good ones.

If you have a family, you owe it to them to come home.

J

[WICanner]

#8581

I have used full body harnesses for many years in tree stands. Once adjusted, they do not interfere with shooting. I wouldn’t go up in a tree without one. But look into the system called Rescue One. It is a small pack that holds a rope and metal binding system that allows you to quickly lower yourself should you fall from your treestand. If you use a climber, it is the only way to go. Falling below a climber, there are no tree steps to grab onto, and getting back into the climber would be very difficult. I think that this is the best system out there. Cheap insurance for the family and you.

[jaytbuzzard]

#8598

One thing that I have noticed when watching hunting shows on tv is that they have the tree strap too low. That is the strap that you hook to your harness. You need to have the tree strap as high as possible while still allowing you to sit comfortably. If your strap is too low, if you fall you could fall below your stand and make very difficult to get back onto it. I am planning on getting a climbing safety rope with a prusic knot. I read that the majority of falls happen when climbing up or down the tree. I care too much about my family to not do what I can to keep my self safe.

[FUBAR]

#9383

Definately go to a harness. For all of the reasons everyone said. I keep the tree strap up as high as possible so that if I was to slip I wouldn’t fall more than a few inches

[Fallguy]

#9729

A harness is the only way to go if you want to hunt to old age. I fell when a tree step failed 17 years ago. I shattered my right ankle. I missed landing on a dead oak stem by inches. That would have been the end of my hunting and breathing for ever at age 34. I work electrical construction and have to wear a harness every day when I am in the air. Once you quit worrying about the harness its like wearing pants you just don’t leave home with out them. Better to adjust a strap on the harness than the break on a wheel chair. Remember to use a strap around the tree from the time you start to climb until your feet are back on the ground. If you noticed my handle, now you know the rest of the story.

[Sam86]

#9761

i once was using a climing tree stand and i got about 30 feet in the air and some how it didnt catch onto the tree right i guess and i slid down to the ground at what felt like about 100 miles an hour, i didnt have any kind of strap on and was VERY lucky not to get hurt anymore then bruises and scrapes but it could have been much worse, and honestly getting into a tree now scares the crap out of me so i dont but i will say everyone is right on, where a harness not a waist band and dont use climers they suck lol

[bruc]

#10196

Thanks everyone !!
I ordered a Tree Spider Speed Harness. It looks pretty good.

Bruce

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