I probably will regret admiting this but the only harness I own are my boys and maybe there is a cheap one somewhere around that came with a tree stand. I have a very nice tree trimming harness with buck strap but o ly use that to hang stands.

I have never tied off deer hunting. It is tough for me to think about being a former union ironworker and tower builder the seldom tied off at work even when I was over 600' off the ground to think about tying off. Except when hanging stands. Then I always use my tree trimming harness and can be hands free

Yes it's smart and would be a much better example for my boys instead of making them and not doing so myself but I have not yet.

I'm not fond of the tie off points dangling you from your back unattractive. I would rather hit the ground than dangle in a harness untill I'm dead. Chances of getting a lbone out if your pocke to call for help would be slim if its in your pocket under your harness straps. Belt like my tree trimming belt but without the noisy steel d rings would be better I think so if you fall you would be facing the tree and hanging from hip hight so you could get back to the tree and cli.b back on the stand sticks or whatever you fell off of.

My youngest is out growing his youth harness this year will look at what's available for me when I replace his

Is that rope 30 ft or 9ft? I like to see guys have a long tether so they can rappel out if needed.

Keep as much slack out of the tether as you can. Preferably no slack. Even a short drop can cause injury. With slack, you'll just swing like on a swing set, just ha e to worry about suspension trauma at that point. With the little ng tether, you can easily make yourself a footloop to relief pressure off your legs.

I wonder what the kN rating on that carbineer is as it looks a it scrawny to me unless it's steel.

Good harnesses come with a strap to step in the keep the blood flow going while you find your phone or scream for help.
Now this is just thinking on my part while in the stands but with the lifeline and climbing I should in theory be able to reach the other steps or the tree and slide the prusik knot down until I get either down or the next set of steps.
In a climber, well that’s a whole different ball game. I keep my strap/rope high enough if I do fall, I should be right there near the climber itself. If it’s locked like what they have showed on here with the “third arm” it shouldn’t be an issue. If not and the stand goes, I guess I’ll do my best to hug that tree and work my way down.
Any of the above have to be somewhat better than lying on the deck paralyzed and definitely not being able to reach my phone.

I think all lifelines are 30ft.

Oh you can slide the prussik down. Problem is you ain't gonna stop. The tendency will be to grab on tighter so you won't be letting off the knot.


What you can do though is with a second carabineer is tie a munter/super munter hitch and rappel that way. The difference between the two is with the munter now you can use grab the tail end of the rope and control the pressure on it which will allow you to descend at a slow rate. With trying to use the prussik you don't have the option of braking.

Another option is to get a belay/descent device that can handle the rope your using if you're not comfortable with tieing hitches . You still have to use your brake hand.

That flat land down there 12' you can see for miles. I've hunted some ridges in west alabama where you pick a tree halfway down the ridge then go up 40' just to be able to see the ridge top at eye level and the creek below.

I have shot deer holding dead level while 30' foot up a tree. The worst was one that kicked and rolled to the creek below, 100' nearly straight down.

That's what interests me. Some way to get down rather than hang and risk injury or worse from the hang.

There's the wingman device which looks to be a belaying rack.

https://treestandwingman.com/

And the primal descender, also a belay rack.

https://www.primaloutdoors.com/primal-products/the-descender-emergency-descent-device

There's this one with rope and belay built into the harness. Not cheap though.

https://www.elevatedsafetysystems.c...mergency-Descent-System-EDS-Harness.html

If you went up with sticks or ladder then barring disability or unconscious you should be able to climb out. But I've had a climber kick out from under me a few times, fortunately short drop and catch, and I'm thinking free fall no steps.

The first two your coming down no matter what just a controlled descent and maybe better if you are injured.

Those Tethrd sticks must be good, there's a two week waiting list on them. I'm really excited to get my hands on them.

It comes with both . Some prefer just to hook to the tree after you get up there I use the life line . This harness is designed not to cut of circulation. If has the emergency foot hold to attach so you can go up or down in case you fall off a lock on . The ones that come with most tree stand you can live about 20 minutes before the risk of a blood clot increases

I figured out you have to have slack or you can’t turn to sit down after getting up there Also feed it thru the shooting rail or you have to unhook once you get on platform. You then take out the slack from anchor point above you / behind you on the tree

I'd be wary of the first two just because they're automatic.But as you say, if youre severely injured or had a medical event, youd at least have a chance of getting to the ground more safely than you would of anyways. If they fail to deploy or you come down harder than what they claim, it might of been your time anyway.

The last one is somewhat interesting.

This is the system for just coming out of the tree:
https://www.newyorksaddlehunter.com/product-page/mobile-safety-system-2-0

If you want to switch to use the system to climb trees you can add a couple more pieces or just buy the entire kit, i use the previous version of this system in from the video below the link
https://www.newyorksaddlehunter.com/product-page/half-line-2-0

He tossed a Summit. Told ya.

I have a saddle made for trimming trees that is top of the line. There are some that cost half as much. I have spent 8 hrs straight in it at one time years back doing a removal I needed to get finished.

Mine is about as comfortable as they get and it's not really comfortable. And it won't be a great platform for a steady shot.

Like you said may as well pack a climber and be comfortable and get up the tree and set up a lot faster as well.

I wear my saddle to hang stands but have never hunted out of it.


As far as tree stand hight part of the discussion. We hunt anywhere from on the ground to stands 6 or 7 feet off the ground up to 30 feet or so. It all depends on the location. Some places on the ground you can't see 10' and it's the same if you get over 6 to10 feet so we hunt low and can get 40 yards visibility. Other places are big vertical hills and we need to be much higher.

I'm working on a design to make a self supporting stand small and light enough to pack in like a back pack that is probably only going to be adjustable from 6' 12' max but will be perfect for the times when on the ground you can't see like in broom sage or scrub brush and there is no suitable tree and you just need a little height so you can see.

There is nothing I like on the market so will make my own. After using it for at least a season and working out any bugs I may market it if it works as well as I think it will.

What kind of saddle are you using? I've done dark to dark all day hunts in my Phantom and the only problem was my feet but thats just because I have bad feet/legs from 35 years of playing and officiating sports.

I've watched that video, very informative.

Agree on the first two. Don't see how a one size fits all would work well for all and it would need to be set up for your weight. But if it slows by half then that is less impact injury. I also imagine it should be fully inspected and tested on a regular schedule.

I would have to go look at the brand it's been to many years since I bought it. I picked up the nicest one they had at the vermeer arborist store years ago. Figured if I'm hanging in it all day I wanted the best they had. It is not designed for hunting but an arborist tree saddle. With the steel hooks and buckles it would be to loud for me in the woods.

Yeah hunting saddles are not the same as arborist saddles. Only metal on a hunting saddl, not counting the caribeeners, is the COBRA buckles on the belt and leg strap hooks, though on some saddles those hooks are plastic since they arent life support.