Safety harness

[strum]

Im going to by a new harness this year because the one i have is at least 15 years old.
Im torn between the Seat o pants Deluxe by summit and the Hunter Safety pro.
I like the hunter saftey one the best as far as ease of use but i watched a video test of them both and the Summit was by far the most comfortable when hanging(which i dont wish to try)
the guy had to stop the test after he jumped with the HSS.said the pain in the crotch was unbearable.
But with the SOP he did a few different falls and was fine..
what yalls take?.Heres the link
http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/art ... rnesstest/

[georgiaboy]

I have a hss and one by summit (came with my viper). I can put the hss on in under 30 seconds and is comfortable to wear. The summit is like a chinese fire drill to put on and not very comfortable. I'll take some pain in the crotch if it keep's me from bouncing...hope i never find out.

[strum]

I have a hss and one by summit (came with my viper). I can put the hss on in under 30 seconds and is comfortable to wear. The summit is like a chinese fire drill to put on and not very comfortable. I'll take some pain in the crotch if it keep's me from bouncing...hope i never find out.

yeah i got some of those that came with the summit stands..not for me either..the seat o pants looks easy to put on but your right about the HSS its got em all beat as far as speed and comfort

[j.krug]

I don't know about the Seat O Pants but I do have the HSS Tree Stalker and I'm very pleased with it. It's easy to get into and comfortable once you have it on. I'm not crazy about the vest part though so I'm thinking of picking up the HSS Ultra Lite X-treme before the season starts this year.

[M.J.M.]

I also like the HHS, for the speed and easy of putting on. Comfortable to wear all day. As far as comfort while hanging......havent tested that yet, and hope i never do.

[Pydpiper]

I have the one from Summit as well, it was no treat to put on the first few times, but after a couple weeks of putting it on in the dark everyday I kinda got used to it. Now I put it on before I even leave the house, it goes over my clothes and then under my outer layer, which is always my 3D bug suit.
We have a HSS here as well for the wife and kids, way too bulky for my liking, noisy to put on in the field too.
What you choose to wear is far less important than simply choosing to wear one. Stay safe up there!

[houser52]

After hunting from a tree stand since the old "Baker" days I bought my first safety harness last year. I ordered the Seat O Pants first. It just couldn't be adjusted to my liking. It felt like I was in a straight jacket. I even called Summit about adjusting it but no luck. Sent it back and ordered the HSS Ultra Lite. It fits perfect, easy to put on and take off and not too heavy.

[Cossack]

Actually HOW you wear it is equally important. The tether strap should be adjusted so you can get back on stand if you fall. You'll likely die from (suspension asphyxiation) in about 1/2 if unable to get weight off harness. Indications are that most falls occur when climbing up or down. A safety line while climbing may be as, if not more important, than harness.

[pokynojoe]

Actually HOW you wear it is equally important. The tether strap should be adjusted so you can get back on stand if you fall. You'll likely die from (suspension asphyxiation) in about 1/2 if unable to get weight off harness. Indications are that most falls occur when climbing up or down. A safety line while climbing may be as, if not more important, than harness.

I agree. However, the time you'll survive is shortened dramatically by your physical condition, or lack thereof. My job requires me to use climbing equipment almost daily for the last thirty years. I'm also certified to train new employees in high angle rope work. When we train, 12 to 15 minutes suspension is the max time allowed, and that's with very expensive harnesses and lanyards, under very controlled conditions. The main problem I see with these harnesses is the safety lanyard that attaches to the tree. If incorrectly placed, the fall factor is increased too much for most people. And the ones I 've examined seem kind of "skimpy." Placement on the tree is pretty crucial. Another one of my pet peeves is these prussik knot lanyard fall arrest things they market for treestands. Most people are not going to be able to take the load off one of these should something happen. I've seen experienced climbers get into trouble with prussik knots. There are much more effective ways to do this, I suppose they are popular because they are inexpensive. Also, one should practice what to do, should one fall out of their stand. Having the world fall out from under, when you least expect it, isn't my idea of a fun time, believe me, I know. One thing I do is attach a small three or four step etrier from the bottom of my tree stand, this would allow me to get a foot hold on something should I fall. It works, I've practiced with it numerous times. You can also attach one to the tree. As for harnesses, I've used many different types, but I prefer ones that are light weight, "seat belt webbing" type with quick connect tempered steel buckles, that can be adjusted, quickly, with one hand. I don't have much faith in the nylon buckles, but that's just me. If it were me, I put my money in the safety lanyard. One more thing, and I know nobody is going to want to hear this, we have an unbreakable rule at work, NO ONE CLIMBS HIGHER THAN THEIR HEIGHT, WITHOUT THEIR HELMET ON! I'm not talking hard hats here, we use helmets specifcally made for climbing. We had one fellow fall 12 feet last year and he sustained serious brain trauma. Just some food for thought.

You practice with your archery kit, practice with your climbing gear!

Stay safe
Joe

[houser52]

pokynojoe,

I make my own lifelines from 11mm dynamic climbing rope and 7mm prussik cord.
Would a "klemheist" knot work better than a prussik? I know that it is easier to break free than a prussic after it's been loaded.
What do you use and recommend instead of a prussik?

[pokynojoe]

pokynojoe,

I make my own lifelines from 11mm dynamic climbing rope and 7mm prussik cord.
Would a "klemheist" knot work better than a prussik? I know that it is easier to break free than a prussic after it's been loaded.
What do you use and recommend instead of a prussik?

houser52
I wouldn't use a klemheist in this application. As you're probably aware these are both "slide and grip" knots. However, they work differently. Also the klemheist requires a closed loop or "prussik loop." And you don't ever want to pull on a Klemheist knot, just the loop. In the old days we used prussik loops as both self belay and to climb, but those days are long gone, thank God.

Frankly, nowadays we use shunts, jumars or some of the newer self belay devices, however, these do require some practice and training. I still keep a prussik loop or two on me when I climb, but its out of old habit more than anything else.

Just as an aside, I would probably use a smaller diameter prussik loop than 7mm on an 11mm load rope. The reason is because we have to learn to tie lots of knots with just one hand and as you approach the diameter of the "load" rope with the prussik you need to have a lot more turns for the knot to work effectively. It can be tedious, plus it gets harder to "break" when its loaded.

I wonder how many of those "treestand prussik things" use good quality kernmantle dynamic rope?

I get a little preachy about this time every year, I just hate to see hunters get injured falling out of trees when its avoidable.

Good luck
Joe

[houser52]

I like my HSS harness but after reading a long discussion about harnesses on another hunting forum, I think I'm going to try a rock climbing harness this year.

They are made with less material, cooler, lighter weight, easier to put on, years of testing/use, costs less and reduced chance of suspension trauma because of the harness design. Since you are connected in the front, self rescue would be easier because you'll be facing the tree after a fall.

Anybody else ever used one?

[Normous]

Thanks, good info in your post pokynojoe, Patti and I will spend an afternoon soon practicing treestand safety and simulate hanging from our HSS vests (near the ground) to get a feel for that potential accident in the field. Our goal is to remain calm, assess the situation and smoothly return to the climbing stick or tree steps.
Since the tether is stitched to cushion the fall I am prepared to purchase a new HSS if needed since the thead stitches will likely break under my weight during practice.

[strum]

Thank yall for the great input..i purchased a HSS Ultra LIght
today..i feel its a good system and i realy like the easy of use..I want to do like norm and give it a try but dang im not intrested in buying another..I think ill call HSS and see what they say about it..if i cant test it without throwing it awy ..then that sux..

[Normous]

With a bit of thinking you could fashion a safe rope from the vest to the tree to bypass the tether for a practice test. That should save us both some money.