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Linemans belt risk

hauscaliber

hauscaliber

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2018
Messages
300
I'm weighing the risk and consequences of falling when attached to the tree with a linemans belt. Anybody know of a friend that fell using one? If so, did it stop or at least slow the person down to avoid major injury? It seems pretty safe if you take your time and pay attention but I make my share of mistakes.
 
@redsquirrel not sure if there's a sticky on this, but with the flood of new people getting mobile and thinking linemans belts are going to help them levitate, we may ought to do a sticky with some good information. Linemans belt's are fall prevention devices, NOT FALL ARREST SYSTEMS.

They are designed to add stability to a climber, while climbing. They are not designed to arrest a fall. Every fall is different, and you should not be asking if the linemans belt will stop you from sliding down the tree. What you should be considering is what you did to get outside of the level of stability that the linemans belt provides, if and when that happens, and how to prevent doing so again. You don't want to fall with a linemans belt - Even if you stop 1 foot lower than you started. If you've got a stick or step anywhere between your chin and your feet, you're going to regret whatever you did to fall.

Lots of things determine how far you'll fall with your belt around the tree - diameter of tree, bark type, branches, angle you're leaning back, length of rope, diameter of rope, what's on the tree in front of you slowing you down, etc.

Linemans belts will not help you if you've already fallen. Do not depend on them for doing so, or expect them to.

Sorry if I'm repeating myself.
 
Kyler is right, you're not gonna like falling with a lineman's. I'd say that I'd rather take a fall with one than without one, but there's no such thing as a good fall.

Saddle hunting is WAY safer than most methods of climbing. But climbing is always dangerous. It's an assumed risk.

Buy good gear, practice, and be honest with yourself about you skills and abilities. I'm not knocking anybody, but if I was 300lbs an aerial predator I would not be. Practice at ground level.

And try to have fun and enjoy yourself, while knowing that your carabiner could break at any moment. ;)
 
I’m an I&R tech for a phone company and have to do my share of climbing with belt and hooks. The tree squeeze above is the safest lineman’s rope for climbing trees. I use the buck squeeze at work and it has kept me from hitting the ground at least 3 times.
 
CamoMan said:
Just make sure you keep the linemans belt as high on the tree and tight while climbing. If it's in this position then the fall wouldn't be too bad. Although any fall won't feel great
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totally agreed. The worst timing is when that belt gets below you when climbing up
 
The tree squeeze is essentially a combination of a tree tether and a lineman's belt. This paired with stepps or sticks tied on below the squeeze as you go up would no doubt the safest way to climb. I'll own one for sure as I get older and less able to monkey up trees.

beenhunting said:
I’m an I&R tech for a phone company and have to do my share of climbing with belt and hooks. The tree squeeze above is the safest lineman’s rope for climbing trees. I use the buck squeeze at work and it has kept me from hitting the ground at least 3 times.
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As someone who climbs for a living, can you give us the professional's view of the purpose, intent, and limitations of a regular lineman's belt as we use it in this space?
 
Nutterbuster said:
Kyler is right, you're not gonna like falling with a lineman's. I'd say that I'd rather take a fall with one than without one, but there's no such thing as a good fall.

Saddle hunting is WAY safer than most methods of climbing. But climbing is always dangerous. It's an assumed risk.

Buy good gear, practice, and be honest with yourself about you skills and abilities. I'm not knocking anybody, but if I was 300lbs an aerial predator I would not be. Practice at ground level.

And try to have fun and enjoy yourself, while knowing that your carabiner could break at any moment. ;)
Click to expand...

Ha ha luckily I’m only 285 and not 300. There are things I don’t do that some guys here do. Everyone’s level of fitness is different but anyone can hunt safely from a tree. The climbing part is no different than a hang on. We do seem to push the envelope a little with some of our innovative climbing methods. There’s no rule against tethering in at ground level.
 
Haven’t used a tree squeeze but we went to the Bucksqueeze at the EMC I work at as soon as it became obvious that fall prevention was gonna go mandatory for everyone.As a long time free climbing lineman I hated the change.It pissed me off because it was slower and more cumbersome.But as my apprentices have came along and I have developed a peace of mind that they won’t get hurt My mind has changed.Great step for ward for our industry.I am sure the Tree squeeze is just as good.
 
Well just like what is posted above, the regular lineman’s rope is used for stability. It is better than nothing but don’t depend on it to catch you if you fall. The tree squeeze on the other hand works just like my buck squeeze I use every day at work. When used properly it keeps 360% contact with the rope and tree/ pole. When my hooks have kicked out it would just swing me into the pole. Almost every tech that I work with that has been climbing before the buck squeeze came out has a story about falling with the regular lineman’s rope, and back then they were climbing all day every day.
 
The lineman’s belt is a work positioning device that allows you to use your hands.It is not a fall restraint.I unintentionally ruffled a few feathers by saying this on another post.The belt is better than nothing and it may keep you from falling but don’t bet your life on it.Be careful Practice your system until you have supreme confidence in yourself and your equipment.
 
Sometimes I think it may be better to hit the ground instead of having a LoneWolf step rip your stomach open like a velociraptor.. or even worse screw in steps or bolts..:tired::tired: of coarse the higher you get the ground starts to loose it’s appeal.

Industry guys using lineman’s belts are usually climbing with spurs and don’t have the risk of being gutted.

Has anyone here fell onto a stick or screw-in with a lineman’s?
 
I know a man that fell and hung by his jaw on a j-hook on a pole.Some of the guys think that a belt keeping them close to the tree and their sticks is a good thing.Not so much.We were actually always told to push away from the pole if you cut out to avoid the pole hardware and the splinters and such.In 20 years I ain’t seen the first guy push off.HAHA.Neither have I what few times I have cut out I clawed that sucker like a bobcat.
 
I had a step let loose a couple years back, my linesman belt sucked me into the tree, I proabably skidded down the tree a foot or so, got a little scratched up, and shaken up, but i survived. Not fun, but much better than the alternative.
 
This is why I am considering red squirrel’s aider and attaching to the tether as a climbing safety with a Prusik above the ascender. Not sure if it will work but I will have to play with it once I get all my gear.
 
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