dynamic 8.4mm to the tree with prusic knot as a adjustable tether.
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Rock climbing harness for hunters
- Thread starter bigmike23
- Start date
dynamic 8.4mm to the tree with prusic knot as a adjustable tether.Let us know how much it weighs when it comes in. Still trying to decide between this one and the dryad with the updated leg straps.
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I use an ice tail from eastern woods and a distel hitch and I'll usually tie the tail end of my tether in a figure 8 around my harness. Sometimes I'm lazy and will just put a figure 8 on the tail end and clip that into the carabiner but to add a little safer redundancy you can tie it around your harness (not the belay loop), through the leg loop connection and waistbelt so that your not relying solely on the belay loop and carabiner.
I use an ice tail from eastern woods and a distel hitch and I'll usually tie the tail end of my tether in a figure 8 around my harness. Sometimes I'm lazy and will just put a figure 8 on the tail end and clip that into the carabiner but to add a little safer redundancy you can tie it around your harness (not the belay loop), through the leg loop connection and waistbelt so that your not relying solely on the belay loop and carabiner.
I climb SRT in mine, I don't think it's bad but I haven't tried any other harness/saddle. I wouldn't want to hang all day in just the belt but for climbing it's ok. I mean there's no weight on the belt/leg straps when you're standing
Thanks, I might use SRT for some preset stands, wouldn't be using as a saddle or anything. If I leave sticks out I'm just asking for trouble.
Guess I'll wait to hear some reviews on the tactisaddle one. Maybe the wider webbing will make it more comfortable.
For $160 why not buy an actual saddle? This tactisaddle harness is basically a saddle without any comfort or benefit of being used as a saddle.
I have a saddle, I just don't like it as a safety harness sitting in a stand for safety and comfort reasons.
Gotcha, in that case I’d stick to a regular treestand fall arrest safety harness. You’re not getting any safer with that bottom half harness without the arrest strap/tether.
Yeah I'm good with a rock harness and dynamic rope. I don't personally add a screamer but I would if I thought it were unsafe. I'm fine with just the dynamic rope. People say that it doesn't matter at that short of distance, but from my research and experience with it I'm confident it will. I agree for the most part that it's not any safer but it's not unsafe. And there are valid arguments that a rock harness is better in situations of suspension trauma and self rescue and I find it hard to argue against that. Regardless, with SRT I think the full body harness is out.
Your point is not lost on me. I appreciate it and I think it's an important one because I don't know that a lot of people think about it.
Genuinely interested here, not calling you out. Do you have resources or data for this? From what I understand FBHs are considered safer than RCHs or belts in falls, so I’m curious.
There is no data supporting RCH in a fall circumstance where a FBH is needed. It’s so bad in fact that governing bodies will not even allow it as an option in any work from height occupation. I will support the statement that dynamic rope even a short distance will make a difference over static but in the video the guy is above his attachment method making any fall above a # 1 fall factor, if you read a RCH manual it states not to allow that type of fall factor because of the injuries that can be sustained, and that is with long lead lines or belayers. So in this instance the amount of force would definitely not make it safe. I do not care how many followers a you tuber has or how good of friend you are with a manufacturer, presenting an unsafe idea as safe because it’s how you do it, doesn’t make it safe. And a RCH doesn’t prevent someone from going inverted and just because it catches weight across the legs, doesn’t mean it won’t hurt your back. I wish I had a dummy to shoot a video to show people why work positioning harnesses don’t work in fall arrest situations and also why FBH don’t work in work positioning situations. Different needs, different potentials for injury with way different outcomes in a “dynamic event”.
This video isn’t all encompassing by any means, and the drops being tested are more severe than what we would likely see (they’re using a 6ft lanyard), but the comparison from one harness to another is decent. The last test they show a full body harness with vs without an arrestor.
This is another great video
Hold on guys, what the heck. I wasn't making a statement that a RCH is safer than a full body harness nor would I have any data on it because it was not my position. Is that how I was interpreted or is that from the video?
I was simply saying I personally feel my use of rock harness is safe. By keeping my fall factor low I am okay with my choice of dynamic rope. If I was pushing factor 1 falls and beyond I wouldn't be doing that. And I certainly would argue and stand by that if I'm hanging from a fall in the woods all alone I sure as heck want that to be in a RCH because I feel my chances of survival at that point are much greater than if I'm hanging in a FBH.
Rock climbing harness test: "We had to put the dummy back together again after this one"
When you say an arrestor did they have a secondary device or just the stitching like a fbh? The only problem I have with a fbh is the srs. Hunter safety system provides you with one but it’s not attached to the harness. You have to carry it separate, so as you’re hanging from your harness, freezing cold, adrenaline going you’re expected to dig around in your pockets to find it (assuming you actually bring it) and then strap it to the back of your harness. That’s ridiculous in my opinion.
Yea we get you’re saying you think it’s safe for yourself. The steps you take to mitigate that risk is good and you should but it may be lacking for recommendation to others without numbers and data. I’m not knocking you doing your own thing, I just want others to know the risk.
I think mostly what we are trying to convey is that using a RCH is dangerous for several reasons we already discussed. I’m commenting to put a warning out for every other jobroney that might get on here without doing any kind of research and think they’re perfectly safe in a rock climbing harness. On a public forum I try to give the most conservatively safe answer and then I’ll do what I want on my own time, but that’s me.
That said, I would agree if you limit fall factor then your next biggest issue is getting down. Full body harnesses don’t allow you to do that on their own. It does beg for conversation about getting out of the tree once you fall from a full body tree harness.
From a safety mitigation standpoint there is a point of diminishing returns for everyone and there are lots of variables to consider for that decision.
The second video they were using a screamer type, I’m not sure in the first video. I’m not familiar with the HSS system you’re referring to, maybe link it?
I agree if you take every precaution and use the best gear industry wide that available out there you’ll be way more noisy, heavy, and cumbersome then you’d like. There is a line between safety and ease of use that you have to determine for yourself. RCH is fairly light, easy to use, and not very cumbersome; however, there are risks when considering when and how you’ll be using one.