Tree Stand Harness

[kbetts]

I try to minimize fall distance the best I can. I only need a minimal amount of slack to manuever in reality. I stay tight enough that I can typically only turn one way, not all the way around.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

No matter the hunting situation, I don't use a Fall Arrest Harness. I use a reputable Saddle in conjunction with a low slack lifeline that gets me to ground in ALL situations including when I have no footing. I was at the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg PA a few weeks ago. I got a chance to meet so many hunters and equipment suppliers. I asked this question to everyone I encountered who uses or sells a conventional fall arrest harness: "What do you do to self recover when you have fallen into your FAH and you can't get your feet back on a step or stand because it's gone?" Most hadn't considered it. But the only viable answer was: Call in for a rescue and HOPE your able to maintain blood circulation in your legs with a suspension relief strap while waiting. Unfortunately, FAH systems are only designed to prevent a fall and were NOT designed for self rescue after loss of footing. We need both. We have both in a saddle which is always tied to the tree and on minimum slack. Even when using a ladder stand.

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[BTaylor]

I try to minimize fall distance the best I can. I only need a minimal amount of slack to manuever in reality. I stay tight enough that I can typically only turn one way, not all the way around.

Same for me. I will have enough room to turn 90 or so degrees tops.

 

[GeoFish]

This may be a better device, available in stainless steel, made in the USA.

TreeStand Wingman™ Videos

Videos on the TreeStand Wingman™ Descender System

treestandwingman.com

If you fall in a harness with rear connection, can you turn yourself around facing the tree for self rescue?

 

[raisins]

I think it should be possible to build a full body harness that transitions from back to front connections for self-rescue and also has a fuller covering of the bottom to help lessen suspension trauma.

It might go like this:

you are connect via the back connection but there is a second line that has a carbiner and is on prusik.

If you fall you use some built in trauma relief straps at first.

You then connect the second line to the front attachment point and get it as snug as you can.

Then, you must have a way to create a slack on the original, back line connection which will then put the pressure on the front connection.

 

[BTaylor]

This may be a better device, available in stainless steel, made in the USA.

TreeStand Wingman™ Videos

Videos on the TreeStand Wingman™ Descender System

treestandwingman.com

If you fall in a harness with rear connection, can you turn yourself around facing the tree for self rescue?

You are still hanging in the tree with no way to get to the ground if the stand or stick breaks. Not hunting off a rope that wont let me get all the way back down regardless of whether I am on a platform or a stand.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

You are still hanging in the tree with no way to get to the ground if the stand or stick breaks. Not hunting off a rope that wont let me get all the way back down regardless of whether I am on a platform or a stand.

The wing man lets you down to the ground as long as you are 25’ or less

 

[raisins]

The wing man lets you down to the ground as long as you are 25’ or less

Could it possibly get stuck half way down and then you are in worse shape having trusted it?

 

[BTaylor]

The wing man lets you down to the ground as long as you are 25’ or less

Maybe but you aint Batman.

 

[BTaylor]

Could it possibly get stuck half way down and then you are in worse shape having trusted it?

Yeah, I'm out on depending on more mechanical crap and having to haul it around.

 

[GeoFish]

Yeah, I'm out on depending on more mechanical crap and having to haul it around.

So you are saying, 2TC or Die.

 

[raisins]

Yeah, I'm out on depending on more mechanical crap and having to haul it around.

same reason i won't buy a heated vested

 

[BTaylor]

So you are saying, 2TC or Die.

NO!!! Dont lump me in with those people. I mean I would hang out with 'em after dark, just dont need to be seen with 'em I'm more in the one stick or die camp.

 

[Black Titan]

I think it should be possible to build a full body harness that transitions from back to front connections for self-rescue and also has a fuller covering of the bottom to help lessen suspension trauma.

It might go like this:

you are connect via the back connection but there is a second line that has a carbiner and is on prusik.

If you fall you use some built in trauma relief straps at first.

You then connect the second line to the front attachment point and get it as snug as you can.

Then, you must have a way to create a slack on the original, back line connection which will then put the pressure on the front connection.

I had thought up an idea but not sure how practical it would be. For suspension relief. Basically a long rated webbing strap coming down from the saddle, with a "stirrup" on the end, for lack of a better word. But the stirrup is attached and secured to the boot/ankle so it remains attached.

Not sure if it would even work, was just something that popped in my head.

BT

 

[BTaylor]

I had thought up an idea but not sure how practical it would be. For suspension relief. Basically a long rated webbing strap coming down from the saddle, with a "stirrup" on the end, for lack of a better word. But the stirrup is attached and secured to the boot/ankle so it remains attached.

Not sure if it would even work, was just something that popped in my head.

BT

Throw linesman around the tree and tie a quick foot loop if you dont have a second tether at hand. That's assuming your linesman is always on your saddle. You can pull your knees up and rest against the tree or put your feet on the tree and push out alternating legs to take weight off one side at a time. Best bet is tie a quick munter get out of the tree instead of hanging there like a freakin pinata.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Could it possibly get stuck half way down and then you are in worse shape having trusted it?

There aren’t any incidents of it stopping half way that I can find in the last 6 years…. It’s the same technology used in many rock climbing gyms and rock walls on cruise ships

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

I had thought up an idea but not sure how practical it would be. For suspension relief. Basically a long rated webbing strap coming down from the saddle, with a "stirrup" on the end, for lack of a better word. But the stirrup is attached and secured to the boot/ankle so it remains attached.

Not sure if it would even work, was just something that popped in my head.

BT

I tell guys to keep their linesman rope either attached or secured in their dump pouch so that they always have access if they “needed” a recovery strap it would definitely work… however if you’re facing forward in a saddle, it’s far easier to just occasionally walk your feet up the tree to alleviate any feeling of nerve or blood pooling. A guy on Facebook that uses my saddle, lost his one stick set up while on his tether and sat in it with no foot rest for a little over 45 minutes while he waited for his buddy to come to the tree to get his stick back up to him… he has shared the story on several Facebook posts about how impressed he was with sitting in it without any way to remove his weight and credits the saddle for saving his life. I credit him being smart enough to have a way to contact his buddy to come help him

 

[TreeRecon]

I think it should be possible to build a full body harness that transitions from back to front connections for self-rescue and also has a fuller covering of the bottom to help lessen suspension trauma.

It might go like this:

you are connect via the back connection but there is a second line that has a carbiner and is on prusik.

If you fall you use some built in trauma relief straps at first.

You then connect the second line to the front attachment point and get it as snug as you can.

Then, you must have a way to create a slack on the original, back line connection which will then put the pressure on the front connection.

Common recovery scenario in rope access

I agree with most of this BUT not your view on connection points. Also keep in mind that many FBH have long force reducing rear connections (because it absorbs force), in those cases slack is actually a friend. The connection point is extremely relevant and there is a ton of research and incident reporting that backs up the claim that if you fall, a dorsal connection full body harness will always be the “safest result”. Self rescue is a little different. A chest connection FBH is great if you are facing the tree but has the ability to choke you or worse if you are facing away from the tree like most guys using hang ons… and sternal connections are the worst option for fall arrest and are generally only approved for fall restraint work positioning. The exception being rock climbers who again use incredible lengths of dynamic rope to lessen force

Sternal connections are the backup connection point for rope access techs. No one uses the dorsal, due to difficulty with self rescue. I'm not arguing which is more impactful to the body in a FF scenario of 1.5 or greater. I was stating that if you manage slack, you can be connected to either one and they will equally keep you alive.

If I'm hunting from a hang on, dorsal on a FBH is the best IMO. It works because you have sticks

 

[raisins]

Common recovery scenario in rope access

Sternal connections are the backup connection point for rope access techs. No one uses the dorsal, due to difficulty with self rescue. I'm not arguing which is more impactful to the body in a FF scenario of 1.5 or greater. I was stating that if you manage slack, you can be connected to either one and they will equally keep you alive.

If I'm hunting from a hang on, dorsal on a FBH is the best IMO. It works because you have sticks

Can you explain your post to me a bit more?

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Common recovery scenario in rope access

Sternal connections are the backup connection point for rope access techs. No one uses the dorsal, due to difficulty with self rescue. I'm not arguing which is more impactful to the body in a FF scenario of 1.5 or greater. I was stating that if you manage slack, you can be connected to either one and they will equally keep you alive.

If I'm hunting from a hang on, dorsal on a FBH is the best IMO. It works because you have sticks

I understand. And I am a minimal slack (rope entries is my hunting preference). I was simply stating that the connection point does matter. The original post was asking about using a hang on stand in conjunction with some form of saddle or FBH…. For what it’s worth, it’s nice having another trained climber on the forum. I really do enjoy your input on these posts, so please don’t take my responses as any form personal attack.