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Saddle safety.

firehunter

firehunter

Active Member
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
104
Location
Bristol, WI
I have seen several posts about safety and backups and it gets me thinking. Guys have said they don't like the one point of connection unlike a regular tree stand setup. I don't know about you but when I am in my tree stand I am sitting there in my stand with my harness hooked to a single lifeline. How is that any different than a saddle hooked to the tether? I used to do high angle rescue with the fire department and I am ver confident in the standard saddle setup as long as it is cared for and inspected. What are your opinions on the second tether or the ones that have an entire second harness and everything? This is not meant to bash the guys that do this but more open discussion on the topic.
 
I always use a redundant strap on my treestands, but am comfortable hanging from my teather when using the saddle. My opinion is that I want to encourage anyone that wants to use extra to feel comfortable. Even though currently, I don't.
 
firehunter said:
I have seen several posts about safety and backups and it gets me thinking. Guys have said they don't like the one point of connection unlike a regular tree stand setup. I don't know about you but when I am in my tree stand I am sitting there in my stand with my harness hooked to a single lifeline. How is that any different than a saddle hooked to the tether? I used to do high angle rescue with the fire department and I am ver confident in the standard saddle setup as long as it is cared for and inspected. What are your opinions on the second tether or the ones that have an entire second harness and everything? This is not meant to bash the guys that do this but more open discussion on the topic.
Click to expand...

There is no difference. Rock climbers, arborists, rescue workers, etc... don't wear 2 harnesses. They are tested to 5,000lbs, if you don't trust yourself to hook stuff up correctly or check your equipment, then go for a backup.
 

I think this is a very relevant video if you haven't seen it. Pretty good one. Made me feel even more comfortable, but you still definitely need to inspect your gear. I think I'm going to focus more on doing this on a regular basis this season.
 
I'm all for redundancy if you can get it for every life support connection. If not, I'm of the belief that it creates a dangerous false sense of security. But if you can do it for tether, hitch/rope grab, carabiner, bridge, bridge loops, saddle webbing, I'm for it.

@dlist777 has a pretty good setup for full redundancy. If you're going to do it, that's the way.
 
Good replies so far. I have seen G2's video and I agree it is a good one. I am very comfortable climbing with my line mans belt and hanging from a tether. I agree that if you cant back up every component than it is kind of pointless. Also when dose the "adding" of stuff make it too much of a hinderance. I am getting into saddle hunting for the reduction in weight due to my bad back. Also I feel adding to much stuff just leaves more points to forget something and then it was all for nothing.
 
I still say in a treestand you have 2 separate things that are keeping you from falling. The stand and your harness. Yes I get that you’re not connected to the tree via the treestand so technically it’s not a “safety connection” but as long as you don’t fall out of the stand, that’s still two separate things keeping you from hitting the ground.

Having said that, I’ve decided to run two tethers and two bridges. One bridge is shorter than the other, each connected to its own tether. My lineman’s belt is doing double duty girth hitched around the tree as my second tether. I mean I have it up there anyway so why not use it? The tethers are almost in line with one another so there is little to no extra clutter. And both bridges have full range of motion and comfort for me so that’s a non issue.

I KNOW this equipment is beyond safe and time tested. I also know I’m a worst-case scenario type of person. I like backups because the consequences are dire.

Emrah


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I think saddle hunting with the set ups we have available are super safe. My opinion is that it should never fail if the human does his part. I do a full backup, but it's not because I fear the equipment...its because I fear myself.....messing up a knot....leaving a caribeaner unlocked...forgetting to attach my leg loops....thinking I hooked on in the dark when I didn't....etc etc.
 
emrah.oruc.7 said:
I still say in a treestand you have 2 separate things that are keeping you from falling. The stand and your harness. Yes I get that you’re not connected to the tree via the treestand so technically it’s not a “safety connection” but as long as you don’t fall out of the stand, that’s still two separate things keeping you from hitting the ground.

Having said that, I’ve decided to run two tethers and two bridges. One bridge is shorter than the other, each connected to its own tether. My lineman’s belt is doing double duty girth hitched around the tree as my second tether. I mean I have it up there anyway so why not use it? The tethers are almost in line with one another so there is little to no extra clutter. And both bridges have full range of motion and comfort for me so that’s a non issue.

I KNOW this equipment is beyond safe and time tested. I also know I’m a worst-case scenario type of person. I like backups because the consequences are dire.

Emrah


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

What if one of your bridge loops fails?
 
I will add one thing: I think people over estimate what a linemans belt can do for you when climbing. It's just a hands free device...not a fall arrest system. I had a stick fail once and had a lb on and went straight to the bottom. I now hook my tether up when I climb (as well as lb). It slows me down but I think makes a real safety difference....
 
emrah.oruc.7 said:
Gotta draw the line somewhere! Lol. I think we all have our own personal safety comfort limits.

Emrah


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The statistical drop in exposure to risk is marginal if you don't make ALL life support connections in your system redundant. The problem with posting things like this is exactly what I posted above - it gives new people, who aren't informed at all, a false sense of security.

I encourage everyone to think through this stuff. And always check your gear as suggested above.
 
When I hunt from my modified tree suit I use a back up rock climbing harness with a second tether because I am relying on my stitching on my modified bridge. I probably don't need the backup but it makes me cpmfortable. When I hunt from my kestrel I don't use any backup because I trust it and am comfortable without it.
 
kyler1945 said:
The statistical drop in exposure to risk is marginal if you don't make ALL life support connections in your system redundant. The problem with posting things like this is exactly what I posted above - it gives new people, who aren't informed at all, a false sense of security.

I encourage everyone to think through this stuff. And always check your gear as suggested above.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure I understand. What false sense of security? I’m merely backing up the things I can easily back up and without extra clutter. An extra saddle isn’t exactly easy to back up.

Emrah


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Anyone who is worried, I would say do not buy oplux for your tether. That stuff is like dental floss compared to predator or other commonly used ropes lol. That being said, I love it. I think educating yourself on how to spot deficiencies and weak points in your rig is just as important as backing things up. One aspect of my job has drilled that into my head. You inspect your equipment everytime, trust your equipment to do its job, and care for your equipment and it will do the same for you. If there is ever anything in question, replace it. The only piece of gear that I back up is a mechanical ascender. Never trust anything mechanical with your life. Other than that don't skip inspecting your kit. Check your knots, check your lines for flat spots and separation, inspect webbing for cuts, frays, or burns, check the hardware for cracks and separation etc. If you want to back things up and it will make you more comfortable and enable your hunting experience, do it. But also read and know what your looking at.
 
I've been working at heights for going on 20 yrs with sharp edges and and sparks every where. And the way I see it there are 3 big hazards to saddle hunting.

1. Roll out of an unlocked caribener. You get complacent and things get awkward.

2. Creating slack in your tether. 6' fall from a 200lb man generates around 5000lbs of force. Remember the saddle really isn't a fall protection device. It's a positioning device. If you fall 5' feet and your saddle catches your gonna break your back. Don't make slack.

3. Suspension trauma. This is the one I really worry about. Having a step or stick fail and being stuck in a tree with no way to descend or relieve the pressure applied to your legs.

1 doesn't bother me, I lock my biners if things get awkward I double check. And I never create more than 6" of slack so I'm not worried about 2. My plan for 3 worse case scenario is to hook up my LB, cut my tether and ride the tree down.

Riding your LB down a tree is gonna hurt. Maybe pretty badly, but it's not a free fall and I would expect 99 out of 100 to pull through.

That being said I'm just a guy on the internet, sharing my thought process. I don't know a thing about your physical limitations or coordination. Plus I'm poor so don't bother trying to sue me.
 
Ok here’s a couple pics of my system. Tethrd rope and prusik/biner. Backup is 8mm rope and 6mm prusik/biner I’m using as a lineman’s belt. Two bridges. Either bridge can be used but the longer one is slightly more comfortable. However, they are set up so there is barely any slack in the backup tether/bridge.

Because there isn’t any slack both tethers stay perfectly in line with each other so I don’t notice the extra ropes. It may look cluttered in the pics but honestly nothing gets in the way. In fact you can barely see the second tether in the pics.

Emrah

15501e12417e95b4ebea1e7b08f63a60.jpg
518aabeb678750524b31b72e1076c00e.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
SomthingOriginal said:
I've been working at heights for going on 20 yrs with sharp edges and and sparks every where. And the way I see it there are 3 big hazards to saddle hunting.

1. Roll out of an unlocked caribener. You get complacent and things get awkward.

2. Creating slack in your tether. 6' fall from a 200lb man generates around 5000lbs of force. Remember the saddle really isn't a fall protection device. It's a positioning device. If you fall 5' feet and your saddle catches your gonna break your back. Don't make slack.

3. Suspension trauma. This is the one I really worry about. Having a step or stick fail and being stuck in a tree with no way to descend or relieve the pressure applied to your legs.

1 doesn't bother me, I lock my biners if things get awkward I double check. And I never create more than 6" of slack so I'm not worried about 2. My plan for 3 worse case scenario is to hook up my LB, cut my tether and ride the tree down.

Riding your LB down a tree is gonna hurt. Maybe pretty badly, but it's not a free fall and I would expect 99 out of 100 to pull through.

That being said I'm just a guy on the internet, sharing my thought process. I don't know a thing about your physical limitations or coordination. Plus I'm poor so don't bother trying to sue me.
Click to expand...


If I had a stick or step fail and was suspended by my tether, I would girth hitch my line mans rope around the tree. Then tie a loop in the rope for my foot to take the weight off of my tether. Lower your tether and sit back down in the saddle, lower the girth hitched line mans rope and inch down the tree that way. It might take me some time to get down, but I would be able to get down safely.
 
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