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upgrade my linemans belt

g2outdoors

g2outdoors

Well-Known Member
Vendor Rep
Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
7,448
Location
Savannah, GA
I have an older style treesaddle and I want to upgrade my linemans belt. I hate the way the current one works. My linemans belt is two pieces sewn directly to each side of the saddle. There are no loops to attach any carbiners to. Any ideas on how to upgrade this to a double carabiner setup? Or maybe some high speed rock climbing mechanical prussic knot replacement? Do you think I could use the webbing loops on the outside (that we attach our accessory bags to) to clip my lineman's belt to? If that stitching gave out I'd be in trouble. What do you think? I'd like to cut off the current belt and replace it with something faster and more user friendly.

saddle.jpg
 
This is what I want and I want it now.

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How can I attach this to my old saddle? I'm a little afraid to use the "accessory loops".
 
g2, welcome to the site!

I know exactly the problem you have, the linemans belt attaches to itself on the other side of the tree. My friend picked up the same one last year. If you can bear with me through the weekend I am going to see him and I asked him to bring it so I can take a look at it in person. I will brainstorm some ideas for you.
 
Yeah, that design sucks donkey &a!!$.

If you can have them cut and sewn back to themselves, creating loops, you'd be able to use the rope lineman belt you want.

However, the safest, no-cut, no sew solution I can think of right away is....

Weave a strap (rated for this type stuff) that has loops on each end through all the belt loops on the saddle. Take it all the way around the saddle so it would go behind your back.....and make it to where the loops lay at the sides of your hips. Then use the rope lineman belt you want with a pair of caribiners so you can remove it (or one if you don't want to remove it).

If you don't understand what I mean, I can probably draw a crude picture, but I think I explained it ok.
 
Matty said:
Yeah, that design sucks donkey &a!!$.

If you can have them cut and sewn back to themselves, creating loops, you'd be able to use the rope lineman belt you want.

However, the safest, no-cut, no sew solution I can think of right away is....

Weave a strap (rated for this type stuff) that has loops on each end through all the belt loops on the saddle. Take it all the way around the saddle so it would go behind your back.....and make it to where the loops lay at the sides of your hips. Then use the rope lineman belt you want with a pair of caribiners so you can remove it (or one if you don't want to remove it).

If you don't understand what I mean, I can probably draw a crude picture, but I think I explained it ok.
Click to expand...

This is a pretty good idea. Instead of weaving a strap through all the belt loops, how about just getting a longer rope for the linemans belt and weaving the actual linemans belt though. That way you don't have to worry about 2 connections. You could keep the rope coming out of the belt loops shorter on one side and just hook the rope from the other side to it.
 
redsquirrel said:
This is a pretty good idea. Instead of weaving a strap through all the belt loops, how about just getting a longer rope for the linemans belt and weaving the actual linemans belt though. That way you don't have to worry about 2 connections. You could keep the rope coming out of the belt loops shorter on one side and just hook the rope from the other side to it.
Click to expand...


I was thinking that too.

However, I personally like to have my lineman belt disconnect on both sides, because:
A) I can put it completely away while hiking and hunting without having a pouch on the saddle for it.
B) Sometimes one side is easier to reach than the other while connecting/disconnecting to go around limbs.
C) I own one lineman belt that I can transfer quickly to my regular harness when I go out to setup trees or hunt from a stand.

For someone that likes it permanently attached on one side, your way would work perfectly.

To do it with a detachable lineman belt, you could still use the rope (since you likely have to buy a lot of rope anyway) and after weaving it through, tie figure 8's on both ends like JSD said. Then make the lineman belt like the one pictured out of another piece of the same rope. Connect with Aluminum beeners and you're in business.

Keeping the original lineman belt on the saddle at that point is up to G2. You could always use it for very limby trees since you're really supposed to use two for working around limbs....Or just cut if it off and save weight.
 
You see, this is why Al Gore invented the internet...so I can get genius solutions to problems that my minimal intelligence couldn't handle. I have some climbing rated webbing lying around that I think will work perfectly for weaving and tying the knots. I already have the climbing rope to use for my lineman belt so I just need to buy two more biners and the Ropeman 1 mechanical prusik dooflitchy.

Thanks everyone!
 
So I went ahead and threaded some climbing spec webbing through all the loops. It's SUPER strong and I trust it completely. However, after messing around with it, I think the best solution to my problem would be to cut the original lineman belt straps and sew them back onto themselves to make a loop on each side. Do you think I could go buy some heavy duty thread and do it myself? I'm not sure if there are any seamstress shops around here that would be able to sew through webbing this thick. What do you think?

newloops.jpg
 
What seems to be the issue with doing it that way G2?

Maybe we can figure out a way to resolve it still.

Also, the whole sewing aspect is beyond my abilities. Can it be done? I'm sure it can, but I would be scared to trust my own sewing. Sure I sewed hockey equipment as I grew up, but I didn't have to hang out of a tree by my hockey shorts. lol


Without knowing the problem, my first guess is that maybe the loops are too far forward from your hips? What if you make it to where the loops are like right at the corners of the saddle by shortening the overall length of strap?

Unless that has nothing to do with the issue. In which case ignore me. lol
 
Sewing... Now we're in my ballpark lol. If that is the route you go, you need to buy the speedy stitch sewing awl. Look it up on amazon, I got mine at joann fabrics. I would link for you but I'm in a tree right now. It comes with heavy duty waxed thread that I believe is 55# per stitch. I made a custom tree strap and Lineman's belt with this. I also put a crap load of stitches in and they are working great. Look up my custom tree strap thread for more info.
 
Matty said:
What seems to be the issue with doing it that way G2?

Maybe we can figure out a way to resolve it still.

Also, the whole sewing aspect is beyond my abilities. Can it be done? I'm sure it can, but I would be scared to trust my own sewing. Sure I sewed hockey equipment as I grew up, but I didn't have to hang out of a tree by my hockey shorts. lol


Without knowing the problem, my first guess is that maybe the loops are too far forward from your hips? What if you make it to where the loops are like right at the corners of the saddle by shortening the overall length of strap?

Unless that has nothing to do with the issue. In which case ignore me. lol
Click to expand...

The threaded webbing works perfectly fine. However, I think it would be better/easier for clipping in and out of if I used the stiffer lineman belt straps. That way I wouldn't have to worry about fighting with the flimsy webbing loops that tend to flop around. Either way, it's going to work.

@redsquirrel - that awl looks like the perfect tool for the job. I think I'm going to give it a try. I'll post pics.
 
I just watched some youtube vids on that awl. That will definitely do the job...ordered on amazon.
 
g2outdoors said:
I just watched some youtube vids on that awl. That will definitely do the job...ordered on amazon.
Click to expand...

Yea it really is amazing. Like I said, I did put a lot of stitches in to my stuff to be safe, but I am 100% confident in the stitching holding. Have fun with your new awl!
 
I have a USA made Treesaddle with the split linemans belt....what I do is use it as my secondary and keep it tucked away in pouches unless I need to go around a branch and wear a TREEHOPPER as my main linemans belt which works Awesome!!
Stay safe, Rob
 
Cutting the split lineman belt and sewing new loops with the sewing awl is probably the best modification I've made to the Tree Saddle. Using a rope lineman belt with the Ropeman 1 mechanical prussic is definitely the most user friendly system I've found.
 
Are you still working on this modification? I can show you what I did if you are interested. Very safe and effective
 
I finished it. I'll take pictures and post them next time I'm out. The Speedy Stitch Sewing Awl is the cat's pajamas.
 
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