Ladder Stand and Harness

[Hunterny28]

Good Afternoon,

I am recently new to hunting from a tree stand last year, after years of ground hunting. I ditched the harness that came with the stand and bought a nice one for this year. After reading stories on here and seeing them on tv I decided that I should not be a bone head and not go into the stand without one. I have watched videos and tried everything on and this weekend I will go do a few test runs before I can get out to hunt next weekend. The only question I have is the whats a good way to use it while having a ladder stand. I know how to use it with the tree strap. I am having trouble with using it on the ladder and transition point to hook it to the tree strap. what do you guys do to protect from a fall there. thanks! 

[growalot]

A life line installed with purrsic knot..that said ...well you need to climb to install the life line....using a ladder stand ...you can find a LRG. opening carabiner ...one that will fit around the ladder rung...attach it to your harness strap...wrap it with duct tape or a heat shrink tube to keep it quiet...then as you climb hook the carabiner to the highest rung above you  that you can reach

[growalot]

PS...of course that will only work if you have the stand properly installed and secure...IMO always chain the stand as well as ratchet it...

[WNYBuckHunter]

I dont use the lifeline with my ladder stands. I know I should, but I dont. I just hookup once I get up there. Just make sure to use a hoist rope with all your gear, dont try carrying it up the ladder.

[WELLSY]

Just like WNY I hook when I get up to the top of the ladder stand. When I use my climber I use it all the way up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Edited September 26, 2013 by WELLSY

[growalot]

The thing about getting older...ya never know whats just going to give out at any time....knee buckle....sudden loss of strength in your hand....sudden vertigo....a chest pain...ect..ect..ect....getting even 6ft up and having something happen can cause serious damage when the ground meets your back or side...broke rib through lung....severed blood vessels...ect..ect...why risk it... A climbers Carabiner  is only a few bucks...

[nybuckboy]

When I use a ladder stand I don't connect my harness until I'm up on the stand. Make sure you attached it, regardless of what type of stand, high enough. You need to figure out, based on your height, how high to tie off on the tree. Correct is that when sitting you can the tug above if you were to slouch or lean forward. Therefore, practice at home down low so that you know, based on the height of your eyes to the tree how much higher to position the tie off connection.  Oh yeak also use a chain to attached besides the ratchet strap and be sure to padlock it as well.

[Cabin Fever]

Watch the video on this Lifeline link. http://www.huntersafetysystem.com/lifeline/  You can tie the bottom of the lifeline off to the bottom of your ladder.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Watch the video on this Lifeline link. http://www.huntersafetysystem.com/lifeline/  You can tie the bottom of the lifeline off to the bottom of your ladder.

 

Yes, but my concern is that if you fall off the ladder, you will end up swinging off to the side and becoming suspended anyway. I do realize that as you get older, things can give out, or something unexpected could happen, but I dont want to replace one danger with another. Now if you could figure out a way for the rope to follow the path you are traveling, like it does with a hang on or climber, Id use one.

[RangerClay]

With my ladder stands I use the Fall Guy retractor hooked to HSS vest.

 

http://integratedsafety.us/store/video.html

 

http://www.integratedsafety.us/store/

 

They are kind of expensive but they are worth it IMHO. 

[growalot]

Yes, but my concern is that if you fall off the ladder, you will end up swinging off to the side and becoming suspended anyway.

 

 

that's why I use one of these attached to my harness tether...just hook it over a rung above you as you climb...yes when having to move it your unattached for a moment...but it's better than nothing at all and if you go with both the life line and the rung attached to the front of your vest....no need to worry about swinging away from the ladder and your always attached ....

 

http://www.rei.com/product/722353/black-diamond-rocklock-screwgate-carabiner

[WNYBuckHunter]

Is it noisy? My harness has one built into the strap already. Hmmm

[moog5050]

Is it noisy? My harness has one built into the strap already. Hmmm

 

 

Tape it with electrical tape.  It will kill most of the sound, but there still will be some noise.

[growalot]

I wrap with camo tape...or you can slip the right sized heat wrap tubing on to it and shrink....

[moog5050]

I like the heat shrink idea grow.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have a bunch of shrink tube at home. Great idea.

[Fantail]

I hook up when I'm in stand. Taken to a harness that came with a Gander stand, brown straps, nothing fancy at all but it's quiet and doesn't get in the way. The Gorilla vest harness is easier to get into and all, plus the quick metal connections are coated. But I feel just a tad less flexible wearing it.

[SteveB]

Not as inflexible as you might be after falling without it.

[Nomad]

As for ladders I clip on when I'm up. At work I climb much higher ladders while wearing 80 pounds of bulky gear . But if someone wants to be safer I can't fault them .