Rock Climbing Harness Question

[monahmat]

After much research and testing I've decided to go with a rock climbing harness instead of a standard hunter safety harness.  Curious who else is doing this and what your setup is for tethering to the tree?  I've got a hang on and climber.  For the hang on I'll likely just clip into a lifeline but undecided what to do for my climber.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

6 minutes ago, monahmat said:

After much research and testing I've decided to go with a rock climbing harness instead of a standard hunter safety harness.  Curious who else is doing this and what your setup is for tethering to the tree?  I've got a hang on and climber.  For the hang on I'll likely just clip into a lifeline but undecided what to do for my climber.

Can you provide a link to the harness you are discussing?

[kpkot]

19 minutes ago, monahmat said:

After much research and testing I've decided to go with a rock climbing harness instead of a standard hunter safety harness.  Curious who else is doing this and what your setup is for tethering to the tree?  I've got a hang on and climber.  For the hang on I'll likely just clip into a lifeline but undecided what to do for my climber.

Where does safety line attatch to? Heres something to think about- If the line is attatched to crotch area, like a typical rock climbing harness that would rotate you into stand or tree in an awkward position i would think. I like having my tether above me like a typical treestand harness- I think you would have a little bit more mobility this way too.

[monahmat]

This is the harness I have tested: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Vario-Speed-Harness/dp/B000FJNBGG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504115725&sr=8-3&keywords=vario+speed+harness

This is an example of hunting using a rock climbing harness.  The user also has video of using a full body harness.

 

[monahmat]

I agree, tether above the head is important regardless of type of harness as it ensures the shortest drop if something should happen.  I've personally tested both styles of harness in controlled falls out of a hang on stand.  I understand the pros and cons of each.  For me I find self rescue considerably easier using the rock climbing harness with the rope in front of me like shown in the video.  

[Culvercreek hunt club]

To me the possibility of inversion is too great with these. I don't believe they were also designed to mitigate suspension trauma. Personally i would not go this route. 

[monahmat]

To me the possibility of inversion is too great with these. I don't believe they were also designed to mitigate suspension trauma. Personally i would not go this route. 

They are actually designed to mitigate both. There is no suspension trauma with a rock climbing harness which is one of the big selling points. As for inversion, they are designed to withstand 20 - 30 rock climber falls and hold an unconscious or injured person in a seated position.

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[Culvercreek hunt club]

I agree, tether above the head is important regardless of type of harness as it ensures the shortest drop if something should happen.  I've personally tested both styles of harness in controlled falls out of a hang on stand.  I understand the pros and cons of each.  For me I find self rescue considerably easier using the rock climbing harness with the rope in front of me like shown in the video.  

That's cool. I've dealt with fall protection at work for decades. Personally I can't see using something that isn't for it's designed purpose when the risk is so high. I can use a hammer to put a screw too. Doesn't make it ideal. OSHA would take a dim view of that in our business. I wear a standard harness. Never had it in my way on lock ins. Climbers or ladder stand.

[sodfather]

This conversation has been beat to death on bow hunting .com years past. I was going to go this route but talked to an arborist and he told me not to go this route for hunting. But many guys have them an love them 

[Nomad]

We just got new bail out harnesses and descending system at work , got to keep or old ones. The harness is a belt/ leg strap type, I don't have a pic of it. But here is the desender and carabiner that attaches to the harness.

Along with a couple pics of bail out training .

id like to incorporate a desender /asender to my system .

[Culvercreek hunt club]

We just got new bail out harnesses and descending system at work , got to keep or old ones. The harness is a belt/ leg strap type, I don't have a pic of it. But here is the desender and carabiner that attaches to the harness.
Along with a couple pics of bail out training .
id like to incorporate a desender /asender to my system .

Is it fall rated? Looks like a sweet attachment option.

[helmut in the bush]

I have one I don't use if you want to give it a try

[Jeremy K]

Just got a couple of these from amazon . 4 foot shock rated lanyard. 

[Nomad]

I have to assume it is , as it's made for us to bail out a window and hold us there until we squeeze the handle and use the other hand to feather the rope out to control descent  .

The issue is I'd have to thread the rope through the device on the ground and slide it up as I climb. But you can't really "push it up " you,have to pull sections of rope slack and it takes some pressure to feed the rope through.

A Prusik knot easily slides up as I climb but locks you,in place on a fall no way to descend , well you can if you tie a second on the line by your foot and inch worm down by which switching knot you hang by . Hang form harness slide , foot one down , stand using foot one , slide harness one down .

I was playing around with the Desender at home today trying to figure out how to,incorperate into my hunting system , and took a couple pics.

im certified to the intermediate level of NYS rope rescue , but frankly it's not something my Truck co . Does and it's not my strong point .

Edited August 31, 2017 by Stay at home Nomad

[monahmat]

A Prusik knot easily slides up as I climb but locks you,in place on a fall no way to descend , well you can if you tie a second on the line by your foot and inch worm down by which switching knot you hang by . Hang form harness slide , foot one down , stand using foot one , slide harness one down .

That's very close to what I've been considering. I was also looking at the treestand wingman.


Tree stand wingman:

This is a video of a guy doing self rescue using a rope ascender but unfortunately he doesnt go into any sort of detail on the equipment.

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[monahmat]

Not sure why my wingman link didn't work in the previous post. Here it is again.

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[Lawdwaz]

49 minutes ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

We just got new bail out harnesses and descending system at work , got to keep or old ones. The harness is a belt/ leg strap type, I don't have a pic of it. But here is the desender and carabiner that attaches to the harness.

Along with a couple pics of bail out training .

id like to incorporate a desender /asender to my system .

Rolex?

[Nomad]

Hey just because I spotted your Sebenza you gotta point that out ?

Yes I bought it pre owned off a trusted seller on the Rolex forum, ( they don't like to say "used " lol .)

[b3h]

http://www.summitstands.com/summit-sts-fastback-seat-o-the-pants-harnesses


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[Culvercreek hunt club]

8 hours ago, b3h said:

http://www.summitstands.com/summit-sts-fastback-seat-o-the-pants-harnesses


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I like that. 

[TACC]

I have one also and read the directions , mine has a thigh and chest harness, fits good over hunting gear, but there is no real way to test it, you have to trust them. Mine acts like a seat belt where after it gets the initial jolt of you falling out of the tree stand then it will start to release the remainder of the slack , 15 feet I think, very slowly.

After it gets activated one time, you have to send it back to the company to get reset again.

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[The_Real_TCIII]

I use a Petzl rock climbing harness with the tether that came with my Loggy Bayou harness. From my climber I attach it to the tree and climb to height, move it to just above my head (when seated). In fixed stands I leave it attached to my lifeline via a prussik. I think I'll order a tether like Jeremy K posted.