Tree Harness

[Flecha]

One last comment about climbing harnesses:

Climbers fall all the time and back injuries are not generally an issue. Admittedly, the dynamics are different, and although there are rocks to hit, there's no stand/steps/metal stuff. So no, that I know of, conclusive studies have not been done.

That said, what's more important is the length of fall. If you go by the 'book', you shouldn't even fall a few feet onto static line. Long falls are possible because dynamic rope elongates something like 6 or more %, so it acts a little like a spring. I actually use dynamic rope for safety rig and assume i'd sag a little if I fell (6-7% of say, 5-10' is not much anyway). And the REAL trick, I think, with ANY harness, is to keep the potential fall distance as short as possible. That means walking the prussic up as you climb up, and getting it relatively snug once up on the stand.

If you are looking for harnesses, The Alpine Bod would be a good candidate and packs down really well. Couloir is another possibility but a little more expensive.

Good article http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Climbing- ... ing-Advice

YMMV and I know nothing about climbing or harnesses so don't take my advice or you might die!!

[sproulman]

Ya you cant fall from a ladder stand. The taxidermist I take my deer to on Kansas was out trimming trees before season and was on ground no harness. He decided to move a ladder stand that he was wanting to move for a while. He didn't have his harness to attach to his safety line. He climbed up to release the ratchets and 3/4 up the ladder a weld broke and he losy his balance and fell. Collapsed lung, 4 broken ribs, broken wrist, collar bone, ankle and compressed l2 disc !!!!
I used to use a lone wolf climber and no harness until one day the belt on a 2 year old unit split and I had to shimmy down the tree like a bear !! Your never safe when climbing !!

THAT IS PROBLEM WITH LONE WOLFS..Yes they are light but those belts are problem and we tested them...Belts on red oaks can turn and twist they get stuck..Summit cables slide right up and down .I agree i have been on some shaky ladderstands while trying to unrachet those straps and sometimes i just cut the strap..

[sproulman]

Oh by the way when I was kid I used to climb 100 foot trees all the time until a buddy fell and was paralyzed ! Just because you did something stupid for years and beat the odds doesn't mean your immune hope your luck holds because if it don't you'll be another one of those guys if you survive that hurries to post each year how you should wear a harness !

YEP you are right ..