Rock climbing harness

[TheBootBowhunting]

I use the vario speed harness with my LW hand climbers and a dryad killdeer for my LWCG 1.0 and Novix Helo/Echo (any type of stand with sticks)

I climb up and down with the LW climber by moving the tree tether up and down the tree above my seat. The speed harness doesnt have linesman belt loops and to me its just a tad more comfortable when using a climber.

With a hang on I use the dryad killdeer. I climb using a latitude 10mm linesmans belt and a ropeman 1, and connect to the tree with a latitude 8mm vapor line tether with a prussic knot once in the stand. No mechanical ascender on the tree tether.

When youre in the strand with the tether, there shouldnt be much slack and if you were to get off balance it would catch you pretty fast and you could recover back into the stand. I set my tether to where if I try to squat down, it would stop me about halfway going down into the squat. Id try to simulate a fall and recover in a controlled setting just so you know what its like. Some people think its restrictive that it connects in front and goes back to the tree on your side/under arm, but once you do it and feel how it actually functions, its a non issue. In a fall your facing the tree instead of dangling away from it. Ive been using a RC harness at least 5 years, zero chance I ever go back to a full body hss or summit harness.

 

[cornfedkiller]

HSS Tree Rope, loop around the tree about head height, and then the rope drapes down under my right armpit to my lap. Keep just a little slack in it while sitting so I can rotate to the left if I have to, and then when I stand, there is enough slack to turn and shoot to the left if needed.

 

[fwafwow]

I use a life line on every stand that I leave set up. I feel like I owe it to my wife and children to take that simple precaution.

I don't think I was clear. If you have a life line and you are using a rock climbing (or other) harness, are you also using a lineman belt on the way up?

 

[fwafwow]

I use the vario speed harness with my LW hand climbers and a dryad killdeer for my LWCG 1.0 and Novix Helo/Echo (any type of stand with sticks)

I climb up and down with the LW climber by moving the tree tether up and down the tree above my seat. The speed harness doesnt have linesman belt loops and to me its just a tad more comfortable when using a climber.

With a hang on I use the dryad killdeer. I climb using a latitude 10mm linesmans belt and a ropeman 1, and connect to the tree with a latitude 8mm vapor line tether with a prussic knot once in the stand. No mechanical ascender on the tree tether.

When youre in the strand with the tether, there shouldnt be much slack and if you were to get off balance it would catch you pretty fast and you could recover back into the stand. I set my tether to where if I try to squat down, it would stop me about halfway going down into the squat. Id try to simulate a fall and recover in a controlled setting just so you know what its like. Some people think its restrictive that it connects in front and goes back to the tree on your side/under arm, but once you do it and feel how it actually functions, its a non issue. In a fall your facing the tree instead of dangling away from it. Ive been using a RC harness at least 5 years, zero chance I ever go back to a full body hss or summit harness.

I'm VERY new to the process - so I appreciate all of the input.

I just today got my Dryad Killdeer (and a few other items from them) in my hands. I'm wearing the Killdeer now and around the house to start to get used to it, but it's already much more comfortable than wearing my HSS harness. Tomorrow I will test out just the Killdeer in a stand. I will hold off for another day to try out the saddle in my backyard.

I'm still waiting on a few more items from Tethrd - a LB (that I will use with a Kong Duck) and a tether (which, like you, I've decided to use without a mechanical ascender). Both are 8mm. I've also stumbled across a few "redundancy" threads as a rookie reader on saddlehunter and I'm thinking through using the LB as a redundant tree tether. I've also realized that this, like almost everything else, is a gear junkie nightmare. I'm already thinking about making my own Whoopie sling, and debating going into the deep end with sticks, etc.

My wife "You bought more stuff?!" Me - "Yes honey, but this gear is to help keep me safe." That's partially true.

 

[Trial153]

RC is a game changer, just to be able to take layers on an off is worth it ….never mind if your will to take a step off a stand and compare the drop and recovery with a RC vs a 4 point harness… it’s night and day better

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don't think I was clear. If you have a life line and you are using a rock climbing (or other) harness, are you also using a lineman belt on the way up?

You didn’t quote me, but I don’t use a lineman’s belt and a lifeline at the same time.

 

[Miflatlander91]

I'll habe to look at the model my rock climbing harness is butnto solve the no linemens belt issue I zip tied a short climbing sling along the back so both eyes of the sling pop out at my hips has worked well I just make sure the rope I tie off to is long enough and always wraps around me on my right side. My logic is I can shoot to my left with out having to stand and turn as far that way I always turn into the slack line has worked well for me for years

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[Trial153]

I don't think I was clear. If you have a life line and you are using a rock climbing (or other) harness, are you also using a lineman belt on the way up?

Every line has a sliding Prusik loop, you attach your tether to the loop and slide it up as you climb, you will be connected from the ground to the stand. No need to a linesman rope after your life line is set in place. I keep
The line up as long as the stand it up

 

[N2TRKYS]

I made my tether from climbing rope and prusik cord. I bought enough that I can tie off while doing work around the house(working on the roof, cutting trees, etc).

 

[WoodBow]

I don't think I was clear. If you have a life line and you are using a rock climbing (or other) harness, are you also using a lineman belt on the way up?

Linemans belt is the first climb when you are hanging gear. If you then install a lifeline on a permanent set, you never need to use the linemans again on that tree. Lifeline keeps you attached from the time you leave the ground. If you do not use lifelines (i do not anymore because I change trees too often) then you use the linemans belt when ascending and descending every time. You will still need to attach to a fixed tether once at hunting height. My tether is essentially a much shorter lifeline.

 

[GAHunterJim]

Just bought a Black Diamond climbing harness I plan to try this year.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Don’t use a lineman’s belt with a climbing stand.

 

[fwafwow]

Don’t use a lineman’s belt with a climbing stand.

Thanks. Most I frequent have a life line, and the one I’m in now (never seen before today) does too. Some I’ve been in though have been higher and a bit more awkward than I’d prefer, so I could see myself using the LB in some limited circumstances with climbing stands.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Thanks. Most I frequent have a life line, and the one I’m in now (never seen before today) does too. Some I’ve been in though have been higher and a bit more awkward than I’d prefer, so I could see myself using the LB in some limited circumstances with climbing stands.

With climbers, use your tether rope. You just move it up the tree as you go.

 

[WoodBow]

With climbers, use your tether rope. You just move it up the tree as you E

With climbers, use your tether rope. You just move it up the tree as you go.

Exactly. This is by far the safest way. Scares me to death to think how much i used a climbing stand with no kind of fall protection when I was younger. Climbers are super sketchy but you can be 100% protected if you wear a harness and just work your tether up the tree as you climb.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Black Diamond BOD harness.

 

[fwafwow]

I used my Killdeer for the first time on Thursday and Friday when sitting in a tree stand I hadn’t seen before.

• As others have said, the rock harness structure was much more comfortable than my experience with the HSS tree stand harness.
• I liked that I could walk to the tree with just a belt and then add the leg straps just before climbing.
• The belt also helps me solve a goal I was working on - a more efficient way (short of a backpack) to store some items with the equivalent of a fanny pack.
• The stand had a life line and I liked being attached at the waist on the way up, and while sitting. It was tight because I had only the Prusik knot for the horizontal slack, but it was easy to move the knot up and down for vertical slack - and much better than times when I’ve hooked into a strap above my head where the slack isn’t adjustable.
• I felt much safer, perhaps in part because the lifeline was so close and so could use it to hold onto/pull up to stand, etc.
• I didn’t take all of my new gear up (baby steps) but I’m looking forward to using the tree tether as the next step for a bit more maneuverability to look and possibly shoot around the tree. Then on to the saddle.

 

[ceejay]

I am trying the X XBen harness this year. It is a RC harness that also has lineman's belt connection rings on it. It may be a little beefier than some of the others that have recommended but it is more minimal than the full body harnesses.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HT2VDCM?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1