Safety Harness

[Wanderer]

I wear the Summit "Seat -O- The Pants" fastback harness. It has a mesh back and I believe I only paid $39.00 for it about 4 or 5 years ago. That brings up another point. According to the DVD that I got with my harness, we are supposed to scrap them out 5 years after the manufacture date that is attached to the harness. Does anyone really do this? I got 2 harnesses with each of my 2 man ladder stands and one with the Ameristep hang on I just bought this year. They'll have expired dates before I wear em all one time.

[Patriot]

ORIGINAL: Wanderer

I wear the Summit "Seat -O- The Pants" fastback harness. It has a mesh back and I believe I only paid $39.00 for it about 4 or 5 years ago. That brings up another point. According to the DVD that I got with my harness, we are supposed to scrap them out 5 years after the manufacture date that is attached to the harness. Does anyone really do this? I got 2 harnesses with each of my 2 man ladder stands and one with the Ameristep hang on I just bought this year. They'll have expired dates before I wear em all one time.

 
Thanks for the info.  I'm sure the expiration dates are just a "cover your butt" kinda thing.

[buckhunter21]

ORIGINAL: Patriot

I know this is not the correct answer, but I don't wear a harness.  I do wear the old style safety belt.  I've tried putting on the harnesses that come with treestands these days.  I have to be honest....they were a complete joke.

Again (wrong answer I know), but I don't feel like paying $100 for the vest harness when my current belt has worked great for me all these years.

I'm only 33 and starting to sound like an old cogger![:D]

If someone can recommend a convenient harness style / brand that doesn't cost a ton, I'm happy to try it out.

 
I know what you are talking about Patriot, but you have to look at it this way...Are you putting a dollar figure on your life?  Those old style harnesses are pretty much useless...They've been known to kill almost as many people as not having one on at all.  Anyways, I'd recommend dipping into the kitty fund and buying one!  I use the Loggy Bayou Transformer System belt.  Very nice!  I know MUD carries one similar.  If you want some more info or the websites PM me and I'll hit you up with them!

[Bowtechian]

Patriot, you can't look at buying a safety harness being for just you. It's an investment that your family will benefit from when you return from your hunting trips safely. I used a quality harness that came with my Summit climber for years until I replaced it with a Hunters Safety System pro vest last year. I think it's worth every penny. It's a good easy to use harness that doubles as a gear vest.
 
You also have to consider Mrs. Patriot's safety this year if she's joining you in the trees. You wouldn't want her to wear just any old harness.

[fasteddie]

I have the Hunter Safety system and I don't go into a treestand without it . I don't mind vegetables but I don't want to become one !
 
I recall a bike helmet ad by Bell many years ago , " a 10 dollar helmet for a 10 dollar head" . What price do you put on your safety ?

[Squirrelhawker]

ORIGINAL: Patriot

I know this is not the correct answer, but I don't wear a harness.  I do wear the old style safety belt.  I've tried putting on the harnesses that come with treestands these days.  I have to be honest....they were a complete joke.

Again (wrong answer I know), but I don't feel like paying $100 for the vest harness when my current belt has worked great for me all these years.

I'm only 33 and starting to sound like an old cogger![:D]

If someone can recommend a convenient harness style / brand that doesn't cost a ton, I'm happy to try it out.

 
I hear you Patriot. Change is hard for all of us to varying degrees. You need to look at this differently. It's crazy how we look at things sometimes. Most of us wouldn't think twice about laying down serious cash for all kinds of other equipment. Except the one pc of gear that can save your life when something just once, goes terribly wrong.
 
As for me I can't hardly believe it took the bow hunting industry so long to get with it. In twenty years or more of bow hunting I went from nothing, to a rope, to a slip belt around the waist, to a slip belt around my chest. All of these things would have most likely contributed to death or serious injury had I  made a mistake or had a treestand fail in some way.
 
And then 2 point harness came out and although they sucked to put on, they were the first that seriously improved survival odds.
 
And then 4 points came out and they sucked beyond belief to work with. But they could actually keep you alive if used correctly.
 
And then finally somebody got smart and now we have a vest that any idiot can put on in the dark, over or under our gear. And they even have more pockets. Who does not need more pockets??
 
A 200 pound person falling just three feet without being systematically de-accelerated generates in the neighborhood of 1700 lbs of force. Ladies and gentlemen, we were not made to take that kind of abuse, let alone falling all the way down to the ground.
 
I'm an instructor. I see the stats. I know how we are getting hurt and killing ourselves. It is far and away more by treestand accidents than any other type of hunting accident.
 
Suck it up, and buy a vest and be done with it. Heck, fathers day is coming up!!

[Patriot]

So, I'm getting the message that I should get a safety harness.  Is that correct?
 
Thanks for the gentle harrassment.[:D]  I will get one before the season starts.

[fasteddie]

Suggestion for safety harness usage .
Place the strap that connects to the tether line at least head high in the tree and leave just enough slack so you can sit down . If you should lose your balance , you don't have far to fall .

[dadof3upatree]

Thats exactly how I tether mine Fasteddie.. Also, and I'm kind of surprised no one else mentioned this, I can honestly remember a few deer I never could have shot without my safety harness, including one nice 6-pointer.  Deer seldom come from the direction they are suppose to, especially during the rut.  On those occasions, I have been able to harvest numerous deer by leaning out around the tree or behind it, much further than without my safety harness.  A few times I"ve shot deer with my rifle using my tether as a rifle rest.
              Myself, I can't imagine hunting without one.  I couldn't look at my kids picture's on the limb of my bow, 20 feet up, and not have one on.
             I, also wear the vest style now days, from Wal-Mart for around $40.  I have given several of my old 4-pointer harnesses to my buddies that never wear one.  Some still don't wear it but I did my part to encourage its use.
             One last thing, I always make sure my wife know where I'm hunting, down to a map to my tree.  It gives her piece of mind.  I wear Realtree camo so she would never find me without a map.  I guess I could switch to MossyOak so I would stick out in the woods like hunter orange so she could find me.LOL  Sorry MossyOak fans.  Just a joke.  But the truth hurts doesn't it!

[SNIPERMAN]

I ALWAYS USE ONE, JUST ORDERED ONE OF THE NEW RESCUE ONE CDS VEST, CHECK IT OUT,
http://www.mountaineer-sports.com/suspensiontrauma.php