safety vest vrs harness?? what do you use?

[mike p]

What do you use for safety? harness belt or vest? I am a whopping 305# and the harness they give with the tree stands is not my size I need ideas or should I just chance it? thank you

[mike p]

[702plmo]

You can edit you post by hitting the little notepad w/pencil icon in the upper right side of your post.

  I still use a harness but have realy been looking at the vest,  the only drawback is the weight of the vest.  They seem really heavy to me.

[Rico]

Depending on the tree if it’s a telephone pole (no branches)  I would use a harness rarely do I climb a tree like that, too silhouetted and too many pegs to screw in.
  I usually  prefer the inside of a pine tree here I am well hid with numerous branches all around , here I use just a 2” web belt with 2D rings and a light weight high quality climbing  aluminum carabineer. I also use in both situations a prussic knot and rope.
  The belt is a fall restraint which I wouldn’t want to hang from for very long. It works well for climbing just slide carabineer to the front and when you get in the tree slide to the back and pull up prussic to desired length. The belt has no noise and is very light weight, I just wear the belt around my waist with the carabineer and move from stand to stand to I much prefer this system over the harness which I find heavy and restrictive but necessary if use a self climber treestand or like.

[barebow]

Before choosing a safety harness, I suggest you check out this link and be sure to watch the video segments of these safety harness tests.

 http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/articles/harnesstest/

[Stone Knife]

I use a harness, i think the vests would be a little easier to put on in the dark, but they would hold the water if it were raining. I trust a good harness with rubber coated steel buckles. I have repelled out of bucket trucks at 50' with this type of harness and they work. IMHO

[T.J.]

I use a vest. It works great, gives me to outside pockets if I need them and if it rains the vest just snaps off and leaves the harness underneath

[bbassi]

I have the Gorilla vest, and while it's easier to get in and out of, it is bulky and there are no POCKETS! I think I'm going to switch over to the harness this year if I have to buy another stand to get it. LOL

I don't know off hand of any that are rated over 250 lbs., but if you're going to get one, try to get the type that has a single strap that goes part way down your leg before wrapping around your thigh, vs. the type where the leg strap comes off the belt in a "V". Your boys will thank you if you ever do have a fall. Trust me.

[ethan]

I wear a harness and put it on under my outer layer. It's comfortable enough for me to forget I am wearing it.

[MikeC]

I use the Loggy Boyou system, don't even know it's on.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I just bought a HSS Pro, the mesh vest.. Easy on and off, comfortable to wear, but I do think I will wear a shirt over it, as it will be a bit noisy on a rough barked tree. Can't say as I was impressed with the tree belt that comes along with it, I will probably continue to use my LW rope there.

[varmint]

I tried the HSS,gave it away.....

Used a Seat O' the Pants for a few years,still have it as a back up or loaner......

My favorite is the Loggy Bayou Transformer,great harness that does not tangle at all,plus it has a built in bino system like the crooked horn bino harness,not too mention the add ons you can get,gear pouch,handwarmer,water bottle holder,quiver,ect.

[Whip]

I'm with Ethan - harness underneath my outer layer and don't know it's there.(Won't work with a hooded jacket though)

[Ray Hammond]

The vest system that I tested was fine, unless you fell.

Then if you were a male of the species you would find that it was difficult to speak in anything but a falsetto.

If that is not graphic enough a description as to why you need to look at a Seat O The Pants instead, you can pm me for further description.

[Doc Nock]

Deer & Deer Hunting magazine did a fall survey some years ago and some follow up research of their own.

They claimed that you had about 2-3 min TOPS if you fell with either a belt or a vest only... and then you'd pass out reportedly from chest compression...or worse.

The only one that bought you some decent time was the 5 pt harness like the SOP.  

Wearing a Hide-m-Hunter chest harness only, I did a 180 25' up in a 100' oak tree ONCE... I remembered the article and I was like a martin scramblin around quick like to get myself squared away before I passed out!... I know my ribs were sore for weeks... Now it's SOP all the way...

[Bowmania]

I know what SOB stand for... SOP???

[Jeff Strubberg]

Seat of the Pants.

Just ordered one.  I don't like the idea of covering all my wool and fleece with a hard shell.

I went with the straps.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I've been using a SOP since shortly after they first came out. Great harness.