Don't be stupid!

[Robert Honaker]

OR USE A GUIDOS WEB. Safest way to hunt from a tree period.

[Widow's Son]

My buddies and I used to never use a safety belt and actually laughed at those who did. This was 20 years ago and looking at those old climbers we used back then sends shivers up my spine. We were stupid. I bought a Hunters Safety System harness this summer to replace my old belt. It was expensive but what is your life worth. My wife hunged my neck for making the purchase.

Ross

[KentuckyTJ]

Yeah Ross, Did any of you guys ever have these old Baker stands? Hahaha oh man I have come sliding down a few trees in these things back in the day and I still didn't wear a harness. The inside of my forearms still have bark skid marks on them. Yes my name is TJ and I'm STUPID.

   

[Widow's Son]

Those Baker's were death traps but the best we had back in the day. I loved the way the hand climber would come loose and smack you in the head. I had the plywood base bust out of one. Lucky for me I was about 3ft off the ground.

Ross

[KentuckyTJ]

Dang it. I was wanting to see if you wanted to buy mine. It even has the circa '86 camo paint upgrade.    

[Widow's Son]

Hey, hang on to it. It's a collectors item. Somebody may want it for a vintage deer hunt.

[7 Lakes]

We ran ropes course outings designed and outfitted by "Project Adventure" Full harnesses and climbing ropes are offered for sale to the general public.  They offer a very nice seat harness used by customers on high ropes course for around $55 dollars.  Their equipment is designed and approved for climbing.  I tend to trust it more than something thrust on the market by tree stand salesmen.

[J-dog]

did not read the entire thread, but get you a climbing rig, rope to the ground with a prussik (sp?) knot to tie hook into before you ever leave the ground -- make it even more safe to have an additional caribiner to snap into your tree stand before you unhook from the climbing rig.

Easy to learn how to set up and is very safe. Have had two friends injured from treestand falls, one broke his neck though it did not paralyze him luckily. He wore a halo for close to a yr though.

J

[Running Buck]

The question regarding the expiration date on fall arrest equipment has more to do with the stitching then the belts themselves. Insect repellent, tick repellent and UV sunlight will break down nylon stitching. Inspect your gear the night before. In the case of a fall your body weight is magnifyed many times depending on how far you travel before coming to the end of your rope. Have a plan on how you will climb back to your platform or climb down the tree. You cannot hang suspended for any amount of time, suspension trauma will kill you as fast as the fall itself. With a lot of us being past the 40 and 50 yard mark in life, backyard practice with some friends will reveal that we don't bend and move as well as we did 25 years ago. As always,safety first.

[JamesKerr]

I wear a harness anytime my feet are not on the ground.