Tree Stand Safety Lines!

[38ExtraSpecial]

hey guys and gals.

how many of you are using linesman belts, safety lines, or lifelines? i started looking in to these when i started bowhunting this year. this is a must for climbing up the stand. i like the idea of a long 30' or so thats tied up above your max trees tand height and hangs to the bottom of the tree. you can clip your safety harness to the knot and work your way up the tree without shimmying a linesman belt up every step of the way (of course this is after the initial shimmying to get it ties off the first time) then double the rope as a gear rope to pull you stuff in to the stand.

so i went over to r&w rope warehouse (rwrope.com ask for ray) and had them tie one up for me.

man this thing is sweet. and the price is right. the rope he used for the main line is super nice stuff (arteplas.com braided multifilament pet rope in 1/2") super stong, abrasive resistant, and uv resistant to hold up in the sunlight while attached to the tree all year long. then a nice sterling climbing rope for the prussic knot.

i'm going to have them tie another prussic longer so i can use it as a foot loop to work my way down if i ever fall from my climber. that's a nice option to have.

i know safety harnesses come with a lifeline, but usually a short 8' line to keep your from hitting the ground, but this 30' is much nicer, tow your gear up, and use it to get to the ground if you are dangling.

i hope this helps some of your out. a safety line is a must, and I like to share these hidden gems when i find them.

 

[SheepDog_B]

Important!
I don't fully understand where you're tying into the system but I'm gonna throw this out there.
A few years ago I got into rock climbing and my 1st concern is if there are any DYNAMIC ropes in your system!
Either your 30 foot cord needs be be dynamic or your tether between your harness and the long rope needs to be dynamic. Dynamic rope is typically of a kernmantle type construction allowing it to "stretch". The layperson really won't be able to tell by just holding it, meaning it takes quite a bit of force to stretch it and it's really isn't that much actual stretch ( given you won't be falling from 30 feet onto 200 meters of rope ), but just that bit of deceleration you get from the stretch in a dynamic line can make all the difference between breaking your bones or knocking you out! If you take a fall from a few feet (say 6 or more) onto a COMPLETELY STATIC system, you VERY likely going to be in a world of hurt.
Look up, factor 2 type falls for more info.

just throwing some caution out to you folks!

 

[arlow]

You dont need all that with a climber. I use a summit Seat O the Pants harness and am connected to the tree all the way up the tree and all the way down. Each time you step up the tree all you have to do is move the tether up as you climb. Simple stuff really.

Hang on stands are where the climbing ropes can benefit you.

 

[arlow]

Important!
I don't fully understand where you're tying into the system but I'm gonna throw this out there.
A few years ago I got into rock climbing and my 1st concern is if there are any DYNAMIC ropes in your system!
Either your 30 foot cord needs be be dynamic or your tether between your harness and the long rope needs to be dynamic. Dynamic rope is typically of a kernmantle type construction allowing it to "stretch". The layperson really won't be able to tell by just holding it, meaning it takes quite a bit of force to stretch it and it's really isn't that much actual stretch ( given you won't be falling from 30 feet onto 200 meters of rope ), but just that bit of deceleration you get from the stretch in a dynamic line can make all the difference between breaking your bones or knocking you out! If you take a fall from a few feet (say 6 or more) onto a COMPLETELY STATIC system, you VERY likely going to be in a world of hurt.
Look up, factor 2 type falls for more info.

just throwing some caution out to you folks!

Tethers in quality harnesses have dynamic relief stitched into them. A section is stiched accordioned together designed to have the stiches give way if you fall to provide some cushion. Plus a properly set tether only allows you to fall a couple feet at most. It should be tight when you sit so that if you do fall you do not fall below the stand and can climb back in it.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

the main line is of kernmantle construction, with the prussic line being a static climbing line from sterling climbing ropes. (top notch from what i hear from a climbing buddy, short of the crazy european stuff)

arlow,
you're right with the climber vs hang on, but if you plan on keeping your stand in the same place all year i really like having the climbing line already hanging on the tree, its easier and faster to slide the prussic knot up the tree than it is to use the loop around the tree and slide it up.

either way whatever works for you. i have a buddy that feels the same way. he prefers the linesman style rope belt around the tree.

hope the pics help

 

[Boghog1]

need an idea of how you are working this line ? is one end tied to a harness and the other to the tree? how do you climb with it? I currently run a belt harness and need to look into a harness system with a shoulder set up

 

[Titan]

I know nothing about this subject, but FWIW, the guy who taught my hunter education class cautioned against safety rigs, based on what he considered the very high risk of getting hung up, after a fall, with no one around to help you.

 

[M1911]

I know nothing about this subject, but FWIW, the guy who taught my hunter education class cautioned against safety rigs, based on what he considered the very high risk of getting hung up, after a fall, with no one around to help you.

Are you saying that he suggested against wearing a harness and tying yourself to the tree? If so, then I disagree with him.

Around 30% of hunters who use tree stands fall out of them, and quite a few of those end up paralyzed. Back when I hunted, I used a lineman-style harness tied to the tree. I could only fall a few feet and could hopefully climb back into the tree stand if I did fall. If not, I had my cell.

Look at it another way: would you rather be hung up in a tree with no one to help you, or crumpled at the base of the tree, paralyzed after falling 25 feet, with no one to help you?

 

[Titan]

Are you saying that he suggested against wearing a harness and tying yourself to the tree? If so, then I disagree with him.

Around 30% of hunters who use tree stands fall out of them, and quite a few of those end up paralyzed. Back when I hunted, I used a lineman-style harness tied to the tree. I could only fall a few feet and could hopefully climb back into the tree stand if I did fall. If not, I had my cell.

Look at it another way: would you rather be hung up in a tree with no one to help you, or crumpled at the base of the tree, paralyzed after falling 25 feet, with no one to help you?

Yup, that's what he said.

It didn't make sense to me at the time and I said so, but didn't get very far with him.

He had a couple of horror stories of people hanging for days.

It still struck me as less serious than lying on the ground with broken bones for days.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

http://images.ebsco.com/pob/summit/catalog/2009_sop_83014_83024.pdf

http://images.ebsco.com/pob/summit/catalog/2010_sop_harness_18046.pdf

http://images.ebsco.com/pob/summit/catalog/2004_instr_tree_descender.pdf

if you use a treestand and are not familiar with this info, definitely do some reading up and get a safety harness. it's a small investment, and can be a life saver

these links show how to use the rope as a linesman belt (8'), a short safety line (8') a longer safety line for decent (30') and a decender which is just a few more longer prussic used to relieve the pressure from the safety harness, or in conjunction with the 30' line to be able to get out of the tree.

do some reading up on safety harnesses, they only save you from the fall, but the pressure they put on you from your body weight can kill you after a while. it's good not to hit the ground, but if you're left dangling you're done for it. a 30' line could be the way to get down.

i hope this is informative for a lot of you. it's a pretty nice tool to have, short money for something that could save your life.
these lines are useless without a good harness though, they're used together to save your life, each item by itself won't do you any good

 

[M1911]

He had a couple of horror stories of people hanging for days.

It still struck me as less serious than lying on the ground with broken bones for days.

You and me, both. It is really easy to fall asleep in a tree stand, after having gotten up at 3:30 AM. If I'm stuck up a tree hanging from my rope, I've got options. If I'm crumpled at the base of the tree after falling 25', I don't have many options.

 

[Titan]

You and me, both. It is really easy to fall asleep in a tree stand, after having gotten up at 3:30 AM. If I'm stuck up a tree hanging from my rope, I've got options. If I'm crumpled at the base of the tree after falling 25', I don't have many options.

I'd have gnawed through the rope, way before I settled for hanging anywhere for days. Who knows why it never occurred to these shmos.

 

[M1911]

I'd have gnawed through the rope, way before I settled for hanging anywhere for days. Who knows why it never occurred to these shmos.

I always have a knife accessible in my pocket when hunting. Grab a hold of the tree legs and one hand. Use the other hand to cut the rope. Even if you slide down the trunk, that's probably better than free-falling.