Worst fall I've ever had was from a tripod. A weld broke and when that happens it ceases to be a tripod snd you can easily imagine what it looked like. Broke a rib but nothing else. Wasn't a safety nothing going help in that situation.
Nope, cept maybe setting it up on some real soft ground, or a gym mat. Thankfully the sandy soil here is pretty soft. A Buddy of mine, who fought me tooth & nail about wearing the single belt type safety (back then) fell asleep/ dropped his gun 10' & it shattered the stock on the rocks. He's a believer in harnesses now.
OK you guys are KILLING me. All of my life I had never thought ofa safety belt unless I was putting up a stand with pops watching. At that point he made me wear a belt, that we had made to strap around the tree as I drove nails in the tree for steps. As I have hunted all of my life never wearing a harness while in the stand. For that matter some people may call me plum crazy. I have hunted many many days in nothing but shorts and flip flops. Last year this topic got broughtup and I read it half hearted thinking ya ya ya, safety harness. This year someone brought up the fact that they knew someone that never wore a safety belt while in the stand but wouldn't take a step into the woods without his snakeboots on and how crazy that was. I have to admit that I do have snake boots and have worn them when it is really cold. But As I said, shorts and flip flops. This past weekend in normal attire shorts and ... Saturday morning I was in a latter stand maybe 10' high I saw a 4 point at about 30 yards and 3 does at different times. I hunted another block that afternoon and walked in in my shorts and flip flops to my climber. I climbed about 30' up to the area that I had trimmed up so I can see and started the hunt at 2:30. While killing time and bordom I surfed the forum while thinking about this thread. I remembered someone talking about the weld breaking and looked at my stand and thought that there is no welds on my stand. Then I thought about the "seat" it's fabric and I have had it about 8-10 years... And had left in the woods over the summer or two. I tried to think yeah if the seat ripped Ihave my arms drapped over the sides and could catch myself. then I thought wait it isn't going to rip when I'm sitting still arms drapped over the edge. It's going to rip when I take one arm off to reach over and look behind me at some diller rooting around. There would be no way that I could catch myself at that point. Needless to say My stomach mussels were sore for two days after that. With that being said! what does everyone recommend? The one major factor to keep in mind I'm going to need a maternity harness because I'm at about 9 months. Keep in mind I'm a dude with a belly.
:saluting
If you want "quick and easy there is absolutely no better option than the Hunter safety system vest style harness. They literally take 5-10 seconds to put on. The downside is they are hot. Even the Pro series mesh style is very hot.
http://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Safety-System-Series-Harnesses/dp/B004SX71UC
Technology has changed in the last couple years on harnesses. I am really digging some of these newer ones that are out nowadays, Like the Muddy and the Spider
http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Speed-Harness-Large-X-Large/dp/B004VPL5W2
http://www.amazon.com/Muddy-Outdoors-Safeguard-Harness-Black/dp/B004M8BVFE
I also recommend the life lines instead of the tree tether or the little 6 foot line. These go all the way to the ground, so you can Macgyver yourself down of need be
You can find these in a 3 pack, or make your own like I idid
http://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Safety-System-Life-Line/dp/B001E35VU6
The rescue one cds big boy is expensive & heavy but good & should fit anyone. If you're too big for this you probly shouldn't be off the ground. Any 4 point system, even the ones that come with the stands for free are better than nothing. The trick IMO is keeping the tether so tight that falling out of the stand is just not possible, it should catch you before your butt reaches the foot platform, so getting back in is no biggie. Just enough slack to sit/stand. My favorite feature is the linemans belt & the rig saw more use doing tree work around the yard than hunting. Realize with ANY type of harness hanging over app 15 minutes you will likely stroke out, so have a plan to get back in the stand, or out of the harness & down to the ground should you find yourself hanging.
