finally got one of my hang on stands and 1- set of climbing stix and 1-set of sectional ladders back and now need a harness. the cds looks about the best, but as I see it the 1st trip up is gonna be the hardest I always just used the lineman's belt cuz putting a belt around the tree and attaching your tether and pushing it up ahead of you was a major PIA, having to loosen or undo it to get around branches or steps/ladder whatever. once up and in place I would attach a belt or large I-screw into tree and hang a nylon (seat belt like) double looped 8' section from that and leave it there and clip the tether to that when climbing and descending, plus the lineman belt. but as I see it now the safety rope with prussic knot from top of tree to bottom is about the only the way to go, just hate having to leave it there all the way to the ground all the time where anyone could mess with it especially on public property, plus the human scent from your hands will be all over that rope and act as a huge scent wick. when hunting public land and planning on coming back again I would leave the stand and top ladder section or 2 in place and nothing for the first 8-10' off the ground, then just have to carry in and set up 2 sections of ladder or stix only, much easier in the dark when trying to be quiet and use no light. years ago app late 80's I used the seat-o- the pants that packed into a self contained fanny pack but it got tangled easy and was loud to put on and difficult in the dark, so I usualy did it in the camp or at the truck. the thing I'm basicly trying to get at is if you clipped the cds rope into the top of the tree to descend then once at the bottom, wouldn't you have to leave the vest/harness there? seems like you really have to use the line with prussic knot or nylon belt. what say you?
